In Sanskrit, Yoga means union or communion.
And I love this because this is exactly my experience when I practice Yoga, I feel more unified and centered.
My Mind, body, and soul are more connected, and I am able more fully in communion with my truth, my inner wisdom. It is through this inner sense voice that I can fully see who I am: my strength, purpose, value and worth.
My Wholeness.
I didn’t always “get” Yoga, I have worked out for many years, and I was mainly focused on burning calories, sweating and pushing myself to my limits. I just didn’t see how breathing and standing and stretching could be a “workout” and I didn’t take the time to do it very often.
Everyone once in a while, I would take a class and think, “that was ok, but I don’t get all the hype.” Then one day I joined a yoga class at my local gym, and although it was similar to the other classes I had taken, I experienced it differently. I finally “got it”, I finally understood what all the fuss was about. The “It” wasn’t a thunderclap or a zing; it was more of a settling calm and a resonating whisper of something deeper, something valuable that I hadn’t noticed before.
And I knew I wanted to be it again.
After that class, I scheduled Yoga into my schedule a more, taking classes at my gym, at home off of Youtube and creating my own practices from books and articles I read.
I am not a Yoga teacher, so the knowledge I have of Yoga is based on some reading, but it is mainly based on my personal experience and my feelings.
My experience with Yoga is a deep union of the mind, body and spirit, through a focus on the breath, slowing down the mind, strengthening and lengthening the body, and actively practicing and experiencing love and compassion for self and extending that to others.
When I practice, I feel powerful, calm and resonate, and when I have quieted my mind and am being with myself, I can feel my wholeness.
Yoga also helps me get strong and flexible, through the many and sometimes pretty intense poses. Last January, when I was doing my 30 days of Yoga, I felt so strong, lean and confident. And thanks to the many, many Sun Salutations and chaturanga I could do some 1 footed triceps pushup (which is pretty awesome for me) . Also, my balance improved, core got stronger and got more flexible. Pretty great, right?!
And because I loved it so much and I am doing it again. On January 1, 2016 I am starting another 30days of Yoga and I would love for you to join me!
The commitment I am making to myself is, every day for 30 days, at least 10 minutes, I do some yoga, either at home at the gym or on . I know 10 minutes, isn’t a lot of time, but some days are just full and for some people taking even 10minutes to dedicate to yourself, is a new, novel idea in their life. And my hope is, that once you gift yourself with at least 10 minutes everyday, you will get more in the habit of putting yourself 1st (that’s right, I said 1st!) and be able to expand, grow and start creating what you want in this next year!
Ok, so the #30daysofyoga start on January 1st, 2016 and I would love for you to do it with me! I will be posting on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter daily, so you can see my progress. And if post you #30days, please tag me, because I would love to see your progress too! If posting, sorta thing please still let me know (sally@sallytwellman.com or via my Facebook page) so I can cheer you along the way. But I do have one thing to say about the benefit of posting your progress through the #30daysofyoga. In the beginning, it can feel a little exposing, but it is also very empowering and inspiring. I started posting last year on a whim and I was astounded by the positive feedback I received, messages from people (I didn’t even know) saying that they were starting their own #30daysofyoga, were inspired and-and felt “if she can do it, I can do it” so they started to care for themselves more deeply. Opening ourselves can be scary, but it also creates connection and shares your light and gifts with others.
“When you let your light shine you allow others to do the same” – Marianne Williamson
So join me, for this 30-day adventure, I know it will be a magical, shifting experience!
I can’t wait to see you on January 1!,
Namasta (The light in my honors the light in you),
Sally
Oh, and if you want to connect with some other awesome women from around the world who are committed to experiencing life on a new level and changing themselves (therefore changing the world) in an amazing and positive way join The Joyful Warriors Facebook group, it’s awesome. I bet a bunch of them will be doing the #30daysof yoga too!
