How to release tension: Part 2

Hopefully you read Part 1 and used the acknowledgement and breathing techniques for a week. If you did, post comments would love to know what you experienced.

As I mentioned I have one more technique, which I recommend using if the previous two suggestions of acknowledging and breathing aren't enough.

This is something that I have taught for quite some time, especially in the area of releasing shoulders. Some how I was doing some research and stumbled upon Somatic Experiencing , which described a technique very similar to this one.

Lets say, for example you are in Warrior II with your arms extended out and you notice your shoulders are tense and up to your ears and you've already done the above steps. The next thing would be to scrunch your shoulders up to your ears, take a nice big inhale, then as you exhale release your shoulders. You will probably notice a lot more freedom in your shoulders and more space between your shoulders and ears. I swear this works every time I try it!

The trick is you want to exaggerate the tension, so if you're noticing the tension in your jaw, tighten the jaw, if you notice the tension in your belly, scrunch your belly. Then inhale and as you exhale, somehow it simply releases. My sense is that exhales are synonymous with letting go, so you could be aware of letting go of that tension as you exhale, although it is not necessary as it will happen on its own.

Now you have something else to practice when you are in yoga class or even if you are just driving and notice tension in your body. Use the first two techniques first, because at some point you might notice the areas that needed the tense/release exercise will start to just melt once you acknowledge it. Then if that's not enough, go for the tense and release technique described here.

Give it a shot and post your experiences here!

How to release tension: Part 1

I had a student mention that she notices tension in her shoulders outside of class and wondered how could she release that. I have a few great techniques to help with this and I will be sharing a couple towards the end of this post. It also got me to thinking about how we hold so much tension in our bodies both in and outside of yoga class.

First think I'd like to share is yoga is a practice and a fantastic opportunity to learn from our bodies. We do not only experience tightness in our bodies when we are in yoga class as this student recognized. Often tension can be carried for quite some time in the body for a variety of reasons. We could go into the why and analyze that, but really that just takes us out of our bodies and into our heads.

I find acknowledgement to be the best first step. When I'm in a pose, after I've made my adjustments, I'll begin to breathe and mentally scan my body, noticing any discomfort any tension and space any tightness and so on. What I have found overtime, is as I acknowledge those tight spots the tension simply releases.

This is what I call the "kid in the grocery store factor". You know when you go to the grocery store and you hear a kid going "Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom.." basically nonstop until the mom finally (and usually exacerbated at this point) says "What?" Usually the small child will say what he/she needs to say and stops. Our bodies can be like that child, all it needs is to simply be acknowledged and often times it just stops.

If this isn't enough then another simple thing to do is breathe with the intention of sending your breath to that specific area of the body. If you are in tuned with energy, this may be easy to get. Something that may help you to know is as you breathe deeply, the oxygen will go into the bloodstream, which will take that oxygen to the muscles, and it is the oxygen that will help relax the muscles. So sending the breath to your muscles is actually a very literal experience!

So these are a couple basic techniques you can try anytime you're in a yoga class and in a pose that is either simple or challenging. This is also something you can take off the mat and into your life. Whenever you find yourself in a "tight spot" in life, scan your body, ask yourself "Where am I holding tension" and if simple acknowledgement isn't enough, breath with the intension of sending the breath to that area.

Next week in part 2 I will describe another great technique I've been using for quite sometime, and just recently found out how and why it works! For now, practice these techniques and you'll be ready for the next one!

Be Good 2 Yourself!

Namaste

Brandi

Practice at Home

Taking a regular yoga class once or twice a week is awesome! Classes give you an opportunity to be part of a community of people as well as gain instruction for healthy alignment and so much more.

Eventually, adding a regular practice at home will take you to much deeper levels in your practice. It also gives you an opportunity to go inside to connect and ask yourself "What do I need today?" I am always giving suggestions and recommendations in my class...um, ok sometimes I'll even say to someone you need to do this every single day. The point of this is because as a teacher I am a guide and my goal and intention to bring people back with in themselves, trust themselves, and connect to their bodies. As my teacher would say "You are your greatest Guru"

An at home practice can be really simple. It doesn't have to be a full hour practice although that is something you can work towards. Taking 15 minutes out of your day is a great way to start. Maybe its doing a few stretches you enjoyed in class in the morning to get you moving or a couple poses at night to help you relax and get to sleep. Maybe its about just sitting and focusing on your breath practice.

Any way you approach it, having an at home practice is a wonderful thing to do for yourself. If you're fairly new or wonder what are some things you need to work on, I offer private sessions where i can design a sequence for you to work from.

At any rate, have fun practicing, and remember to take what you learn from class and see how you can integrate it into your daily life...even if its just remembering to breathe through the challenging parts of life.

Emotional Releases in Yoga

As of recently I've become aware that I am not the only one who has experience some kind of emotional release in a yoga class, whew! Emotional releases (crying, laughter, or simply the feeling of something shifting) is natural and can be scary at times.and wonderful at other times This is what makes yoga so phenomenal in my book, because it works much deeper than any form of physical exercise I have found.

I will tell you my story of my first emotional release: many moons ago I was taking a Chakra Yoga workshop with my teacher, where we were doing postures, breathing, and chanting to clear each of the chakras (energy centers that connect the energetic and physical bodies...more about chakras in another post). We just barely got started in 1st chakra and I was bawling, I mean bawling so hard I didn't hear her say to change poses. Luckily I was in a safe and loving environment so it was ok that i was crying, snot and all, and I left with a sense of knowing I was starting a deep healing process and a feeling of "everything is going to be ok". Having private sessions with my teacher soon after that really helped me move deeper into my process.

Bottom line: if you have an emotional release in class, its ok, it happens (not to everyone) and its a good thing (a sign your releasing/letting go of something that doesn't serve you any more). Secondly be kind and gentle with yourself. If what you need to do for yourself is rest, then rest, if what you need to do is go take a walk, go take a walk. I have had students walk out before, I have had students cry before, for me it is no big deal. What's important is that you take care of yourself--what ever that is.

So, if you have an emotional release in class, talk to your teacher, or contact me. If it brought up issues of past traumas, it might be best to seek support of a therapist who supports your yoga practice, because the two together can be quite healing.

Take care of yourself and be loving to yourself!

Namaste

Brandi

A Note for Beginners

I have been blessed to teach some beginners who were frightened, but after a class with me they were converted and addicted. (I'm laughing inside because my teacher did the same to me!)

If you are a beginner and the only classes available to you are all levels classes, I am going to share some information with you:

Firstly, I realize that it is takes a special teacher who can really teach an all levels class. Personally, I have had 2 moments in my life where I was absolutely moved by beauty in a class. One of those is when I was taking classes with my teacher and every one was doing tree pose and everyone was doing a different variation! Oh it was so beautiful, because everyone was exactly where they needed to be.

So, if you are a beginner and you go into an all levels classes, be at your level. If that means the gentlest variation, good do that. Rather than looking around the room and thinking "God, I wish I could do that" or "I need to do that" or "I'll never be able to do that" What you might consider is: 1) be happy where you are at (you are only a beginner once!) and 2) see the "advanced" variations or poses as a guidance to where you are headed. Because that person wasn't born into a full split, they had to gradually get there.

This should help you when you start. But if you are in the CO area, definitely come take a class with me. If you are a beginner or working with limitations I can definitely support you in finding the right variations for you!

Namaste and Blessings!

Brandi :)

2 Simple Rules to Remember

In my classes I have only 2 rules that will really help you in your practice:

1. BREATH: You might think, well that's a given, but often times the moment we get into a pose that is challenging or we move too quickly the breath gets lost or short. If you feel it hard to breath or your breathing too quickly either back off with in the pose--maybe you are forcing yourself to go deeper then your body is ready or simply come out of the pose and rest. I suggest Child's pose or Mountain pose as great resting poses

2. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY: Always, with out exception, listen to your body. If something doesn't feel right, don't do it. If a recommendation I or another teacher gives doesn't feel right find something that works better for you. Generally, I give lots of suggestions and variations based on what I've learned from my own practice and I highly recommend my students do the same.

Listening to our bodies is probably the hardest guideline. We are so used to "doing as we're told" or listening to our brains that sometimes we forget that our bodies have a voice too--and a valid one at that. This is something I teach and a simple thing I recommend my students do is mentally scan your body in each pose--where are you over working, where are you hanging out, where can you adjust to feel more openness or more strength?

A great thing with approaching your practice by observing and listening to your body is eventually you wont have to look to see is my knee in alignment or are my shoulders relaxed, eventually you feel the difference and your body cooperates and when I see my students adjusting this way, inside I do a little "Yeah!"

So, throw down your mat, do some poses and remember to BREATHE and LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!

Namste

Brandi :)