I have completed my first week of the 21 Days of Yoga Challenge. I decided to start the challenge by doing my first few sessions in the comfort of my own home! I have a collection of great DVDs that I have gotten over the years and wanted to put them to use. I am SO glad I did. Although I think a very important part of Yoga is feeling the energy of those who are practicing with and around you, I have found that practicing alone is personally a great way for me to have alone time that isn't consumed by thoughts and distractions. It is just me focusing on the unity of my body and my breath. It's very peaceful and a great way to start or end the day.
I have a few DVDs by a Yoga Instructor named Shiva Rea. I wanted to share her website with you because I think she is amazing! Check it out at: http://shivarea.com/ . Her DVDs are sold on the website and I suggest them to anyone who is interested in getting a really good yoga session at home!
Rejuvenation is the perfect way to describe my yoga experiences over the past week. Since I have adapted to adult life, a new meaning has come to the saying "there are not enough days in the week," or rather "there are not enough hours in the day." So bringing yoga back into my life this week has added two (very important) things to my everyday routine: calming alone time, and exercise! When I say exercise, I really mean to emphasize because yoga is such a unique kind of exercise. It brings such awareness to every fiber of your body. It requires not only the basic fundamentals of a normal workout like balance, strength and endurance but it also requires the ability to enter a mental state that is a rare challenge in itself (at least for me). I am sure this state of mind comes more easily as it becomes more a part of your daily routine with yoga.
I look forward to exploring more about yoga and I will update soon with more thoughts!
Love, peace, and yoga!
Om Shanti
Juli
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
The start to my 21 days of yoga challenge!
So I just wanted to do a quick update!
I plan to start my challenge this Sunday with a Vinyasa Flow class at Triad Yoga in Greensboro. I have been here a few times and I absolutely love the environment so I am happy to return!
As far as my personal goals go...I want to make the commitment to myself to bring yoga back into my life and make it a part of my everyday (or mostly everyday) routine! I also want to expand my yoga experience and try different types of practices. Maybe I can top my 21 days off with some Bikram?! That may be ambitious, but that is what this is all about, right?!
I want to finish with a quote that I got from Maureen Miller (you can follow her AMAZING blog at
http://www.livinglifemakingchoices.com/)
I will update once I get started!
Namaste
I plan to start my challenge this Sunday with a Vinyasa Flow class at Triad Yoga in Greensboro. I have been here a few times and I absolutely love the environment so I am happy to return!
As far as my personal goals go...I want to make the commitment to myself to bring yoga back into my life and make it a part of my everyday (or mostly everyday) routine! I also want to expand my yoga experience and try different types of practices. Maybe I can top my 21 days off with some Bikram?! That may be ambitious, but that is what this is all about, right?!
I want to finish with a quote that I got from Maureen Miller (you can follow her AMAZING blog at
http://www.livinglifemakingchoices.com/)
I will update once I get started!
Namaste
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
3 Days In...
So my challenge began on Sunday, and so far I have attended 2 classes. This is quite normal for me, as I tend to do yoga pretty often during the week (hence my last post explaining that the challenge would not be the actual attending of class).
The first class I attended was an "Anusara-inspired Yoga Class." For those of you who don't know, Anusara is basically this: "The highest intention of practicing Anusara yoga is to align with the Divine. As we deepen our alignment with the Supreme, we step deeper into the flow of Grace." (http://www.anusara.com/) Although challenging, this was a slower moving class very focused on alignment. What I liked most about it, however, was the mind exercise that was tied into it. Our teacher, Buffy, started off the class with the theme of "You are beautiful" and carried that tagline throughout the class. What a feeling I had when I walked out of there!
Tuesday night I attended a Vinyasa Flow class in a heated room with the most amazing teacher, Billy. He reignited my love for yoga a little less than a year ago, and I am truly addicted to his class. He pushes you further than you believe you can go, but also comforts you when things may get a little too hard. His class is hard for me to describe because the feeling I have when I am there is unlike any other, and I know I'm not the only one who feels this way because his classes are always mat to mat.
I have no news as to where I am with the intentions I set at the beginning of this challenge. I believe it is too early to tell. I will say, though, that I am going into these classes more conscious of my intention and will be learning a lot along the way.
The first class I attended was an "Anusara-inspired Yoga Class." For those of you who don't know, Anusara is basically this: "The highest intention of practicing Anusara yoga is to align with the Divine. As we deepen our alignment with the Supreme, we step deeper into the flow of Grace." (http://www.anusara.com/) Although challenging, this was a slower moving class very focused on alignment. What I liked most about it, however, was the mind exercise that was tied into it. Our teacher, Buffy, started off the class with the theme of "You are beautiful" and carried that tagline throughout the class. What a feeling I had when I walked out of there!
Tuesday night I attended a Vinyasa Flow class in a heated room with the most amazing teacher, Billy. He reignited my love for yoga a little less than a year ago, and I am truly addicted to his class. He pushes you further than you believe you can go, but also comforts you when things may get a little too hard. His class is hard for me to describe because the feeling I have when I am there is unlike any other, and I know I'm not the only one who feels this way because his classes are always mat to mat.
I have no news as to where I am with the intentions I set at the beginning of this challenge. I believe it is too early to tell. I will say, though, that I am going into these classes more conscious of my intention and will be learning a lot along the way.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
21 Day Yoga Challenge
So...personally...the juice cleanse was not a success for me! I am so proud of you, Juli, for completing the three days and having the strength and willpower to do so! For me, it was a challenge once the work week started. I was not able to bring a juicer or blender to my office with me, and I realize now that the timing was just not ideal for me. The next time I try a 3 day cleanse I will be sure to do it over a period of time where I have 3 days off...or at least 2 out of the 3!
However, this next challenge really excites me! Juli and I decided that a 21 day yoga challenge would be great! This does not mean we will be going to yoga every single day for 21 days straight, but rather attend at least 4 to 6 classes each week for 3 weeks. As an avid yogi, myself, my challenge will not be to actually attend class but rather to challenge myself each class to try something new.
Jason Crandell said "Yoga is the perfect opportunity to be curious about who you are."
Mary Glover said "For me yoga is not just a workout, its about working on yourself."
I believe these two quotes tie directly to the challenge I am creating for myself.
My physical intention is this: To find out how far I can really go. Rather than just moving through the poses, I will try to push it one step further. I have done yoga for about 3 years now, and feel minimal improvement in my actual yoga pose "skills". I believe this is because I have always just gone through the motions. And despite the fact that I have definitely become stronger (a chaturanga is a lot easier for me now!) I still feel like I could take it to the next level physically.
My mental intention is this: To challenge my mind and discover things about myself that I didn't know before.
My challenge will start tomorrow and go for 21 days. I will update you guys periodically as to my yogi experiences. I will try different styles and different teachers, and set different intentions each time. Please join Juli and I in this challenge, as I believe all of us can use a little yoga in our lives! :)
However, this next challenge really excites me! Juli and I decided that a 21 day yoga challenge would be great! This does not mean we will be going to yoga every single day for 21 days straight, but rather attend at least 4 to 6 classes each week for 3 weeks. As an avid yogi, myself, my challenge will not be to actually attend class but rather to challenge myself each class to try something new.
Jason Crandell said "Yoga is the perfect opportunity to be curious about who you are."
Mary Glover said "For me yoga is not just a workout, its about working on yourself."
I believe these two quotes tie directly to the challenge I am creating for myself.
My physical intention is this: To find out how far I can really go. Rather than just moving through the poses, I will try to push it one step further. I have done yoga for about 3 years now, and feel minimal improvement in my actual yoga pose "skills". I believe this is because I have always just gone through the motions. And despite the fact that I have definitely become stronger (a chaturanga is a lot easier for me now!) I still feel like I could take it to the next level physically.
My mental intention is this: To challenge my mind and discover things about myself that I didn't know before.
My challenge will start tomorrow and go for 21 days. I will update you guys periodically as to my yogi experiences. I will try different styles and different teachers, and set different intentions each time. Please join Juli and I in this challenge, as I believe all of us can use a little yoga in our lives! :)
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Home Stretch!
Day 3 has come and there is only 11 hours left of the cleanse (but who's counting?!). Today I woke up and made myself juice that consisted of:
1 container of blueberries
1 orange
2 small apples
1 pear
So yummie :-)
I am really feeling the benefits of the cleanse now. I feel like a restart button has been pressed. I am refocused, re-energized, and rejuvenated!
I look forward to waking up tomorrow and facing the new challenge of entering food back into my diet. Now that I know the true feeling of hunger I have the power to really tap into myself when those feelings reoccur in the future and ask myself "am I really hungry, or am I just tired or thirsty?" I hope to repeat a juice cleanse a few times a year to continue to reconnect my mind and body!
Hope you ladies are feeling as good as me on day 3!...
1 container of blueberries
1 orange
2 small apples
1 pear
So yummie :-)
I am really feeling the benefits of the cleanse now. I feel like a restart button has been pressed. I am refocused, re-energized, and rejuvenated!
I look forward to waking up tomorrow and facing the new challenge of entering food back into my diet. Now that I know the true feeling of hunger I have the power to really tap into myself when those feelings reoccur in the future and ask myself "am I really hungry, or am I just tired or thirsty?" I hope to repeat a juice cleanse a few times a year to continue to reconnect my mind and body!
Hope you ladies are feeling as good as me on day 3!...
A couple juice smoothie suggestions
Per Juli's request, I am adding these juice recipes to the blog for anyone who would like to try! Congrats to all who are finishing the juice cleanse today! I did a detox a couple of weeks ago and they can be tough (especially that first day!) Enjoy!
First one:
2 to 3 leaves kale
3/4 cup pineapple juice
4 to 5 strawberries, grapes, or 1 small orange
1 banana
2 to 3 pieces of pineapple
1 tablespoon chia seeds, soaked overnight
*The chia seeds are great for your skin and kale is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals, also good for healing*
.
1) First, blend the pineapple that you are using for your juice, or juice if that's what you are using. Then add the kale by itself to the pineapple juice and blend until smooth. Blending the kale first ensures that you don't get a big chunk while you're sipping later!
2) Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
Second one:
1 pomegranate, seeded
1 to 1-1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1 apple (red/gala/pink lady-any sweet variety-not grannies; optional)
1 beet (optional)
Directions:
1. In a juicer, process pomegranate seeds, then cranberries, then apple, then beet. (The order doesn't really matter, but if you use a beet, add it last to push any pulp through.)
Makes: 1 serving, Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Third one:
2 beets (washed, no greens) and 1 sweet apple.
According to my running buddy who provided me this recipe, you will pee pink... but don't be alarmed! HA! :-)
First one:
2 to 3 leaves kale
3/4 cup pineapple juice
4 to 5 strawberries, grapes, or 1 small orange
1 banana
2 to 3 pieces of pineapple
1 tablespoon chia seeds, soaked overnight
*The chia seeds are great for your skin and kale is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals, also good for healing*
.
1) First, blend the pineapple that you are using for your juice, or juice if that's what you are using. Then add the kale by itself to the pineapple juice and blend until smooth. Blending the kale first ensures that you don't get a big chunk while you're sipping later!
2) Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
Second one:
1 pomegranate, seeded
1 to 1-1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1 apple (red/gala/pink lady-any sweet variety-not grannies; optional)
1 beet (optional)
Directions:
1. In a juicer, process pomegranate seeds, then cranberries, then apple, then beet. (The order doesn't really matter, but if you use a beet, add it last to push any pulp through.)
Makes: 1 serving, Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Third one:
2 beets (washed, no greens) and 1 sweet apple.
According to my running buddy who provided me this recipe, you will pee pink... but don't be alarmed! HA! :-)
Monday, January 3, 2011
Day Two for Jules!
No one was lying when they said the first 24 hours were going to be the hardest. Yesterday was definitely a struggle for me. I felt pretty useless. I was expecting my energy to be low and for the first portion of the day I found myself trying to push through it. However, once I accepted that this was part of the challenge I gave into it and allowed myself to sleep and relax. Now I will not only be cleansed, but rested as well!
Christie and I finished yesterday with a great new recipe that we created. Definitely better than the previous "it's chug-able" concoction. By the way...it really wasn't even "chug-able." Well, at least not for me. It took a lot of water to get the lingering taste out of my mouth! Even though Christie swears that it was a bad batch of berries, I will forever have bad emotions towards spinach!
Anywhoo...give this new juicer recipe a try!
1/2 cucumber
3 oranges
1/2 pear
We have yet to name this one. But, when we do, it will be something that stands for yummie/refreshing/I want more!
Today started with a tasty concoction of 2 oranges, 1 apple, and 1 pear!
My energy level has definitely increased and my hunger has definitely decreased. I am really feeling good today!
It is so rewarding to know I have made it through to the hardest part and now I get to experience the more positive aspects of this challenge. I have learned over the past couple of years that if you make health a priority in your life so many wonderful things can come out of it. You learn to build a better relationship with yourself by making yourself the priority and becoming more in tune with your own needs and goals. You build a better relationship with food. You learn to appreciate the fact that food our fuel, it's something we can all enjoy(even the unappealing healthy stuff!), and ultimately it determines how long each of us will live healthy lives. After they do say "you are what you eat." Specifically, this juice cleanse has reintroduced me to discipline, dedication, and strong will. The fact that I have made it through half of the cleanse now has allowed me to prove to myself that I can make a promise to myself, and keep it. There is no room for excuses. I either do this for myself...or I don't. So here's to another day and a half!
Now I am off to the spa to release even more toxins!
Christie and I finished yesterday with a great new recipe that we created. Definitely better than the previous "it's chug-able" concoction. By the way...it really wasn't even "chug-able." Well, at least not for me. It took a lot of water to get the lingering taste out of my mouth! Even though Christie swears that it was a bad batch of berries, I will forever have bad emotions towards spinach!
Anywhoo...give this new juicer recipe a try!
1/2 cucumber
3 oranges
1/2 pear
We have yet to name this one. But, when we do, it will be something that stands for yummie/refreshing/I want more!
Today started with a tasty concoction of 2 oranges, 1 apple, and 1 pear!
My energy level has definitely increased and my hunger has definitely decreased. I am really feeling good today!
It is so rewarding to know I have made it through to the hardest part and now I get to experience the more positive aspects of this challenge. I have learned over the past couple of years that if you make health a priority in your life so many wonderful things can come out of it. You learn to build a better relationship with yourself by making yourself the priority and becoming more in tune with your own needs and goals. You build a better relationship with food. You learn to appreciate the fact that food our fuel, it's something we can all enjoy(even the unappealing healthy stuff!), and ultimately it determines how long each of us will live healthy lives. After they do say "you are what you eat." Specifically, this juice cleanse has reintroduced me to discipline, dedication, and strong will. The fact that I have made it through half of the cleanse now has allowed me to prove to myself that I can make a promise to myself, and keep it. There is no room for excuses. I either do this for myself...or I don't. So here's to another day and a half!
Now I am off to the spa to release even more toxins!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)