Yoga & The Recovery Process

When I discovered yoga about 7 years into my recovery I was hooked. I needed to be in my body and take better care of my physical, mental and spiritual self. I had my first child at one year of recovery and then three more children. I was a mom very early in sobriety and hadn't yet learned to take care of myself, and slow down, and I never had time to even try meditation. My first class was so incredible because I was in my body and I was so excited to learn the physical poses. But I really enjoyed the peace I found through the breath practices, which took me right to the present moment. 

A strong focus in 12 step programs is to be in the moment and not to ruminate over the past or worry about the future.That is so important for everyone whether or not you are in a 12 step program. During a yoga class, I was in the present moment. I also found myself praying and checking in with my Higher Power for help with the class and guidance in general. This time for prayer was even more precious and beautiful during Shavasana. 

Over the years I have been so interested in how yoga can help—whether it is with someone's recovery program, for someone who is stressed, someone who is craving a spiritual life, or helping another with their addictions. The spirituality of the 12 steps and the spirituality of yoga with the asanas and pranayama complement each other and create the healing that we all need and desire. 

—Joyce Calvo-Chen

Join Joyce for her Yoga for Recovery workshop coming to Yoga Junction February 22nd 1-3 p.m.

Mindfulness Moment: Ten Count Breath

"Ten Count Breath" 

This breathing practice is very simple, and can be accessed throughout one's day. Helping to create a sense of relaxation within the body, taking a moment to count ten breaths grounds and centers the practitioner. 

1. To start, find a comfortable seat. Laying down and standing are also good options. 

2. Take three deep breaths to help settle and clear your mind. Allow each breath to fill you up and empty you out. 

3. Place your hands on your abdomen so that you can feel the fluctuations of the breath - the different sensations created by the inhale and exhale. 

4. Begin counting your breaths. A full cycle is one inhale and one exhale. Use your thumb and fingers to mark each breath by pressing and releasing into the abdomen, gently. 

5. With each breath, as you exhale become aware of any sensation of relaxation in the body. 

6. Continue to breath and count. Focus on the sensations of relaxation in the body that accompany every exhale. 

7. Allow yourself to melt into the exhales. 

8. Once you have finished all ten rounds of breath you can seal off your practice with a full body inhale and a full body exhale. Or, you can begin another round of counting to ten. 

--

—Amanda Jade Fiorino

Director & Founder  |  Empower Shakti International

Top 6 Benefits of Yoga for Children

I can't tell you how many times I've heard adults say, "I wish I had my yoga practice in my youth. It would have made ______ (fill in the blank) that much easier." I feel the same way. From body image issues to self-confidence and empowerment, I feel yoga would have dramatically shifted my youth. Now, we have the ability to help create strong, confident, and compassionate children through the practice of yoga, and at Yoga Junction we offer classes for all ages.

Why is yoga so beneficial?
1. Yoga helps kids relax and calm themselves. Whether they are dealing with hormonal issues or tantrums, learning how to breathe and relax is an essential life skill.

2. Yoga reduces stress in kids. Kids have more stress at earlier ages. Yoga helps them learn how to "stress less" and feel capable and confident as they do so.

3. Yoga helps kids improve their concentration and balance. All kids and teens can benefit from increased concentration and balance—both in school and in play.

4. Yoga helps improve their gross and fine motor skills. Whether a child is an athlete or not, yoga helps increase both find and gross motor skills.

5. Yoga helps increase a child's self confidence and sense of self. Yoga is empowering, helping each child see that they are unique and strong.

6. Yoga helps foster positive body image. The emphasis on yoga is what your body can do not what it "should" do. This helps foster self-acceptance and a positive body image.

Our kids classes start next week with Laura Zeigler, a mama of two. Please join us and help us create confident and compassionate kids!!
—Melissa B. Williams, co-owner, Yoga Junction

Mindfulness Moment

In the spirit of the season, ESI found it fitting to offer up a practice in honor of compassion and love. This practice can also benefit you the entire year round. 

1. To begin find a comfortable position - seated, standing, or laying down. 

2. Bring your awareness and attention to someone you love. This should be someone who instantly makes you feel happy (i.e. friend, relative, pet). Someone whom you do not share too complicated of a relationship with. 

3. If you can, have a sense of this person or animal being in front of you, in the same room as you, and facing you with a loving gaze. Begin to notice how you are feeling as you bring this being into your minds eye (i.e. warmth, tingling, a smile, expansiveness). This is what loving-kindness feels like for you. 

4. Continue to imagine your loved one in front of you, and begin to send them well-wishes, prayers, blessings or anything else you might want to send their way. 

Example: May you be safe and protected from danger; May you be happy and peaceful; May you be healthy and strong; May you have ease and well-being; May you be free of stress and anxiety; May you be full of joy. (Fully Present, Diana Winston & Susan Smalley PhD) Say what is MEANINGFUL to you! 

5. As you say your well-wishes or blessings, imagine that the loving-kindness you feel is emanating from you and moving into your loved one. This feeling might represent itself as a color, an image, or it may remain as a feeling. 

6. As you continue this practice, check in with yourself to see how you are feeling. Notice what is happening in your body. 

7. Next, imagine that your loved one standing in front of you is beginning to send loving-kindness back to you. Notice if it presents itself as a color, image or a feeling. Imagine your loved one is sending the same well-wishes and blessings back to you. Allow yourself to take it in an absorb it. 

8. If you did not feel anything in this meditation the first round or two, know that this meditation is planting seeds. If you begin to feel something other than loving-kindness, notice that feeling. Where do you feel in your body? Can you identify the feeling? Is it a sensation and/or emotion? There is always something to be learned. Offer whatever comes up with "May I hold this too with loving-kindness". 

9. Eventually you can practice sending loving-kindness out to all people. Imagine it is expanding from inside of you like an orb of light, pulsing well-wishes and blessings. Let it expand in all directions, sending it out to those you know and those you do not know. 

10. This practice is best begun by imagining someone who has a positive effect in your life. You can then begin to practice this meditation by sending it to others who have a neutral impact in your life (i.e. a passing stranger on the sidewalk). Eventually, this practice can be used for people who you share a challenging relationship with - a relationship that may have a negative influence in your life. You can also apply this same practice to yourself, daily. Instead of imagining a loved one in front of you, imagine yourself. 

We, at Empower Shakti International, wish all beings everywhere peace, joy, freedom and love. Well-wishes and blessings to all. 

Why Skiers Need Some Yoga

Are you waiting for the snow to fall? Have you prepared your body for your first day out? Like many other athletes, skiers perform better and with fewer injuries with a balanced yoga practice. Here we outline seven reasons you should start or continue with a yoga practice, or join Jackie Buratovich for her upcoming Yoga for Skiers Workshop (November 2).

* You start the season feeling weak and unbalanced

* You want to progress in your skills faster

* You want to feel more balanced and powerful on your skis

* You are looking for movements you can do at home to prepare for the season that are fun and result in greater strength and agility

* You want some ideas on how to prepare yourself to have the most fun early in the season

* You want to learn ways to stretch safely after a day on the slopes or trails, or rehab an injury

* Increasing your strength and balance in a supportive fun environment with other skiers.

Mindful Meditation Practice: So Hum

So Hum is a meditation that harnesses not only the power of breath but also mantra (repetition of sound or words) to help quiet the mind and relax the body. 

1. Find a comfortable place to sit or lay down. 

2. Close down your eyes (if this feels safe), and take a few moments to connect with your breath. Feel the rise and fall of the inhale and exhale. 

3. Then, take a deep inhale through the nose and silently repeat the word SO. 

4. As you exhale through the nose silently repeat the word HUM. 

5. Without controlling the breath, continue to repeat the word so with each inhale and the word hum with every exhale. If your attention begins to wander to thoughts, sensations, or noises in the external environment gently return to your breath and the mantra. Silently repeating so hum. 

6. When you have finished, release the mantra (so hum) and take a few deep inhales through the nose allowing the exhale to release out the mouth. Connect to the sensations in your body, and feel the sense of peace and calm that you can continue to carry with you and reconnect with throughout your day. 

This practice can be engaged for as little or as long as you would like. It s a great method to employ throughout the day whenever you may need a moment to settle, ground and return your awareness to the present moment. 

—Contributed from Empower Shakti International

Yoga Flow for Flood Relief Fundraiser

Our community and those around us have been severely impacted by the recent floods. We are coming together to help bring healing and also necessary funds and goods for those in need. Please join Yoga Junction teachers, Nichole Golden and Shelley Coughlin for a MOVING, heart-opening flow class to be held at the Louisville United Methodist Church on October 2nd from 7-8:15 p.m. The church has so graciously offered us this space for our fundraiser.

We will also be having an awesome Silent Auction featuring everything from Lucky Pie gift cards to photography packages, a Mountain Kids birthday party, chiropractic and massage services and more. And we hear there will also be a bake sale, too!

Join the community in this event and help us raise funds for those in need.