February 2, 2013

Inner peace and relaxation, here I come!

 










www.orendayoga.org

For years. I've said that someday - you know, when the kids are older and when I have  more free time - I'm going to sign up for yoga classes.  Well, the kids aren't really all that much older and I don't really have any more free time, but I'm going to go for it anyway.  So tomorrow morning, I will be in the studio wearing my favorite pair of glorious Lucy yoga pants and my almost equally glorious Lucy yoga top.  (Yep, Lucy yoga clothes are the very best!)

I'll be partaking in the Body Sensing with Yoga Nidra class.  I don't actually know what that means, but it sounds pretty good.  Here's the description:

Today's yoga is often associated with physical fitness yet the practice and philosophy are centuries old.  Body Sensing with Yoga Nidra is based on a mind/body practice and is designed to create balance and well-being.  The blend of Qi Gong movements and postures or Asanas are designed to either stimulate or calm the body and mind, thus preparing oneself for deep self inquiry through Yoga Nidra.

Yoga Nidra is a deep relaxation and guided meditation that one can practice comfortably, either lying down as in savasana, or sitting up supported by a chair or wall.  Yoga Nidra means conscious and aware sleep, similar to when you are just about to fall asleep.

The practice was developed thousands years ago as a means to achieve the deepest states of inner peace and relaxation.  It is a way to positively recondition your mind's subconscious layers.  Yoga Nidra can help with problem solving as well as enhance both intuition and creativity.  The practice rejuvenates the body and mind.  Studies show that 30 minutes of Yoga Nidra can have the equivalent effect of 3 hours of deep sleep.

". . . a means to achieve the deepest states of inner peace and relaxation."  Yes, that sounds especially good.

After an hour and a half of that, I'll be heading over to GreenMarket to stock up on delicious food for the kids for the week.  Hopefully, I'll be able to find some raw-milk hard cheese for me too.  (Sometimes the cheese man is there, and sometimes he isn't.)  My new book wants me to make some special broth soup, which is likely going to be a big part of my (hopeful) diet for the next week or two, so I'll also need to pick up a free-range chicken.  And, ahem, some chicken feet.  That's right - chicken feet.  What is in chicken feet that is so important, I have no idea.  But what the hell?  I just hope the market has them.  Last week, they had pig tails and pig hooves, so anything is possible.

4 comments:

  1. A. I used to clean the Orenda Yoga studio in Guilderland Center (I'm guessing you are going to the one on Union Street), and I really liked Andrea, the owner. (She's a FB friend)...good for you, Teresa. And I completely agree with Nancy...maybe time to pull back from all the doctors and re-group. Have you thought of a little acupuncture, maybe? :) Sue

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    1. Yes, I went to Orenda! I really loved it and plan to keep going. I have thought of acupuncture and last week a co-worker gave me the name of the one his wife goes to for her allergies. He said it helps her a lot.

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  2. I was going to suggest yoga. My therapist about 8 years ago told me I should do it so I started going 2 or 3 times a week for almost 6 years. Then I stopped about two years ago, money got tight with my son's social therapy and tutoring and my husband's medical bills. I just started up again a few months ago and I forgot how much I loved it, but mine is definitely more about fitness, but my teacher always leaves 5 or 10 minutes at the end to meditate and she reads us an inspirational thought for the day. I love that part. I hope you enjoy it.

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    1. This wasn't much about fitness - hee hee. For the second half, we were kind-of cocooned in between heavy wool blankets with eye packets over our eyes, and we had deep, guided meditation. I could have stayed there all day!! 2-3 times a week? That's great! I'm glad you found your way back to it (even if it might not be that frequent now)! I'm going to try to keep going once a week for now.

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