Guilty Pleasures & Self-bodywork

I’ve been treating myself to a new evening ritual. It starts with my latest guilty pleasure – my pandora Christmas jazz station. I know I know — super cheesy. I won’t make any excuses.

What’s next in the ritual is self-bodywork with my Yoga Tune Up® balls. If you haven’t tried bodywork with balls, I highly recommend it. Self-bodywork offers a method to unload the muscles and nervous system. This counteracts the loading that daily activity and holiday buzz create. I love the Yoga Tune Up® balls that I received as a gift, but any kind will work. You can purchase lacrosse balls at your local sporting goods store for under $2 a pop. Once you have your toys, pick an area of your body and get rolling!

I can only describe self-massage with therapy balls in one way: It hurts so good. Play around to find those sweet spots that crave attention. Focus on breathing to facilitate a sweet release. You can view instructional videos from the link below to learn exercises that target specific muscle groups.

YOGA THERAPY BALL EXERCISES 
by Yoga Tune Up® – Yoga Therapy

No guilt about what’s burning below! This candle is calorie-free but and oh so sweet. The aroma of gingerbread fills my home and heart with delight.

Whatever your guilty pleasure, let love be your holiday treat of choice this season. Read Holiday Guide to Balance for strategies to nourish yourself from the inside out all season long.

Guide to Holiday Balance

xoxo, Rita

Summer Solstice

We warmly welcome flip-flops, beach days, bike rides, warm breeze, and sunshine playtime. Today is the longest day of sunlight and it marks the official start to summer. While we (especially here in New England) often wish summer would last forever, the Solstice provides a unique moment in time in which the axial tilt of the Earth is most inclined towards its star, the Sun.

I was blessed to be led by one of my most treasured teachers, Jenn of Kula on Locke, in a practice with my hometown Kula earlier this week. To honor the sun, we explored a series of Surya Namaskara or Sun Salutations. Even during what may be deemed “simple” postures or sequences, I was completely engaged to the subtle complexities of each movement and allowed each breath come to life. Honoring the Sun in this way allows me to simultaneously feed the fire of inner light while provoking outer inquiry. I am inspired to remain both grounded in stability and extended brightly to align with my own peak energy.

The Solstice provides a moment for reflection, uplifting, and renewing. With the Sun in its highest position in the sky, the rays of creativity surround and inspire us while the fire of life comes to fruition. The alignment of nature reminds us to set clear intentions at a time of peak light in which shadows are few. So let your creative intentions shine!

May the longtime Sun shine upon you
All love surround you
And the pure light within you
Guide your way on.

 

Sat Naam, Rita

Yoga in Unconventional Places and Spaces

Union of the mind, body, breath, and spirit is certainly not limited to practice on the mat. The more I practice, the more I value the yoga that I carry throughout my day. The most beautiful yoga happens spontaneously and creates a positive presence that overcomes anything else, even if just for a moment.

Yoga is a practice of direct felt experience with everything. The more we attune ourselves to the presence of yoga in our daily lives, the more we appreciate the opportunity to feel deeper, more open, alive, and connected. 

This evening I took a warm, cleansing shower. Finally unwinding from a hectic day of studying and work, I found myself massaging my scalp and breathing slowly. The hydrotherapy of water pressure alone is enough to create ease, but why wait for a hair cut for a soothing scalp massage?

Try it: Invite yoga into your shower routine.

• Start with a loofah, creating circular motions over your skin.  This improves circulation of your blood and lymphatic system while removing dead skin. As you wash your hair and face, take the time to massage your scalp and your sinuses, lingering over your temples and brow. Perhaps you notice slow luxurious breath overcoming you.

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Om La La, Shanti, Rita