Everyday life can be fun and adventurous, or it can be routine and largely mundane. Have you established good habits which help you look forward to every single day, or are you stuck in a boring repeat from the previous 24-hour period? This has been especially prevalent and challenging during our isolation due to the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide.
Blending daily living with some form of intentional movement or exercise is crucial to life.
The simple solution: Yoga.
Of course, the first response from at least 70% of the general population would be something like, “I know yoga is good stretching, but I need much more than that.”
Well, great news – yoga IS much more!
Yoga is the basis of all intentional movement. It began more than 5,000 years ago and is still going strong. It addresses everything from the base of practice (breathing!) to the depths and heights of yoga skills (powerful, muscular bodies & awareness of how to move the body efficiently!) in conjunction with the ability to calm the mind within one’s personal practice.
From the perspective of Hatha Yoga ( “…breathing normally while holding a difficult position…”) – the method of yoga which we endorse and teach at Hot Yoga Bowling Green, Ky. – we will now touch upon a few basics to put into use during your normal day to begin making your life more fun and efficient:
Morning —
After rising from sleep, first thing in the morning: Downward dog/upward dog flow to awaken and energize.
Drink 32 ounces of fresh water, then eat a healthy, low-sugar breakfast with high protein.
Pray, read, and practice five minutes of deep breathing.
When walking around your home and getting ready for the day, breathe smoothly. Walk with your head up and throat open, chin high and back aligned (Mountain pose, activated). Shoulders are down and abdominals are consciously engaged (Mulhabandha) along with controlled sacrum. Length in the entire body becomes mindful and then natural!
As you continue your day, breathe always and hydrate often. Smile, sit and walk tall and long. If you come upon a difficult situation, stop for a few seconds. Breathe, smile, and then proceed. Snack responsibly (organic grains, low sugar, high protein) and eat cleanly throughout your morning. Speak kindly, and lead with your “core” physically (abdominals, lower back muscles, obliques, etc.) when sitting, standing or walking. Breathe normally through any difficult situations (Hatha yoga breath).
Afternoon —
Be conscious of how you speak and use neck rotation releases (gently), wrist rotations (slowly… lightly to deeply), shoulder shrugs, and leg stretches. Walk when possible, move intentionally with great posture (Mountain pose… the standing “back stack” default posture!) Hydration, hydration. Water makes everything better. Proper breathing makes it best.
Evening —
Plan a great yoga experience with a tremendous group of yogis and yoginis after the social distancing restrictions are lifted and healthy precautions allow. If life does not allow you to make it to a class setting, practice at home for a minimum of 30 minutes. Asana (pose/posture) practice can tone your body while stimulating the mind and breath simultaneously. You will find yourself burning calories, getting physically stronger with increased muscle tone, increasing your lung capacity, becoming more flexible, and feeling much better throughout the day. Yoga is honestly the only form of “exercise” which addresses everything together while fostering emotional well-being positive outlook and attitude. Take that into every day and give someone a smile! Enjoy a healthy dinner with plenty of water. Pray, breathe, meditate upon God’s Word. Practice some downward dog/upward dog poses before bed. Rest and sleep – remember that rest is every bit as important as exercise.
We look forward to having you with us, or to hear that you are practicing yoga on your own every single day. We are proud to present the largest, strongest, happiest and most diverse yoga family in the entire region right here at Hot Yoga Bowling Green. We are a dedicated yoga studio which embraces the true individual spirit. We pledge to be with you every step of the way to encourage your positive yoga journey! The rest is up to you…
And now, here it is: your May 2020 “Pause for a Pose” – The Reverse Moon Warrior to Open the Gate (viparita virabhadrasana variation) –
Begin standing with your feet completely together. Inhale, lifting the arms straight up and palms facing one another. Exhale while stepping the right foot back behind you about four feet. Inhale as you bend the right knee softly to the mat. Exhale, floating the right hand back toward the right heel. Inhale as you reach the left hand upward, then exhale and hinge at the waist, bend the left knee forward to 90 degree lunge, reaching the left had back toward the back wall and the right hand closer to the heel or touching the right heel. This is reverse moon warrior. To transition into this version of open the gate pose, pivot the hips to the right, the right foot to 45 degrees, pivot on the left ball of the foot with the heel to the left and gently lower the left knee to the mat facing right and top of the left foot on the mat, toes to the left. Be careful not to torque or twist the left knee. Inhale, then exhale and open the torso further to the right and engage the abdominal muscles while reaching as far as possible with the right hand on the foot or toes. Repeat on the other side. Now, enjoy practicing this awesome pose, and we hope to see you very soon at Hot Yoga! In the meantime, be safe #HealthyAtHome and watch our FREE yoga videos on Facebook and YouTube. God bless and namaste’.
-by Tony Bishop, E-RYT
About the author: Tony Bishop, E-RYT/RYT/CYT,is director and chief instructor with Hot Yoga Bowling Green, Ky. He is certified and trained in a myriad of health and fitness disciplines including Hatha Yoga, Yoga Personal Training, Yoga Coaching, Yoga Teacher Training, Sil lum Kung Fu, Tai Chi exercise, Spinning/indoor cycling, PowerHouse Pilates™ instruction, core conditioning, self defense programs and boot camp variations. He has some 6,000 hours of yoga teaching experience, he is registered through Yoga Alliance and is an avid researcher and proponent of progressive yoga movement and development of more effective, deeper and meaningful training methodology. He is now owner-director of Revelation School of Yoga™, RYS, a Yoga Alliance approved 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training program! Contact: 730 Fairview Avenue, C-2, Bowling Green. 270-793-0011, email hotyogabg@yahoo.com, website www.hotyogabg.com.
