What You Think, You Are

I don't believe much in making the best of things in the broader sense. That may work with a rainy day when you have outdoor plans, but in the bigger scheme of life, why would you want to just make the best of how things are if they're disappointing or worse. Change your situation, transform yourself, and your joy and sense of accomplishment will ripple out and create even more good. 

Even if you're very content with your life now, the thoughts you think and what you do every day are shaping your tomorrow. Be positive with yourself. Change is stressful even if it's positive. It requires the body and brain to do things in new ways. Think about how well you're doing and keep your mind on your mantra.

What is your mantra? It can be something as simple as "I am healthy" or "I live my life free of other people's judgments and opinions" or "I have the resources to accomplish this goal". You have the power to draw those parts of you out and amplify them to the max! Repeat your mantra several times throughout the day or choose to meditate on it when you wake up and before you go to sleep (all you have to do is focus and breathe into your thought, so don't let the word meditate scare you!).

There are times when you're being called to change, when you've outgrown your situation, and you just have to get into that chrysalis so you can emerge with wings! I went through one of those times a year ago and I put my mind to what I wanted and let nothing get in the way. The change was not easy, but I am so glad I did it. I was outgrowing things and I felt so strongly that it was the right time for personal transformation. There were a lot of variables and things that were unclear. I had to swoosh that stuff out of my brain often and direct all my energy toward my mantra. And I accomplished it, and now I have new mantras. 

We never have to stop growing. There is always room for improvement, and we are capable of making wondrous things happen! Small dreams lead to big dreams. Begin like this. Make a list of things you can't control though you focus a lot of energy on them. Other people's choices and opinions are good examples of things that might be on that list and it may also include something like the ability to get a raise at your current job or maybe a physical limitation that can't be reversed. Now burn or shred that list. It's pointless to bother thinking about those things. It is a huge energy leak. Let. it. go. 

Make another list of things you focus on or obsess about that you can have an effect on. This could also include the ability to get a raise at work, it might include your health, the state of your relationship, your relationship with family, or things at your home that need attention. Choose one and circle it and do something about it today. It can be a very small thing to get started. Keep that list and go back to it, focusing on what you can change and trying to impact one thing at a time as you begin. You'll alleviate some stress, make some improvement, and see your own power to change things.

I don't believe in making the best of things. I believe in making things the best. 

Let go of the exact outcome you have an attachment to while keeping your vision in mind. You might get something slightly different from your goal and it might be even better than what you're aiming for. Use positive "I" statements always and work at the things that bother you most and that you have some control over. You can.  You possess the power to transform yourself and with that, inspire others and contribute to changing the world.

Namaste.
Robin
3-4-14

My approach to personal coaching can include exercises to get you in positive thinking modes, identifying mantras to achieve your goals, intuitive readings with astrology and tarot images, your own individual yoga practice, and all my other resources from life experience! The method is customized to your personal style and philosophy. I can also guide you to incredible people who can provide other services particularly in Maine. Phone or google chat sessions are $80.00. Email me to book an appointment. robinivy88@gmail.com

Poses for Leo Full Moon

Our Wednesday through Friday poses are for this Full Moon time. The first is for opening the side, heart and front body, Crescent Moon. Your arms sweep overhead and meet. Interlace your fingers and let your index fingers together point upward while all others are entwined including thumb over thumb. Reach the arms high with a deep breath and then bend over to the right forming a crescent shape in the right side body and extending all of the left side for a big stretch. Your left hip might move outside the boundary of the ankle below. You want to keep your hips level and not allow the left hip to rock back. If it does, bring it forward to meet the right side evenly.

Hold for 5 breaths then move to the other side. Repeat this two or three times on each side. The foundation is the feet so be very grounded in the feet from outer edge to heel and front of the foot. With this posture your weight can move a bit back toward the heels.

image from yogimarc.wordpress.com

Dancer, or standing bow as it's also known, is a heart opener and a back bend. Leo Full Moon is the sign of the heart and spine so this is ideal for the astrological weather. 

Ground weight in the left foot. Extend your right palm up and keeping the thumb back pointing toward the big toe and back wall, grasp your inner foot. Thumb will be pointing back to rotate shoulder outward, not inward. Inhale and expand the chest cavity, then kick into your hand and you will begin to back bend and maybe to move your upper body forward. Keep the hips level without allowing the right hip to move up high. The foot you're kicking drives the pose so keep it pressed into the hand and active.  Your foot might peek out up over your head. Your knee is behind the hip not out wide. 

photo of me by Dylan Verner of Falmouth Maine

Yoga Day 6: Horse Pose

You can take this right from the wide leg forward fold if you like!

With feet about 3.5 feet wide or so, turn out the toes to a diagonal. Heels face each other.
Make goalposts with your arms or raise them high
Sit the hips down. If you raise arms high, lower them to goalpost (or cactus shape) arms with 90 degree angles at the elbows and palms facing forward. This is a squat type posture. Take 3 to 5 full breaths then straighten the legs and take a full inhale and exhale back into the squat for another round of breaths.

This is known as horse pose or goddess pose too.

Here is a variation with blocks from amongmen.com

This is what I mean by goalpost arms and this is the posture!

Yoga Day 5: Wide Leg Forward Fold

From Reverse Warrior 2 (day 4 pose)

Come back to warrior 2 with front knee bent directly over ankle
Straighten the front knee
Turn front foot so both feet are now facing in the same direction
Hands to hips
Deep breath in (and you can back bend slightly here if a more open chest feels good going in)
Hinge forward from the hips with a straight spine from top to bottom, head to tailbone
Bring weight a little bit forward so your hips don't sit back. Align hips with your heels.
Bring your hands dow
n to the floor, palms down
Maybe your hands don't reach the floor in which case you can widen your stance some OR bring hands to your legs. (Make sure not to put pressure on the knee with your hands though)
When you find your edge with how far forward you can bend with a straight spine, let your head and shoulders drop down and totally relax.
You're most likely to feel this in your hamstrings and inner thighs.
Stretch to the point of challenge, but never to the point of pain or sharpness!

Take at least 5 full inhales and exhales. Forward folds are great for releasing mental stress. Exhale stress or too much thinking!

When you are ready to come back up, bring hands to hips again. Heel, toe the feet in a bit especially if you took them out wider. Flat back all the way up to standing. Tah-dah!

photo is from livestrong.com

Yoga Day 4: Reverse Warrior

Mercury retrograde's 3 weeks begins today.  That's when things seem to go in reverse, regress, and we look back at or revisit the past. A reversal of a pose is what you'll do. This is an easy one. 

Begin in Warrior 2, Tuesday's pose.

Turn your front, outstretched palm up to the sky. Keep the front knee right over the ankle at a 90 degree angle (or as close to 90 as you're comfortable with).

Move your arms so the back palm touches your back leg and the front palm raises to the sky with your bicep by your ear. Look up to the hand or down to the back foot. The latter is easier on the neck.

This reverse warrior is also known as exalted warrior.

Yoga Day 3: Trikonasana, Triangle Pose

The triangle has 3 points and triangle pose is also a good Taurus pose for today's Moon sign. Taurus is a sign of stability and grounding. It's easy to move into directly from our Day 2 pose, Warrior 2.

If you're in Warrior 2 (see yesterday's post by scrolling down), straighten front knee or leave it bent over your ankle. There's more than one version. You choose. Move the arms like they are one long piece, and let your front hand move down and back hand reach up in a straight line. Your front hand can touch between your toes if your knee is bent or to the floor or your shin if the front leg is straight. Your top hand reaches for the sky (or ceiling). Keep some strength in both legs and weight in both feet. Look down, side or up to your hand.

Try all 3 together and on both sides with 3 to 5 full breaths in each pose. You're getting in the flow now!

Send me comments and progress reports!

Robin
facebook.com/RobinsZodiacZone
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Yoga Pose a Day #2

Warrior 2 is today's pose. 

The front foot points forward with some weight on the outer edge of the foot so the ankle and knee don't cave in. Consciously move the front knee a bit to the right if it's the right knee or to the left when you have have the left foot forward. Remember to do this on both sides. Keep the knee over the ankle and not forward of the ankle. In the photo of James Jones his knee may be a little bit too far forward. (I'd tell him to back it up just a bit). Knee over ankle protects the knee from strain or injuries. 

The back foot opens to approximately a 90 degree angle so the toe is pointing out to the side now and the body opens more to the side too (versus Warrior 1 where the hips should be square forward as much as possible).

Arms stretch forward and back in a nice straight line about shoulder height. 

Today's Aries Moon aligns with the energy of warrior 2. Assertive, strong and confident. Can you hold it for 5 full breaths? Inhale so you feel your rib cage expand and exhale fully each time. 

Step the back foot forward to release the pose. 

Try this from warrior 1 by just adjusting the back foot from pointing at a diagonal to pointing outward. Go a little deeper into the hip, thigh and groin by allowing the back of the front leg to be parallel (or closer to parallel) to the ground. Extend the arms from up by the ears to outstretched forward and back.