My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 30 (Every End Begins)

My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 30

(Every End Begins)

[ I fell in love with Yoga ]

On the front of my Fall 2014 Class Schedule reads:

Fall in LOVE with Yoga

When I got the schedule upon getting my gift of 30 Days of Unlimited Yoga, I definitely didn’t notice this written on the trifold, nor do I think that I would have believed its message even if I had noticed it…

But on this 30th day of my 30 Day Yoga Challenge, I can truly say that I fell in love with Yoga.

[ The Experience ]

This entire experience has been so lovely. I can’t believe I am saying that! I mean, 30 days ago, I thought yoga people were weird (and I still kinda do); and now, I am one of them weird folk! Gladly!

Yoga has helped me to stay chill within chaos, it has allowed me to open up and be more heart-centered. Yoga has really been a great addition in my life.

Like, today, I went to work for my friend at her “local foods” restaurant/ corner grocery store. It was ridiculously busy, yet I wasn’t phased by the non-stop influx of customers and their need of me to give them the best service possible. At one point, one of the regulars even said, “wow, it’s so busy here, and this is your first day. But you seem so chill about it.”

Though I think it went over her head, I simply replied,

I do yoga.

[ The Takeaway ]

Today is my 30th day of consecutive yoga practice.

It is also my 107th consecutive day of chanting and meditation.

I’m not sure which of the two practices have influenced my well-being the most, but all I can say is that something is working. So, I’ll just keep on doing what I’m doing.

: Winter Solstice 2014

The shortest day will come in 17 hours of this final journal entry. It will welcome the Winter Solstice, and simultaneously welcome longer days. I may have completed this 30 Day Challenge, but as every end begins, I look forward to continuing this “weird yoga stuff”, as the days and season change henceforth, and new beginnings spring forth.

I am grateful I got this gift of 30 Days of Unlimited Yoga. I am grateful for the teachers who have taught me. But, more than anything, I am grateful for myself for doing this challenge for my SELF. It has truly been a priceless gift.

Oh, and thank YOU for sharing in the experience!

PS: Yin and Kundalini Yoga are my favorites I think.

Have YOU fallen in love with Yoga yet? 🙂

[ Top 7 30 Day Challenge Entries ]

Here are the top 7 “30 Day Challenge” Entries for the last 30 Days (as of the time of this writing):

And here is the entire archive of my 30 Day Yoga Challenge.

What resonated with you the most?
Are you inspired to do yoga (or do it more consistently)?

Here’s to your health, happiness and WHOLENESS!

ABOUT TERA

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My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 29 (Centered)

My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 29

(Centered)

[ Everything for a Reason ]

So, I made it to a Yin class today, and to my surprise (and great fortune), my favorite Yoga Basics teacher was filling in!

I firmly believe everything happens for a reason, and there’s definitely a reason why she seems to always be teaching the classes I attend, even when I don’t expect it.

[ The Experience ]

I got to class around 5 minutes before it was starting. As I scanned the room for the “perfect spot”, I realized that the only place that felt right (and that was left) was the one that was front and center.

Literally, in the center of the class.

Mind you, when I started this 30 Day Yoga Challenge, I would sit in the back of my classes.

Slowly I would rotate to mats more forward in the room, either to the right or the left of the class, alternating. Tonight, being in the center was a lil’ awkward and intimidating at first, since you literally are right in front of the yoga teacher. But, it took only the first 3 opening AUMs to let it go, relax and just be in the space as if I were not front and center.

[ The Takeaway ]

I left the class feeling so centered.

I felt so light and like I really went inward. Methinks it is because in order to not feel so awkward where I was sitting, I had to rely on closing my eyes and making the practice as personal as I could, given my situation. Somehow, I made it work.

In the center of the room, I went inward and became centered.

Best. class. ever.

[ Question For You ]

How do you make the best of situations?

Please comment below!

Here’s to your health, happiness and WHOLENESS!

ABOUT TERA

~

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Music. Wellness. Inspiration.

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My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 28 (Tightrope, Eyes Closed)

My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 28

(Tightrope, Eyes Closed)

[ New heights ]

The other day I was in Yoga Basics and our teacher had us do a pose that took me to new heights.

We were asked to stand with feet in line with each other, heel to toe, and balance. First with eyes open, then with eyes slightly open.

Finally, we were doing a tightrope, eyes closed.

[ The Experience ]

Today, I did my yoga practice at home, integrating the tightrope into my experience. Though it was nothing like this,

allowing myself to find balance with my eyes closed felt as liberating as this:

[ The Takeaway ]

I feel strong, clear and I trust myself and my body more than ever. This 30 Day Yoga Challenge has really awakened me to my SELF, my essence and the power I have within me.

I enjoy yoga. I love it. 15-minutes lifts me up just as much as 75-minutes. Yoga brings me to appreciate life. I feel energized. I feel alive.

All good things.

[ Question For You ]

You balanced?

Please comment below!

Here’s to your health, happiness and WHOLENESS!

ABOUT TERA

~

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Music. Wellness. Inspiration.

: Click the image to Listen and Subscribe to The DJ Health Coach Podcast

My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 27 (Use The Wall)

My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 27

(Use The Wall)

[ I needed that ]

The teacher that I take Yoga Basics class with, which is in the style of Hatha Yoga, also teaches a Yin class ( aka: “more relaxed and zen” yoga). I was feeling a lil’ tight in the side of my back earlier today and I almost stayed home.

But, alas, the studio is only 2 minutes from my front door, and Yin is zen, so I went.

I’ll just start with the end by saying, “I needed that.”

[ The Experience ]

I took my partner along and we were both curious to note that we used the wall as support the entire class. It was a way of doing Yoga that neither of us had done before.

In using the wall as support (and gravity as our helper), we were able to go deeper into the poses we held, which meant we were able to target the fascia more intentionally. Through this, we were able to open up more meaningfully.

My two favorite poses of the evening were the frog pose:

: Click image to learn about the Yin Frog Pose

And King Arthur pose, which apparently is a good pose for runners:

: Click image to learn more yoga poses for runners

Mind you, I am not a runner. My partner is. But, nope, I am not a fan of running. Though, ironically before class yesterday, a gentleman asked me if I was. We ended our short chat with me saying, “I guess sometimes people see things in us that we don’t.”

Any rate, the King Arthur’s pose is intense. I actually kept my leg that wasn’t on the wall bent and lowered to the ground, using a yoga block to gently lift that leg a bit so as to still feel the stretch in my wall-supported leg.

Did you get all that? lol

[ The Takeaway ]

Now that I know I can use walls to do yoga, I really feel like there’s no excuse.

“I can do anything.”

[ Question For You ]

What can you do when you use your immediate resources?

Please comment below!

Here’s to your health, happiness and WHOLENESS!

ABOUT TERA

~

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Music. Wellness. Inspiration.

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My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 26 (Speak. Add Fire.)

My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 26

(Speak. Add Fire.)

[ Yes! ]

I went to my weekly Yoga Basics class today. I really enjoy the teacher and I appreciate the way she explains everything. Even though my 30 Day Unlimited Pass expires in 5 days, I’m thinking I’ll still head to her class next week to finish off the year in a big way.

Through her class, I’ve been able to say YES to opening up myself to the experience of yoga; I am more full and relaxed in my practice than I was before I started attending her sessions.

[ The Experience ]

At the top of the hour in today’s class as she requested me to do so, I reminded my teacher to repeat the answer to my question I asked privately in last week’s session about why we breathe the way we do in Ocean Breathing. Click here to learn about it and you can also view a video below:

I was always told to breath through my nose, and it is also the natural way we breathe as infants. So when our teacher encouraged us to breathe through our mouths last week, I had to question the philosophy behind it.

Though shy to speak up last week, I am glad I did.

Last week, she answered me, saying that (in a nutshell), open-mouth Ocean Breathing allows you to get the mechanics down until you are comfortable and able to do it with closed mouth. Then she said, “that’s a real good question. In fact, the whole class should hear the answer. Remind me next week.”

So, I did.

[ The Takeaway ]

This week, we began the class and she asked me to repeat my question to the entire class before she got into her explanation. She then said, that just because a teacher is a teacher, doesn’t mean you have to just trust everything without asking questions, or making it work for your body. It felt as though she was giving me a nod for speaking up and questioning, so that I could make my practice more personal and meaningful for myself.

It was liberating. Freeing, even.

This set the tone for me to add a lil’ more fire into my poses tonight. I did things that I had not attempted in this 30 Day Yoga Challenge, simply because my mind told me I wouldn’t be able to do it.

But, I did them anyway.

As I allowed myself to speak, I added more fire to my practice.

I breathed more expansively tonight, and the tiredness I felt when I arrived to class, after an hour of kickboxing, had turned into a peacefulness of

“I can do anything.”

[ Question For You ]

How do you feel when you stretch your comfort zone?

Please comment below!

Here’s to your health, happiness and WHOLENESS!

ABOUT TERA

~

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Music. Wellness. Inspiration.

: Click the image to Listen and Subscribe to The DJ Health Coach Podcast

My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 25 (Enjoy Simplicity)

My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 25

(Enjoy Simplicity)

[ Do What Feels Good ]

Yoga is a feeling sport. Do what feels good, and you’ll do just fine.

[ The Experience ]

On this 25th day of my 30 Day Yoga Challenge, I am grateful that I get as much out of doing my practice at home as I do going to the studio.

Today I have a lot of clients that I am working with, so getting to the yoga studio for a 75-minute practice would just add stress because I would feel rushed. So, as I intentionally did poses that felt good, that were simple and that fit my schedule, I came out as rejuvenated as if I’d gone for 75-minutes at the studio vs the 20-minutes I did at home.

[ The Takeaway ]

I will continue to do yoga after this challenge. I trust myself to feel my way into doing what feels good for my mind, body and soul, which gives me the confidence that I will always know what I need in the moment as I integrate yoga into my day.

Busy or not, there’s always room for yoga.

And the more I enjoy the simplicity in allowing myself to embrace the moments I can fit it in, the more I enjoy yoga as something that is accessible and doable.

[ Question For You ]

Have you tried yoga yet?

Please comment below!

Here’s to your health, happiness and WHOLENESS!

ABOUT TERA

~

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Music. Wellness. Inspiration.

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My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 24 (Honor the Moon)

My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 24

(Honor The Moon)

[ Celebrate Womanhood ]

There was a time when I would get my menstrual cycle and I would be utterly disappointed.

For me, it meant

horrible pain, dizziness, dehydration, exhaustion and the complete feeling of helplessness.

You see, I was raised by a single-parent father. And though I appreciate and respect him for doing the best he could to raise a daughter by himself (since I was 5-months old), I still had to learn how to be a woman in many ways by myself. The first time I had a period, I was 9 years old… through shear trauma and pain, I finally started to have what I call, “a happy period”, in my mid-20s.

Today, I celebrate my period, my menstrual cycle, my happy period, my Moon Cycle, as a way to Celebrate Womanhood.

[ The Experience ]

Today was the first time in over a year or so where my Moon Cycle came with a vengeance. I totally credit it to not taking care of myself this past week; working on my business overtime, and eating junk to save time. Bad idea! LOL

But, I thank the beautiful practice of Yoga being in my life. Because even though I didn’t make it to a class at the studio today, I was able to still do Yoga. I looked online for some Menstrual Cycle-specific poses and found some. I integrated one of the poses into my practice today and you have no idea how grateful I am!

In case you are curious, here are two of the resources I found:

4 Yoga Poses To Ease Menstrual Cramps: http://www.active.com/yoga/articles/4-yoga-poses-to-ease-menstrual-cramps
4 yoga poses to beat menstrual pain – they work!: http://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/4-yoga-poses-to-beat-menstrual-pain-they-work/

: Pose #1: Bow pose or dhanurasana

[ The Takeaway ]

Yoga is just a beautiful thing. I never thought that 22 years after having my first Moon Cycle I’d be tending to my discomfort with Yoga, targeting my belly and lower back in gentle, effective ways. My breathing deepened at the end of my practice tonight, too (when I first started, it was shallow and fast).

The best part, I only invested 20 minutes of my time for this healing. I find that as I Salute the Sun in my practice, Yoga also allows me to Honor The Moon.

Now, I will definitely continue Yoga (and eat right and balance my work load properly).

Oh and I also use Carnelian, a healing crystal to naturally heal my Moon Cycle discomfort, as well as to stay focused in my business. Win-win!

: http://www.healing-crystals-for-you.com/carnelian-stones.html

[ Question For You ]

What are some holistic remedies you use for PMS?

Please comment below!

Here’s to your health, happiness and WHOLENESS!

ABOUT TERA

~

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My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 23 (The Yoga of Sound)

My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 23

(The Yoga of Sound)

[ Yoga is breath ]

Yoga is breath. Yoga is breathing, and everything else (the poses, stretches, etc), are bonuses.

If yoga is breath, and sound is made with breath, then today it became clear that Yoga unites sound as energy, as breath, for the purpose of healing and traversing the limitations of the mind.

[ The Experience ]

I attended The Yoga of Sound workshop today. As we opened with an Ocean of Aum (Om), I was instantly triggered into a state of bliss, a feeling of lightness and peace. I was taken back in time to a period of my life when I chanted everyday and read the Bhagavad Gita when I was 17 into my early 20s.

I chant daily now, not quite like I did then, but it is still a vibrational boost that opens up my Being every time I do it.

[ The Takeaway ]

I enjoy chanting, especially when there is a harmonium as we had in the workshop today.

When I chant with my eyes closed, I see a light that illuminates inside of the darkness.

I think my biggest take away from the workshop is that in chanting, I allow myself to be opened because I am so moved by music and sound (and music and sound, are the highest vibrations that exist). They connect us to our souls, and as we are connected by these vibrations, we are connected to our essence.

[ Question For You ]

Have you tried chanting? What are your thoughts?

Please comment below!

Here’s to your health, happiness and WHOLENESS!

ABOUT TERA

~

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Make sure you listen and subscribe to my weekly podcast!
Music. Wellness. Inspiration.

My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 22 (Good for the back)

My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 22

(Good for the back)

[ Relax the back ]

The last 24 hours I’ve been sitting at my computer, working on a new project for a deadline. My back has felt the experience, wholeheartedly.

All I could get myself to do today was relax my back…

[ The Experience ]

I pretty much laid on my back, doing knees to chest and happy baby pose today. It was exactly what I needed…

[ The Takeaway ]

Oh, deadlines. I am heading back to get my project done. One of many to complete before the weekend. I am realizing I have to force myself to take more breaks.

My back depends on it!

[ Question For You ]

When you have huge deadlines, how to do you fit in breaks?

Please comment below!

Here’s to your health, happiness and WHOLENESS!

ABOUT TERA

~

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Make sure you listen and subscribe to my weekly podcast!
Music. Wellness. Inspiration.

My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 21 (Experiential Learning Heals)

My 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Day 21

(Experiential Learning Heals)

[ Go Practice ]

When I got into my yoga practice almost a month ago, the main goal was simply this:

Do Yoga Everyday for 30 Days.

Most of my first days were spent learning in the classroom, so to speak: A Yin Class here, a Hatha Class there, a morning Kundalini class, just for fun…

After a while, I noticed that to meet my goal of doing yoga everyday for 30 days while working with my busy schedule, I had to be OK with being flexible… and being OK to go practice at-home, by myself.

And that would make sense, because ultimately, yoga is your practice. More over, yoga is breathing (and all the poses and such are bonuses in an already abundant Care Package from the Universe). So, even though I have an unlimited yoga pass, there was bound to be a time when I’d have to go practice by myself, for myself.

[ The Experience ]

I bet you probably suspected I was going to say the following statement. Today, my practice was spent at-home instead of heading to a Yoga Basics class that will start in about half an hour.

Well, you probably guessed part of the sentence, at least.

As a motivated entrepreneur, I have deadlines and a focus to tend to. In order to manage my work life with my self care practice, I have to meet myself where I am, first and foremost to move forward.

I learned earlier this year that in a study by the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, it was scientifically proven that experiential education/learning yields more successful results that traditional classroom methods. I love science, I love learning, and I love results, and the way we learn in Yoga class is very Experiential. Because, as pretty much all of my teachers have said this Challenge, “this is your practice.”