slowing down | the iGnite blog

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Vinyasa Yoga

Leader Amy Younkman

I often see people pop into yoga class when they feel stiff, sore, or side-lined by injury. What I have found is, the real jewels of this ancient healing art truly begin to surface when one maintains a consistent yoga practice. Just like anything we want to “get good at”, we need to regularly put the time into practicing. When we consistently show up on our yoga mat, we deepen not only our ability to perform different postures, but more importantly, we deepen our internal awareness of what is going on in our bodies; right here, right now. Instead of muscling our way through exercise, we slow down to connect breath with movement, and pay attention to what got us stiff, sore or injured in the first place. If we stick with the practice, the answers are revealed to us.

unspecified-21 I love sharing my passion for yoga with others because yoga has literally changed my life, and continues to do so. My practice keeps me true to myself and I love that after a decade of teaching, I am still a student dipping my toe into a deep well on knowledge. When I show up on my mat and allow myself to be vulnerable, rather than performance based and trying to “get it right”, I learn how to work through discomfort, frustration, lack of confidence and feeling the need to be in control. I learn to lighten up on myself and go with the flow. When I can deal with these things on the mat, I can deal more effectively with life off the mat.

My Vinyasa Yoga class is tailored to my students’ needs each Friday morning. Choosing a theme for the class, I like to share insights and inspirations to ignite body, mind and
unnamed-11 spirit. I try to strike a balance between fun, creative sequencing and simple, safe alignment. I consider our yoga mats like an adult playground where we can explore fun poses like Eagle, Crow, Flamingo and Camel. The focus of my classes is building core stability and strength, breath and body awareness, proper technique, balance and “getting out of your comfort zone”. You will feel nurtured, safe, and taken care of in my Vinyasa yoga class.

Deepak Chopra says, “Life is like a river; you cannot step into it in the same place twice.” Our yoga practice is no different. We are constantly evolving, and I don’t know of a better system of exercise to calm our central nervous system while giving us tools to grow stronger and more flexible in body, mind and spirit.

“Slowing down is the same thing as waking up.” —Judith Lasatar

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Woohoo – It’s Friday! This is my favorite day of the week. I think that is because I feel a big sense of accomplishment. Also knowing that the weekend is ahead that usually brings a more relaxed routine, freedom and fun! Can you hear some of my core values in there? I hope each of you have had an insightful week focusing a little more on care for yourself. Paying attention to how your body feels, what your Spirit is gently calling to you, and what is the mindset or thinking that is filling your days? These are all excellent clues to guide you in making the most of the process.
I must admit I am NOT following the cleanse completely. I gave myself permission to take the parts of the reboot that I knew I could handle. Which is taking a “vacation” from the white processed carbs, corn, dairy, soy, artificial sweeteners, and most sugars, alcohol, and the social media turn off. The best part, I have been adding in some of the rich nourishing practices this week and thoroughly enjoying it! I hope that each of you have tuned in to what you need – I believe we are all intuitively wise beyond measure and by plugging into your guidance system, many issues will melt away – even in the fog of caffeine deprivation – haha! I enjoy this Re-boot because it is such a great reminder that these are habits I can carry forward for healthier daily living. Here is quick synopsis of my routine this week:
img_2252-1 Start my mornings with a gentle harp ringing from my alarm – Yes, I still need the cue to open my sleepy eyes at 6:30am. Yet I feel refreshed and before I move – I always give a quick thank you for this day and grateful for what is to come. I am always eager to make my French press coffee – it is a process in itself and a ritual I am choosing to keep – for now. Heating the water in a kettle – which I use the warm water to first mix my lemon/ACV water. It actually gives me the boost I need as I go get changed for the morning. Nice surprise! I may be able to give up the coffee after all – we’ll see 😉
8:00am – Once drop offs are complete and before I hit the trail for my run – I choose the quick breakfast of oatmeal in almond milk that has soaked overnight. It is delicious and perfect with a touch of cinnamon and walnuts. I get my 4 mile run in and on these mornings feel mentally clear and ready to start the day (a testament to the cardiovascular workout)!

By 10:30 – I make a small smoothie – Blueberries, Kale, Almond milk, ice. This fills me until later lunch.
img_2253-1 1:30: I grab the deli sliced Rotisserie chicken (it is delicious from Trader Joes) top a field greens salad with a few olives and a hard-boiled egg & drizzle a tsp of olive oil. Very satisfying and filling!
Snack – 4/5:00 – I usually grab a handful of nuts or red peppers in hummus
Dinner – 7:00pm – Grilled chicken has been a favorite this week. With broccoli & peppers and tossed spinach salad.
I keep my meals very simple but love sitting down to eat with my two teenage boys who are ravenous! I don’t have to think too much or spend much time preparing or following recipes. (More clues to my value system 😉 )
Aspects of the Reboot I’ve enjoyed the most: The awareness, acceptance, slowing down and paying attention. Making notes about how I am feeling and a journal of what I’ve eaten. I recognize trends and appreciate the extra thoughtfulness I am brining to my day and evening.
Something I’ve learned about myself: No judgement, giving myself permission I can choose only the parts that I can handle. There has been freedom in that but also a great sense of compassion and appreciation with no judgement. I don’t have to do this perfectly – there is so much richness in each element. I am taking that into my parenting and work.
Most difficult part: It was probably the decision to say it’s ok that I don’t follow it perfectly. I have not added the Epsom Salt Bath but would like to give it a try. The other challenge is probably turning off my device long before I crawl into bed. That is a commitment I am working on!
Quality of Sleep: I have the gift of being able to sleep – there has only been a handful of times in my life that I have struggled with sleep and I feel for those that have difficulty falling or staying asleep. However, I do notice increased energy waking up in the morning which speaks to the quality of sleep I am getting with cleaner eating habits!

Energy & Mood: Monday was not easy and even though I still had a small amount of coffee – I felt exceptionally tired and low energy. But with every day that passed this week, I have gotten better and better!

Spiritual Practice: My practice is to always read faith filled, meditative quality books before I drift off to sleep. I fall asleep with prayer and wake to a similar prayer full of gratefulness. Any moments in the day – I touch base. I’ve noticed especially in the car in this crazy Austin traffic – I ask for a little patience and take a deep breathe!

Bedside is my library of reads – I usually don’t get too far before I’m out! I recommend Radical Acceptance – the message is beautiful and after each chapter has a guided meditation.