Last year I was blessed to be able to attend private yoga sessions that helped me hone some basic yoga techniques. This year I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone and joined a 1.5 hour class on Mondays. Yoga not only stretches me physically and mentally, it also brings a calmness to me that lasts all day. The favourite part of the yoga class is at the end when we do a short meditation.
What I’ve noticed since regularly attending yoga class is that the benefits are much greater than I first thought. If I had of felt or understood the benefits earlier in life, I would have consistently attended classes rather than picked it up every now and then. Some of the benefits I’ve become aware of are:-
- Increase in Flexibility - I spend a fair bit of time in front of the computer and what I have found is that by doing yoga it has helped with the flexibility of my shoulders and arms. Instead of staying stiff, I do a couple of upper body movements and the stiffness goes away.
- Releases Tension - I find that the stretching that is done in yoga really helps me release tension in my back and shoulder muscles.
- Improves Posture - It is good to be aware of how we hold our body and yoga continues to remind me to sit and stand properly.
- Toning of Muscles - It definitely helps with definition of muscles, I’ve noticed it more so with my arms than anywhere else but I’m sure over time that will change.
- Breathing Deeper - shallow breathing is not good for you and yoga helps you breath deeper so you are using your stomach rather than your chest.
I would actually like to be attending yoga twice a week but due to my yoga teacher’s schedule and my own, I’ve had to look else where. Instead of heading to another class I’ve decided to try using a book as well as online video classes, and do the yoga workouts at times that suit me from the comfort of my own home.
The book I bough recently is called Chakra Yoga: Balancing Energy for Physical, Spiritual, and Mental Well-being
If you’ve got kids, maybe you could try yoga together. While over at My New Shiny Shoes, Michelle writes about yoga books and dvds for kids.
I wished someone had said to me “do at least 8 classes before giving up because you will reap the benefits.”
Do you attend Yoga classes or something similar?
Relate Posts
Ask. Believe. Receive. These are the principles that the book and movie, The Secret promote. I agree, we need to ask for what we want, believe in it and be open to receiving it, however these principles just touch the surface of the whole topic of The Law of Attraction.
Please do not get me wrong, I love The Secret because it has provided an opportunity for those people who are not into “new age” things (for want of a better term) to be open to the underlying message that there are no rules to the Universe and that you can achieve what ever it is you need and/or want.
This is evident because while catching up on my blog reading I found a post by Danni at She-essence where she talks about Universal Protection and The Secret. She says the Universe is taking care of her and to help her keep focused she developed her own affirmation which is catchy and easy to remember.
There are many other books out there that touch on the subject of the law of attraction, however the latest book that I’ve been reading is written by Esther and Jerry Hicks and is called The Law of Attraction: The Basics of the Teachings of Abraham
If you are not aware of the Teachings of Abraham, then this book may be a little heavy, as it is a little heavy for me and I’m familiar with the teachings. Abraham is a group of spiritual beings who Esther channels. When Esther channels, Jerry asks questions and records their answers.
The book covers The Law of Attraction, The Science of Deliberate Creation, The Art of Allowing and Segment Intending.
I’ve not yet completed the book because as I said it is heavy reading so I’m taking my time, grasping their teachings and processing the information.
If you’re up for the challenge then I would say have a go, otherwise look around for other books that expand on the philosophies of The Secret. You may even want to read books that help build the bigger picture.
Enjoy your reading!
Technorati Tags: law of attraction, teachings of abraham, the secret, the art of allowing, universal protection
Relate Posts
As most of you know I’m a book junkie… my books range from real life novels to self-help, spiritual, business and reference books. I have a great book called ’The Goddess Companion, Daily Meditations on the Feminine Spirit‘. The book has a meditation or thought for each day of the year and as I read today’s message, I felt that I should share it with you.
In many cultures, the mother of the family is honored as a leader of the clan or the nation. This reverence is shown in various ways. Sometimes her children bear her name; in other cases the family wealth belongs to her. In some cultures, primary decisions are made by the clan mothers or grandmothers. Even the decision about whether or not to go to war rests in women’s hands, for it is understood that women - out of concern for the future of their children - will be careful and will make wise decisions.
In our own world today, motherhood is rarely sufficiently honoured. One day each year, there are brunches and corsages and little gifts of love. But the rest of the time? As a culture, we do not respect that great gift of mothering. Women’s work in raising the next generation is taken for granted. Yet it is a vital service to humanity one that deserves to be acknowledged continually.
It is so true… forget about Mother’s Day once a year, make it Mother’s Day every day!
Monahan, Patricia (2000) The Goddess Companion, Daily Meditations on the Feminine Spirit, Pg 138, Llewellyn Publications, USA
Technorati Tags: mothers day, goddess guidance, goddess
Relate Posts
In the launch issue of my emagazine, The Modern Goddess I profiled the movie, ‘The Secret’. By now most people would have heard of this ground-breaking feature length movie, created like a documentary style program with dozens of the finest speakers, writers and philosophers of our time.
The Secret is about the power of thought, the law of attraction, visualisation and your inalienable, supernatural right to have, do and be whatever your heart dreams of; it is pure enlightenment.
Did you know that there is also a book? I have the movie and the book, both are accessible for me when I need to refocus my energies or I need a gentle reminder that I am capable of anything that I put my mind and heart into.
The book is an overview of the movie and includes all the great quotes said by philosophers of the past, and the presenters in the movie. As you some of you know I have a book fetish so I just had to add this to my growing collection. The benefit of this book is that I can highlight points that are relevant to my life at the moment without having to go back and visit the DVD for a specific point.
Don’t miss out on this great book. If you’re a book lover you need to add this one to your collection.
If you rest your mouse on the image you can find out more about the price with amazon.com.
Technorati Tags: The Secret, Law of Attraction, Creative Visualisation, Power of Thought, The Secret Book
Relate Posts
I stand tall and proud as I say out loud “I am a self confessed book-a-holic. I have a habit of buying more than one book at a time and then stock piling them in the corner, gathering dust while they wait patiently for me to read them.”
I love books and it doesn’t really matter what type either… I have a range of books from business, education, self-help, alternative therapies, spiritual, crime novels and true stories. I’m not sure where my love of books came from but I’m grateful for it because reading has not only helped me develop personally and spiritually, it’s also connected me to many gorgeous women who share my passion.
In saying that, I belong to two book clubs; one in Hong Kong and the other online.
I belong to a Book Club (come Champagne Club) here in Hong Kong. We always ensure our tummies and champagne glasses are full before discussing the books we’ve recently read. We don’t read the same book at the same time; we read different books and then tell each other about them. Based on what others are saying, we can ask to read the book or be put on the list to read it in the future. Lucky for me the “Book Club Girls” are just as obsessed as I am, with three of us planning on having a book or two published within the next 5 years.
The other book club is over at She-essence, an online forum for women. This book club is still being formed with the idea of reading the same book at the same time, and then discussing the chapters as we go along. The aim is to read one book every two months, and we get to choose between two books. I love the idea of discussing a particular book with other women at the same time.
So as you can see, I am definitely getting my book fix… I think I’ll need to give up my day job just to keep up with all the reading. (wink, wink)
So with all this talk about books, I thought it was about time I added a Book Review category to my blog. Expect to see books that open your heart and mind to the endless possibilities the Universe grants us, whether that be a self-help book, a spiritual book or a book about the Goddess.
Tell me… do you like to read?