In the moment

I had to go to the ER Tuesday afternoon for some pretty rough abdominal pains. I'll try not to ramble too much about this but I was there 8 HOURS in total.

Now, keep in mind, I was hurting but not on my death bed. I've had some other health issues that I thought were contributing to the pain and when it got so bad that I was doubled over, it was time to go.

Upon check in I was sent to the RTA (rapid treatment area) where I was not allowed to bring anyone in which meant my boyfriend had to wait in the main area while I was being treated. I had my blood taken, talked to a doctor & was then shuffled to another internal waiting area for, oh, about 5 more hours (had x-rays squeezed in there somewhere) before being taken to the MAIN ER!!!

Upon my arrival there, I overhead a Dr.. talking about me and how I spent 6 hours in RTA and that my file had been misplaced.... excellent. So much for rapid treatment and efficiency.

More tests, blah blah blah, my diagnosis... and I was released...at 11:00 pm... arrival time 3:00 pm. Let me remind you... 8 HOURS!!!

Now why blog about this? Because after 5-6 hours I was ready to rip my IV out and go screaming down the hall, not to mention the half dozen or so times I was on the verge of tears, simply out of frustration.

This was definitely an experiment in self-realization as several times I had to take an internal look at myself and think, "Breathe.... take a few breaths and think yogic".

We yogi's and yogini's talk so much about living in the moment, being present, and letting go, yet we are just as vulnerable as everyone else and let things get the best of us.... it all comes down to how we CHOOSE to react.

I felt my heart rate go up, my body shaking & myself getting so edgy I thought I could literally jump out of my skin. However, even through the frustration I told myself, "Okay, so let me live in the moment... as sucky as this is, I am meant to be here... if not for my health reasons, then to simply be... here... occupying this space, encountering these people and taking care of my health. Plus, what happens if I do rip out the IV and leave? What if I start to bitch, moan & complain at the top of my lungs to anyone who will listen? Well, I'll be pissed-off, frustrated, angry, crabby AND I'll still be sick tomorrow and have to start all over again.... Breathe..."

Does that mean I enjoyed it? No. Does that mean I want to do it again? Hell no. But number one, I found out what was wrong with me and it needed to be dealt with (not life threatening by the way, just a pain... literally) and number two, I took the time to reflect inside myself during a junky situation...

and practice Yoga

xo

Act your age... or not

This week was spring break. The first of many to come for me as a new step mom.
I decided at the last minute to take them to one of my yoga classes and teach a "kids themed" class.
Now keep in mind, I teach adult classes. So Wednesday I announced that I would be teaching this class w/the kids and for everyone to please come join in the fun. As apprehensive as I thought they might be... I had a full house.
At the beginning of practice I had all of the adults chose what age they would be during the hour, but they had to be under the age of 11. I must admit that I was shocked at how much participation and fun everyone, including myself, had.
When was the last time you made a noise like a cow? Meowed like a cat? A dog? Did the Tarzan call and pounded your chest???
I had a group ranging in age from 9 to (my estimated guess) of early 70's and EVERYONE gave out a beautiful Tarzan call to the wild.
We get stuck in our adult lives, doing adult things, and having to feel like we are supposed to "act like an adult" shortly after our teens are over.
As I watch the kids grow, I realize the flow of life shift so dramatically but in the weirdest way. These kids are just beginning to worry about fitting in, being cool, wearing and looking a certain way, and being a part of the group. It is only when we become adults that we sometimes take the flip side of that and realize it's okay to be different (um... thank you Lady Gaga).
Being a kid can be complex, yet innocent and being an adult just seems to be, well, complex. We take the innocent out for the sake of adulthood and usually forget to put it back in.
While adult life is serious and we have to be responsible, go to work, pay our bills, and raise our children, we should not forget how to laugh, play, and have fun.
I felt amazing after yesterday's class... simply because I knew that I had brought a sense of innocence and fun back to a small group of adults... a feeling that some or all of them may have lost through the years.
So this weekend, no matter how old you are, fat you think you are, depressed you might feel, tired, sore, lazy, too busy, whatever... take just 5 minutes to run around in your yard, on your street, or in your house and act like a child. Play a game of tag, hide & seek, or Red Rover... laugh, fall, RUN, and get yourself moving like a kid... for today, right now, is your moment to LIVE ...and living includes... having fun.

What doesn't kill us...

...yeah yeah we know, makes us stronger. But it still sucks when bad things come along and sideswipe us.

I believe it's true. All of the big and little challenges in life are put there for a reason and how we handle them makes all the difference in the world.
For example, a bad breakup. Most of us have been there, done that. We make irrational choices, unnecessary phone calls, and cry bucket loads of tears. Sometimes to come out on the other side and think "wow, I wasted all of that energy on ______?" what was wrong with me???
But, you learned something didn't you? Maybe a weak spot within you, or that you made a bad choice or judgement call, or simply that the other person was a jerk and it really had nothing to do with you.

Nevertheless, you LEARNED something from it. Even if it's out of your control, (the worst) you hopefully grew as a person from it.

If you think about it, there are two things that cause change in life, a loss or a choice. Okay, on a more subtle level things can also "shift" and cause change. But when I say shift, I think of things like the weather. We planned for sun, it rained, the weather shifted... BUT how did the weather change affect your plans? Did it feel like "a loss"? You didn't "choose" it but you couldn't "control" it either.

If you made a bad choice, accept it and move forward for you cannot change the past. Yes there are extremes in bad choices... you can choose to do drugs or far worse or your can choose an ugly pair of shoes or a bad boyfriend. Nevertheless, once you make a choice and act upon it, it is done and cannot be changed. You can only learn and grow from it and hopefully there is that little place inside you that says "don't do that again".

Let me back up and repeat, YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE PAST. This is where acceptance comes in. (is that what I'm rambling about?) The past is just that... over, done, fine', kaput.

Take this moment for acceptance of the past. It is over and cannot be changed. Accept what is and move forward. Live in the present. The past is meant to be there for memories and a brief visit... it is not meant for an extended stay.

Now onto loss. Once again... many extremes. Uncontrollable loss of life, loss of love, loss of shoes (I love my shoes by the way). I will begin by saying that loss of life is not to be taken lightly in any manner and is not easy by any stretch. Especially abrupt loss or unforeseen circumstances. However, for those of you who have experienced loss on every level... life, love, shoes... know that deep inside you there is a part of you that can and will accept loss on every level.

We are strong creatures yet, our surroundings and our society tend to make us think that we are weak. As a race we have amazing ability to push through some of the worst situations... if we choose to. The human race has seen wars of insurmountable size compared to what we are fighting today not to mention famine, flood, drought, and crazy diseases yet we complain when our Internet connection is too slow... and we freak out because someone texts us to break up.

We all have the gift of love within us and the ability to forgive those who have hurt us (doesn't mean we have to like them!), accept those mistakes that we have made, and love and remember those who have loved us and left us behind to move on to a better place (*my personal beliefs, not necessarily yours) regardless of the circumstances.

Look inside you and find the strength within to conquer any battle that comes upon you... you have the gift.... use it.

This post was inspired and fueled by the passing of Radar Neill... my most amazing little 10lb sidekick for the past 13 years. Even in this loss, I am inspired by him each and every day and know I have the strength and the ability to move forward with him in my heart. Namaste, little man xo

Put it in perspective

I've recently observed a close friend, getting completely freaked out and overwhelmed with work (as we do!).
He gets short, aggitated, angry, flustered, and it's affecting his overall health both physically and mentally.
We all have to do a job to survive. Some people develop a skill based on an interest, and some simply take whatever passes their way to make a buck.
Regardless of which category you fall under, chances are that at some point in your career you will be irritated and frustrated. How you handle this situation is up to you.
First of all, put into perspective what it is that you do. How does your job affect others? Affect the world? Mankind? Etc... and then decide if it's worth having a heart attack over.
Next, how do you handle situations?
I am living proof that you can change you habits. In my past life I would get bitchy, crabby, short, overbearing, and demand that my way was the right way... a "strong personality" if you will :)
Once I started to practice yoga, things changed for me. I learned how to breathe better, and by simply focusing on my breath in times of stress, I was able to calm myself down. The other thing I've realized is that you mind is a powerful tool that can work with you or against you.
Try closing your eyes and sitting still for 3 minutes and see what happens. If you don't practice this regularly, chances are your mind will take over and your thoughts will race like lightening through your mind.
I'm not saying that I'm "cured" or perfect by any stretch of the imagination, however I have changed myself and therefore know it can be done.
When you are going to face a stressful situation, pull yourself together and go into a quiet space for just a couple of minutes (I found that a bathroom stall works fine!). Close your eyes and breathe in and out through your nostrils, counting your inhale and your exhale to yourself. Try to even out your breath. So if your inhale is 6 counts, make your exhale 6 counts. If your mind and your thoughts take over, come back to the counting and focus on nothing but the numbers... if you can turn yourself inward even deeper, stop counting and simply follow your breath through your body. If you need one more helper, say to yourself, "These thoughts mean nothing to me".
This is just a start. A start to a calmer, better day in whatever it is that you do to make this world a better place.
Namaste.

Traveling...

I named my company Traveling Yoga for what I hope are obvious reasons. I want to bring the practice of yoga to anyone, anywhere regardless of their budget.
I have been traveling more in the past few years than I have before. I've lived in big cities and small towns and visited the same.
One thing I realize is that regardless where you travel, live, or visit... there is a uniqueness to all people that we should embrace. Regardless of race, sex, religion or social status, on some level, we ALL have things in common.
The next time you think your problems are worse than anyone elses OR better yet, the next time you think you are above somebody, remember these few things...
We all encounter similarities in our lives... bills, illness, loss, grief, happiness and sadness. The air I breath, you breath... the air you exhale, I inhale... and lastly... we ALL face birth, we ALL bleed... and someday, we ALL face death... These are facts and yet they are also common factors in everyone on this Earth.
Take a moment each day to reflect on individuality and embrace it for what
it is, what it can be, and what it means to you....and the next time you comment or think to comment on someone's look, clothing, attitude, belongings, or ways... remember, karma is real...
and we are ALL of the same spirit.
Namaste

Welcome!

Welcome to Traveling Yoga's brand new blog!
After much consideration, I decided to break away from my old blog to tie all things in my life together under one heading.
Traveling Yoga...because that is who I am.
I hope not only to update regularly with schedule updates and events, but to bring you my thoughts, feelings, resources, comments, and information on yoga and life in general.
So sit back, relax and enjoy the ride that we call life.
Om Shanti