Living Free: Yoga for Stress, Anxiety, and Other Pesky Realities

Living Free: Yoga for Stress, Anxiety, and Other Pesky Realities

Life can toss all kinds of things in our direction, nothing we cannot handle, but sometimes we could use a little help. Join us as we discover yoga’s ability to create freedom from stress & anxiety, depression, addictions and the tensions of daily living. Learn gentle ways to access your mind-body’s ability to soothe chronic stress, ease anxiety & depression, 

and help overcome addictions.

This 5 week series begins with the simplest of skills for breathing, moving the body & paying attention to the ‘here & now.’ We’ll explore how these and other yoga methods can encourage a healthy rebalancing of the mind-body-brain system. We’ll learn to confidently make use of these tools & begin to find freedom in our everyday lives.

Join us for gentle yoga practice with discussion
Thursdays
February 18 - March 17
6:30-7:30pm  Small Yoga Studio
led by Susannah Cecil, M.Ed., LPC, RYT200

$15 for Single Class or $60 for 5 Weeks

for YW and YMofNWNC Members

$20 for Single Class or $80 for 5 Weeks for Non-Members

Registration is required, stop by the

Gateway YWCA at 1300 S Main St. Winston Salem, NC

For questions email kristenywca@gmail.com

Kelsa: Sovereign and Free

In yoga teacher training today we took some extra time to look deep into each others souls. A way of opening ourselves to see and be seen. To see colors, auras, lives past and feelings of growth and development. After the practice, my partner told me my eyes had an incredible depth to them, but there was a sadness in which she saw. In her, I saw a strong Native American spirit in touch with the animal kingdom and having a special mothering relationship with them. 

On my way home, I thought to myself, where is this sadness coming from? Thoughts ran through my head of what it could be? How can I tap into it? I don't feel sad. Humm... 

Arriving home I learned that "We had a loss today..." 

"What? Who? What happened?"

"Kelsa"

Who was Kelsa?

Kelsa was the beautiful Saluki hound you see in the photo.

She was the mother to 9 puppies and had a long term relationship with Zephyr.

When Kelsa was a puppy she kicked me in the eye which caused a boil which led to me learning I'm allergic to 'mycin' drugs.

When I moved back home with Spirit (the red headed step child to a pack of 6 hounds) Kelsa stood up for Spirit and let the others know that it was ok for her to live here.

It may seem silly to blog about the loss of a pet, but as I stood by her grave tonight, I couldn't help but think of the qualities Kelsa held. Qualities that I hope someone would stand by my grave and reminisce on... she was a faithful wife, a loving mother to not just her own, but to her 'step children'. She was elegant and classy. She had the most kind eyes and softest gentle touch. She was beauty.

I think it only appropriate to add that Kelsas given name was Khalsa. Khalsa is the collective body of all initiated Sikhs represented by the five beloved ones and called the Guru Panth, the embodiment of the Guru and the final temporal leader of the Sikhs. The word Khalsa translates to Sovereign and Free. 

And that is what she always was, and continues to be. Sovereign and Free. The irony of the day, the fact that the Native American mothering totem saw a sadness in my eyes today knew... knew at that moment a close soul was passing to another dimension. 

Fly high Kelsa, you are greatly loved and will be missed.

You ARE Worthy!

This topic just seems to be popping up everywhere I look, its in my yoga practice, in my life, with my friends and loved ones, it just seems to be everywhere. So, why not share my thoughts on the subject with you!

You ARE Worthy, you are worthy of love, happiness, joy, grace, any positive affirmation that you can come up with, you are worthy of each one. In addition to that, you are also worthy to give those things. I've have a few moments lately where I tell myself that I am not worthy of these things. I remind myself that not only am I worthy to receive them, but to give them, and that is part of the process... Life is not always selfish, it doesn't work like that universally. Life is composed of vast examples of dualism. We give we take, the sun rises, the sun sets, the tide ebbs and flows, the breathe in and we breathe out and so on.

I'm reminded of this in my yoga practice as we INHALE the affirmations we want to receive, we EXHALE what we want to give back. When we give back, we have created space to bring in another. Every breath is a place to taste our own soul, even for just a moment, and when we nourish our soul with giving and receiving, the wheels turn much more freely.

Live a life of worth 

be strong, give love, receive love, be free, be brave

Live.

www.k10yoga.com

I tried to warn myself...

I woke this morning, at 6am, to the moo-ing of someones escaped cow in the yard, dogs barking, howling, making a fuss... I thought, oh boy, this is going to be a day. I tried to sleep but tossed and turned thinking-surely they will be quiet soon.

A few simple, but important, things were on the docket as "supposed to happen today" skype dates with a long lost love, and exciting weekend plans sorted out... When I awoke to this moo, I actually thought, don't get too excited, don't have any expectations for todays outcome.

But I'm a girl of hope, a cup half full, find the best in people, live life kind of girl and as all the plans I was excited about today diminished one by one, my spirit went with it. "I'm always giving, I'm always offering, I'm always... setting myself up for disappointment?

Living a life of hope isn't as easy as it would seem, it takes work and that work occasionally involves two or more people. Does hope have a definition when more than just yourself is involved? Is hope something that can only happen when you can only hope with yourself as to not be disappointed in anyone but your own expectations and avoidance of being let down?

I don't know, but in my quest for this answer I have learned that for me, I will continue to have hope in myself and in other people. Being disappointed brings a third chakra push, and that push makes me feel alive. It asks me to continue having hope that people will eventually start to understand, and if they don't, that is on them, and that is not my shit.

I will continue to have hope, and I'm sure I will continue to be occasionally disappointed. The duality of life shows me that its okay, for without disappointment would there be an observed gain of happiness?

"May the wind always be on your back and the sun always upon your face

and may the winds of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars..."