“Be good to yourself,” “Be gentle,” “Take care,” “Rest well,” and many more ‘feel good’ expressions
How many times have we expressed these sentiments to others? We say it a lot to our friends and family. How often do we take this to heart for ourselves? Why is it so hard to be kind and gentle to our ourselves?
Rachel with J. Brown
We know that it is essential to take care of ourselves, to treat ourselves with loving kindness and to do unto others as we want them to do to us in return. Yet, we’re often the last one to take our own advice and counsel, and frequently, we need someone else to give us permission to do so.
I recently attended a yoga weekend workshop titled "Gentle is the New Advanced," J. Brown's signature offering. The name called to me, as I teach a gentle basics practice and was curious to learn more especially from a younger male teacher whose previous practice was power driven with a strict alignment focus to now one of "gentle."
What happened? Pain happened, and disillusionment persisted. Returning to the roots of yoga, focused on student inquiry, and a breath-centric practice brought him to a place of peace and contentment with his body. On his website, he describes his change of mind and style
Pursuing a quiet yoga revolution, based in healing, J. Brown seeks to change the dialogue and direction of yoga practice in the west.
"The simpler, the better,” “less is more,” "let the breath and the movement become one,” are statements that spoke to both my body and heart as I developed, and continue, to expand my yoga practice. You want to feel well enough in your body today, tomorrow, and going forward for as long as you live.
Lately, some of the poses that I have always loved don’t love my body so much anymore. With a family history of arthritis, it was no surprise that I was feeling the beginnings of nagging pain in my lower back and hips. I was sad and frustrated by this, and as we all do when we see signs of change - my ego was fighting hard not to let go – to resist this change.
But with the possibility of this physical change looming, I had to stop and ask: What is our goal in yoga and life? For me, as for many, it is to be happy in mind, body, and spirit.
Functional mobility is critical, especially as we age. When you combine our ability to move with the breath, and the letting go and accepting whatever is possible – magic happens!
Thank you, J Brown, for reinforcing the wise teacher within to listen to the intelligence of the body. The body knows, but we need to take the time to listen to it and let the breath guide us. The body loves breath – the inspiration and the exhalation give us rhythm, focus, and balance!
We are so much more than the physical limitations of our bodies. With regular practice, you, too, will discover a freedom within to help you quiet your mind and allow your body to release, relax and renew.
Sounds good? Not sure how to get there?
Do like in the old days, find a teacher to work with you one-on-one. This is how yoga was initially taught -- the student had to seek out a teacher and ask to be taken on as a student. If you were accepted, the teaching would begin one-on-one based upon the student’s inquiry and curiosity.
Today, choosing to create a practice is not as complicated as in the past - yoga has exploded in the western world. Even with this proliferation of classes, studios, and teachers, one should be discriminating in seeking out a teacher who will best serve you.
Remember to be gentle with yourself, listen to your body, take a deep breath, let go and dive in.
September is National Yoga Month
Yoga is so much more than just a physical practice. The lessons we learn on the yoga mat spill over into our daily lives. In celebration of September’s National Yoga Month, all new private students get 25% off of a series of three (3) individual sessions.
Reserve and pay for these from September 1-30, 2018. You can schedule your private sessions whenever convenient through the end of the year. RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW