hope everyone has enjoyed the bender, thus far. only two more days left, after today.
make sure to hit one of the 3 classes on Saturday to celebrate the culmination of your journey!
happy bending!
Brigette
p.s. don't forget about the bender rate membership offer. it expires 1/31/10, no exceptions or extensions.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
over the half way mark
hello, bendees!
congratulations on making it to day 18! the hard part is over, now its all about staying committed. this is the time when people start to drop off because they have already done so well... don't be one of those people! stick with it, you can do it!
if you can't make it to class every day, just do some sun salutes or sit for a 10 minute meditation on your own. If you are looking for ideas for home practice, don't hesitate to ask one of your teachers before or after class. we are here to help and support you during this challenge.
happy MLK day, by the way. now, that man was one heck of a yogi!
happy bending,
Brigette
congratulations on making it to day 18! the hard part is over, now its all about staying committed. this is the time when people start to drop off because they have already done so well... don't be one of those people! stick with it, you can do it!
if you can't make it to class every day, just do some sun salutes or sit for a 10 minute meditation on your own. If you are looking for ideas for home practice, don't hesitate to ask one of your teachers before or after class. we are here to help and support you during this challenge.
happy MLK day, by the way. now, that man was one heck of a yogi!
happy bending,
Brigette
Thursday, January 14, 2010
snow down
Its funny... when we get a few inches of snow in St. Louis, everything slows down. Its mother nature's way of telling us to back off, stay home, sit still and take in the beauty. Take last week for example, everything literally froze and everyone slowed down. Its a good thing. We all try and and pack in so much. We live very busy lives, in America. When something (like weather) is beyond our control, we actually accept a slower pace. We plan more time to get where we need to go, in case the roads are bad. We drive more cautiously. We walk a little slower, not knowing what type of traction is beneath our feet. Its a great way to live life... aware.
Over the past couple days, the temp has risen and everything is melting fast. Likewise, every one's lives have sped back up. Cars are racing down Kingshighway, once again. People are out and about, buzzing from appointment to appointment. What if we treated every day like a snow day? What if we started to slow down on purpose? What would life be like?
Nature is a beautiful thing. Sometimes, everything makes perfect sense, like a snow day. Other days, we can't seem to grip why or how something so tragic could possibly occur, like the earthquakes in Haiti. There are not always going to be answers for everything in life, but there will always be questions. I do know one thing, we can never predict what the next day will bring. Its out of our control. So just live... one day at a time, with your eyes wide open. And, for the love of god, SLOW DOWN!
Happy Bending,
Brigette
Over the past couple days, the temp has risen and everything is melting fast. Likewise, every one's lives have sped back up. Cars are racing down Kingshighway, once again. People are out and about, buzzing from appointment to appointment. What if we treated every day like a snow day? What if we started to slow down on purpose? What would life be like?
Nature is a beautiful thing. Sometimes, everything makes perfect sense, like a snow day. Other days, we can't seem to grip why or how something so tragic could possibly occur, like the earthquakes in Haiti. There are not always going to be answers for everything in life, but there will always be questions. I do know one thing, we can never predict what the next day will bring. Its out of our control. So just live... one day at a time, with your eyes wide open. And, for the love of god, SLOW DOWN!
Happy Bending,
Brigette
Sunday, January 10, 2010
this blog is for you
monday is already day 11 of the bender. by now, you are likely experiencing the effects of doing yoga every day. this blog serves as a forum. a place for you to share your insights, your experiences and your stories. every person registered for the bender is also an "author" of this blog. so far, the postings have been mostly inspiration or tools provided by me to kick start your bender experience (with a few comments here and there from bendees).
its time we hear from YOU. create a blog entry. share your experience. say what you have to say. people want to hear what you have to say. it gives people something to relate to during the bender.
ready... GO!
happy bending,
Brigette
its time we hear from YOU. create a blog entry. share your experience. say what you have to say. people want to hear what you have to say. it gives people something to relate to during the bender.
ready... GO!
happy bending,
Brigette
Thursday, January 7, 2010
home practice
For those days you can't make it to the studio every day, here are a few resources to keep you going at home. I use yogaglo all the time at home. There have stellar teachers and you can choose a class, specific to what level and time frame you'd like to practice. Really good stuff on there. The catch, yogaglo.com is $18/month.
The other links to the YJ classes are not as interactive, but is free... play on!
Yogaglo - Online Classes
Play Leads the Way - Yoga Journal - Yoga Home Practice with Sianna Sherman
A Fine Balance - Yoga journal - Yoga Home Practice with Desiree Rumbaugh
The other links to the YJ classes are not as interactive, but is free... play on!
Yogaglo - Online Classes
Play Leads the Way - Yoga Journal - Yoga Home Practice with Sianna Sherman
A Fine Balance - Yoga journal - Yoga Home Practice with Desiree Rumbaugh
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Yoga Inc.
I pulled this video from yogadork.com. It's very interesting, given the last post about defining yoga... plus, there is some great info on the history of yoga. I hesitated to post this at first, because some of it is presented from a bias point of view. However, I think there is so much valuable content within this piece. Take in the history and the information presented. To watch, click the link below. Its about 1 hour long.
Yoga, Inc. Video
Description (from yogadork.com):
Yoga has transformed from an ancient spiritual practice into a competitive, commercialized, multi-million dollar industry. And for a practice rooted in renunciation, yoga sure is making some people very rich. Can yoga survive this war between the sacred and the profane with its good karma intact?
In today’s yoga world only the marketplace has real meaning, where everything is up for grabs, from yoga shoes to chakra panties. The new mantras are Standardize and Supersize. In the race to cash in yoga chains are popping up everywhere, putting the smaller studios out of business. No wonder purists are scratching their heads. Is nothing sacred? Greed, lust, ego and the search for enlightenment all come together in this original, irreverent portrait of spiritualism and capitalism colliding head on.
Yoga, Inc. Video
Description (from yogadork.com):
Yoga has transformed from an ancient spiritual practice into a competitive, commercialized, multi-million dollar industry. And for a practice rooted in renunciation, yoga sure is making some people very rich. Can yoga survive this war between the sacred and the profane with its good karma intact?
In today’s yoga world only the marketplace has real meaning, where everything is up for grabs, from yoga shoes to chakra panties. The new mantras are Standardize and Supersize. In the race to cash in yoga chains are popping up everywhere, putting the smaller studios out of business. No wonder purists are scratching their heads. Is nothing sacred? Greed, lust, ego and the search for enlightenment all come together in this original, irreverent portrait of spiritualism and capitalism colliding head on.
Monday, January 4, 2010
the grey area
Ah... the age old question that so many ponder and discuss.
In this day and age, we are answer-seekers. Often times, we want concrete proof to believe something is true. In yoga, there are no black and white answers. In yoga, you define your own truth. Yoga doesn't give us all the answers, but it does continue to ask lots of questions.
In the state of MO, we've been asked to define yoga. Is it fitness or a spiritual practice? The state wants to put yoga in a specific category, so they know how to tax the sales of classes. The hard thing about putting yoga into a category is that it fits into every category. My teacher always says, "You can make anything spiritual, if you have the right intention behind it. Everything you do in life can be a spiritual practice, if you want it to be."
Like many things in life, it's hard to understand yoga without experience under your belt. Think back to the first time you did yoga on the mat. It's common for first timers to walk away feeling clam, yet energized. It's that yoga euphoria people talk about. Yoga helps us get to know ourselves. To get inside our own head and our own body. It builds awareness.
In my experience, yoga encourages me to figure out how to be the best version of myself. Its tapping into the divine nature that lives not only within me, but within all things. Yoga is everything to me and everything is yoga. To some, that answer seems far fetched, and maybe even hard to believe. However, its not my job to convince others to have my experience. It's my job to simply invite others onto the mat to have their own experience.
So, the grey area is where we start finding the answers. Not the black or the white.
What is yoga, to you?
happy bending,
Brigette
In this day and age, we are answer-seekers. Often times, we want concrete proof to believe something is true. In yoga, there are no black and white answers. In yoga, you define your own truth. Yoga doesn't give us all the answers, but it does continue to ask lots of questions.
In the state of MO, we've been asked to define yoga. Is it fitness or a spiritual practice? The state wants to put yoga in a specific category, so they know how to tax the sales of classes. The hard thing about putting yoga into a category is that it fits into every category. My teacher always says, "You can make anything spiritual, if you have the right intention behind it. Everything you do in life can be a spiritual practice, if you want it to be."
Like many things in life, it's hard to understand yoga without experience under your belt. Think back to the first time you did yoga on the mat. It's common for first timers to walk away feeling clam, yet energized. It's that yoga euphoria people talk about. Yoga helps us get to know ourselves. To get inside our own head and our own body. It builds awareness.
In my experience, yoga encourages me to figure out how to be the best version of myself. Its tapping into the divine nature that lives not only within me, but within all things. Yoga is everything to me and everything is yoga. To some, that answer seems far fetched, and maybe even hard to believe. However, its not my job to convince others to have my experience. It's my job to simply invite others onto the mat to have their own experience.
So, the grey area is where we start finding the answers. Not the black or the white.
What is yoga, to you?
happy bending,
Brigette
Saturday, January 2, 2010
expectation vs. intention
Its natural to set expectations at the start of any journey... during the bender, try setting intentions, rather than expectations. When you set an intention, it puts meaning behind the practice. Setting intentions raises your overall awareness level.
Expectations can get tricky. When your expectations are high, your experience is constantly measured up to what you have set in your mind. When you release all expectations for the bender, you open the door to unknown possibilities. Think about it... if you are expecting a huge bonus at work and the bonus you actually get is about half what you expected, the bonus is less appreciated. However, if you were rewarded for your hard work with an unexpected bonus of the same amount, you would be thrilled.
Setting an intention keeps you on track, it helps keep your focus strong. Your intentions can change as time progresses and your experiences grow. Make your intentions right for you. Let go of expectation and see what comes your way. You might surprise yourself with an experience that is (at this point) unimaginable.
What's your intention?
Expectations can get tricky. When your expectations are high, your experience is constantly measured up to what you have set in your mind. When you release all expectations for the bender, you open the door to unknown possibilities. Think about it... if you are expecting a huge bonus at work and the bonus you actually get is about half what you expected, the bonus is less appreciated. However, if you were rewarded for your hard work with an unexpected bonus of the same amount, you would be thrilled.
Setting an intention keeps you on track, it helps keep your focus strong. Your intentions can change as time progresses and your experiences grow. Make your intentions right for you. Let go of expectation and see what comes your way. You might surprise yourself with an experience that is (at this point) unimaginable.
What's your intention?
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy New Year!
Let the fun begin!
Today, you embark on a new journey. Today, you have the opportunity to open to new possibilities. Today, you dive in.
Last year, the bender was a huge success. Students started the bender as individuals and finished the bender as a yoga community. People shared stories of great physical, mental and emotional growth as a result of a daily yoga practice. This practice is powerful. Doing yoga every day will change your body, mind and spirit. Whether you signed up for the bender with intentions of getting fit or you are looking for a stronger peace of mind, all benefits of yoga are available to everyone open to the possibilities.
Individual participation will vary from student to student. Last year, some students chose to change certain daily habits in addition to the bender and saw amazing benefits and changes. Others noticed simply doing yoga every day increased their awareness so much that other habits changed by default.
For those not able to attend class at the studio every day, I will post asana sequences for your to play with at home. In addition to asana, healthy lifestyle tips and fun yoga facts will show up from time to time.
My advise to you... enjoy this. Keep record of how you feel every day. Keep your eyes wide open so you can recognize and appreciate the transformation that will happen over the next 30 days. I am excited for each and every one of you. Looking forward to bending with you.
Happy Bending!
Brigette
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