Warrior Pose
Warrior I, Warrior II and Warrior III are a few of my favorite yoga poses. They exude strength and poise, and I love the focus and strength they require. There are so many intricate parts to these poses, they are truly underestimated.
Warrior II is my favorite of the three. This pose requires that you stand with feet in line, front heal in line with back foot arch. Your pelvis is tucked, and your arms are strong up and out at shoulder height. Your gaze over your front middle finger looking forward and toward whatever is in front of you. The pose reminds me to stay focused, fearless and in faith. To aim to have a spirit of resilience as well as acceptance for situations that are out of my control and at the same time keeping my values and beliefs.
Warrior Pose and Me
Beneath the morning sun you stand,
Feet grounded firm in open land.
Arms outstretched, a silent vow,
Warrior pose, here and now.
Heart aligned with steady breath,
Facing life, embracing strength.
Within you burns a fearless spark,
The warrior spirit lights the dark.
Balance held in inch and span,
Courage carved in each bold plan.
Not just a pose, but flame and art,
Warrior of body, mind, and heart.
Mindfulness and Nature
Stop and feel the magic.
Stop and feel the magic of nature!
Nature has a way about calming the mind and body. It doesn’t take a long time, just a short walk with the trees or a quiet seat by a pond. It can even be in your back yard! Stop and listen to the birds, feel the breeze on your face and if it’s winter, the crisp air. Stop and pay attention to what is around you. We don’t do this as often as our minds and bodies need us to. There’s magic in nature and you will feel it if you stop and give it a chance :)
Try the Merlin bird identification APP. It’s a great way to sit and listen to birds and identify which ones you’re listening to (see link below).
When I Am Among Trees by Mary Oliver
When I am among the trees,
A peaceful setting where individuals are practicing chair and restorative yoga, illustrating the essence of relaxation and mindfulness. The environment is calm, capturing the beauty of practicing yoga anytime, anywhere.
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.
I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.
Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.
And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”
Morning Sunshine
Creating peace one minute at a time
I love having my morning tea in the morning sunshine, when sunshine is available. We’ve been having a lot of rain, lately.
Exposing your body to morning sunshine can help with sleep. It affects your body’s natural rhythm, called circadian clock which is the internal clock that sets the 24 hour cycle of sleep and wake. Thirty minutes of morning sunshine between sunrise and 9 am can also reduce the risk of cancer, according to Dr. Dr Khan, a clinical oncologist at Queen’s Centre for Oncology and Hematology at Castle Hill Hospital, UK.
According to dr. Kahn, the sunshine must hit part of the retina at the back of the eye which contains light-sensitive retinal ganglion cells. This signals brain to activate the mitochondria to produce a flood of melatonin. Fascinating. I need to do more research on this. In the meantime, I’m setting my alarm to wake up early to get some free sunshine for health.