Friday, January 13, 2017

EnJOYOGA ~

At the turn of the calendar year, I made a couple of promises to meself for 2017. Not one to make "New Year's Resolutions", I prefer to envision doing some things I've not yet done. Like go to The Grand Canyon. And..YOGA.

I have a sister who happens to teach Yoga at the local YMCA, and she's been kind enough to have me over (to her home) for a lesson. It was an hour long, and it was a large challenge for me. Mostly because of the way my body is currently demanding my attention. I don't need to lose weight (don't judge me!) and I have no desire to sculpt my physique as I once did. My Gym Rat days are over. I bid them farewell a decade ago, but not without a fuss. It wasn't really a choice so much as it was about me heeding my body's message:

TIME. FOR. CHANGE.

And so, after her private class I decided I needed to find something a bit more gentle. Not that she was forcing me to do poses I couldn't. Quite the opposite. She repeatedly reminded me to "ask" and then listen to what my body would agree to. It was both beautiful and frustrating. I never forgot the feelings, though, after it was over. I felt so energized. I felt energy actually moving through me. I felt a profound sense of gratitude. I knew that I needed to do more of this. I also knew it was about finding the proper regimen for my particular set of circumstances.

So, I went to a class at our local library. It was NOT to my liking. For so many reasons. For the sake of brevity (here), suffice to say that the instructor and the energy in that room were not what I was looking for. I left the class with even more determination.

I will find the right-for-me teacher.

I had already done some major perusing on YouTube. You can find videos on anything there. And so I did. I found this woman, who goes only by "Candace", who struck a chord. She has a vast collection of videos on many types of Yoga, from the beginner to the highly-practiced. I was looking for something that would allow me to actually do the entire regimen without feeling like I'd failed. I wanted gentle movements, not ones that would pain me to try. I also knew the voice of the instructor mattered. It's a thing for me. I'm a singer by nature, so voices do matter. A LOT. When I heard Candace's voice in that first video, I knew I'd found the one.

BINGO! is what I heard.

Now, a little more than a week later, I cannot even begin to tell you how happy I am to have found her. I'm listening to her wise guidance (about pain) and her gentle way of working through the routines. I'm excited to do them. I feel fantastic! And...it's definitely changing the way I move throughout my day. In all, it's MAGICK! So, I thought I'd share her YouTube channel with you. Just in case you have the urge to do something you've never done. OR to do something a little differently. OR...just because.

Regardless of your current situation or physical circumstance, I do believe she's worth a few moments of your time. If it's not your thang, you might like to share with your own friends/loved ones if they're looking for some inspiration. Either way, I thought it worth the time to tell you.

As always, Joy is a CHOICE.
So is Yoga.

Cheers!

Yoga by Candace

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