Winter Yoga Renewal

It's that time of the year when New Year's Resolutions are all the rage. Forget the resolutions and join me on a Winter Yoga Renewal.

About five years ago, my sister introduced our family to Kangeiko. This is the traditional intensive Winter training practiced by many martial arts. The purpose is to commit to strengthening and training the body, mind and spirit. The first year, Kangeiko felt like a major punishment, but it's now become a welcome New Year's ritual (especially due to the unending buffet of holiday treats). Each year the commitment to the practice is intensified and the residual affects are noticeable. When you spend a month focusing on change with purpose and intention you can really make it happen.

Unlike New Year's Resolutions, several Kangeiko changes we have made throughout the years have become new habits for our family. We were introduced to agave as an alternative sweetener, found a yummy bread without high-fructose corn syrup, have eaten more vegetarian meals and regularly purge our closet (not enough though). Last year, I applied Kangeiko to my yoga practice and it was a really nice fit. It really helped to change my attitude, my physical strength and focus.

If you'd like to join in, here are the guidelines. I would love to hear how you incorporate them into your lifestyle, practice and goals.

Winter Yoga Renewal

The Winter Yoga Renewal begins on Monday, January 2 and ends on Tuesday, January 31.

Commit to practicing everyday. Try doing some form of asana every day. Fifteen minutes of sun salutations in the morning and 10 minutes of moon salutations in the evening are a great way to find daily practice. If you regularly practice, commit to a full practice 5-7 days of the week with 1-2 of those as a personal home practice.

Commit to “clean eating”. Be conscious of the food that fuels your body. Avoid processed foods, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup and added chemicals. If you don't know what is listed on the label, you probably don't want it in your body. Eliminate caffeine, alcohol, fried foods, sweets, table salt and soda. Consider reducing or removing the animal proteins in your diet and increasing the amounts of fruits and vegetables. (A great an easy reference for being more conscious about your food sources is “Food Rules” by Michael Pollan. There are tidbits for every eater – omnivores to vegans.)

Rejuvenate your spirit. Pinpoint one thing that is a drain on your energy or spirit and make a change. Meditate, journal, sing, spend time with loved ones or dedicate time to a cause that is important to you. Plan a date night or family game night. Reduce or eliminate your use of tv and electronics.

Avoid drugs. Take nothing illegal and avoid over the counter medications if possible. This includes pain medications and cold remedies. (If you are under the care of a physician, please consult them first.) Try alternate methods to alleviate discomfort like relaxation, meditation, cold compress, etc.

Set 3 to 5 goals for yourself. Make a commitment to make a change. Set at least one goal for your mind, body and spirit. Some examples:

• Mind – Learn something new. Attend a cooking class or geneology workshop. Take a different style of yoga (ashtanga, Bikram, yin, etc.) Read a book on mudras.

• Body – Set a goal to advance a specific asana (i.e. press up to wheel/urdhva danurasana or float to caturanga from bakasana). If you are over or under weight make a plan to make a change. Engage in positive body-image self-talk.

• Spirit – Purge your closets and drawers and donate. Drive without road rage. Meditate or pray daily.

Infractions – No one is perfect and you may fall off the wagon a time or two. Don't let that derail you. If you misstep, cheat or lose your way, consider offering up 20 caturanga push-ups, navasana sit-ups or donation to get you back on track.

I hope you join me on this Winter Yoga Renewal. Be sure to let me know how your are doing throughout the month. By the way, the best chocolate cake I ever had was in February, a couple of years ago, just after a month of Kangeiko!

Namaste!

8 Things For Beginning Yogis

Being a Yoga Teacher is like being a parent in many ways. One major parallel is wanting to share everything you know, so your students can avoid the same pitfalls or learn the same lessons you have. As with parenting, these pitfalls and lessons have to be learned at your own pace with your own experience. So, here's some food for thought on your journey and a few things I hope you learn along the way.

1. That's exactly why you should practice. The number one reason people tell me when they start yoga is, “I'm not flexible.” You know what? Most of the people in the room started out in the exact same place as you did. Give it time. With consistent practice, you will notice your body begin to release and before long you may even touch your toes.

2. No one said it would be easy. Basic Yoga does not mean Easy Yoga. Basic yoga can be very challenging. Focusing on your breath, physical posture, intention, following the instructor, listening to your body, there's a lot going on in these classes. You will also find beauty in the basics. Taking the time to really understand your body, your practice, your limitations, your natural abilities, your breath and your intentions will help you in the long run to find and maintain a fulfilling practice.

3. What's your favorite flavor? Yoga teachers and classes come in all shapes, sizes, intensities, disciplines and music preferences. It's like flavors of ice cream. There are some that most everyone likes; your vanillas, chocolates and strawberries. And there are some who are acquired tastes. Your best friend may rave about an instructor and you may or may not agree and that's okay. If you are in class and it's not your favorite flavor, maybe take the opportunity to see if there's anything you do like about it or if there is something you can take away from it.

4. Two steps forward, one step back. When you are learning something new, there's a tendency to want to plow forward, move onward and upward. But, it's worth taking a step back every once in a while. Just because you can bring your hand to the floor in parsvokonasana (side angle), doesn't mean you should every single time you visit that pose. From my personal experience, I was able to cultivate more length, stability and space in this pose when I picked my hand up from the floor and moved my forearm back to my thigh. I was able to really focus on the stability in my legs, lengthening my side body and opening through the heart. This helped me cultivate the ability to bind in the pose and find energetic radiance from head to toe.

5. You want me to spin what where and press what to what? The prompting and queues that teachers delivered are intended for the class as a whole. They may or may not apply to you. Those queues may not even make sense. As your practice matures, so will your understanding of prompts and how or if to use them. My evolution of understanding queuing goes something like this; a) I have no idea what she's talking about I should probably just breath, b) Okay, I get that you want me to press my right hip forward, but honey it's not going anywhere, c) Ohhhhhh, that's what you meant.

6. Step out of your comfort zone. – There are lots of ways to advance your practice that don't include harder poses. A few to try include; move to a different spot in the room, practice with your hair down, try a new instructor or new style, eliminate fidgeting and adjusting, tone down the intensity of your practice, or try practicing at home.

7. Seek and ye shall find. – There is so much information out there. Decide what you want to learn more about and ask questions of your instructor, read a book/article/blog or take a workshop. You can delve into the asanas (postures), mythology, meditation, sutras, 8-limbs, doshas, or Ayurveda to name a few. The topics are endless.

8. Physical, emotional, spiritual. It is your practice and your motivation and experience can take many forms. Your practice can be purely a physical pursuit, it can be a great work-out. Your practice can be a vehicle to release or affirm emotion. You can also welcome your faith and spiritual beliefs to your practice.

What information, advice or tidbit was helpful to you as a beginner? What would you want a new yoga student to know?

Upside-Down: A Weekend with Brock and Krista Cahill

I had the opportunity recently to attend two classes/workshops with Brock and Krista Cahill. The married California-based yogi team ventured to Omaha for a weekend of workshops at my home studio and made a BIG impression. I have to admit, before they came I had preconceived notions about the class and the teachers in general. I had heard a little about their style from other yogis and the online videos gave me the impression that their practice was mostly about showmanship and tricks. I am happy to say I was very wrong.

Both classes started with just natural discussion and interaction. There were no prepared speaches or diatribes, just getting to know one another. I was impressed immediately that they quickly learned the students names and became invested and rooted in our yoga community. When they talked about their practice it all made sense. Brock and Krista both put a lot of focus on handstands in their physical practice. From an outsider this can look like just tricks and show boating, but to hear them talk about it I realized that it was about focus and intention. It is very easy to allow your mind to drift during yoga, but with handstands you have no choice but to constantly focus on and scan the body for harmony and of course, to breathe. All of your energy has to go toward that practice, there is no room for partial effort, partial thought or partial presence.

The classes were incredibly challenging and loaded with lots of arm balances and core work. During the classes both Brock and Krista were extremely encouraging in their feedback, queuing and assisting. At one point or another they assisted every yogi in the room. My favorite assist was from Brock in scorpion. For scorpion you find handstand and then bring your heart forward, reaching past your hands, then you bend the knees and reach the toes towards the crown of the head. It is very easy (like most backbends) to collapse into the small of your back as you try to achieve a deep backbend. I was playing with this pose at the wall, when Brock placed his hand on the top of my feet allowing me to press into them, alleviate the low back collapse and extend the spine for a fuller backbend. It felt so good and so secure!

Spending the weekend upside-down in handstand made me think about my practice differently. First, the alignment, I've never focused so much on pulling my front ribs in and resisting my arms forward, but I have found more integrity and focus in my practice. Second, I realized that those ultra-challenging poses and transitions do keep me incredibly focused on alignment, breath and intention. And finally, the weekend was very humbling and encouraging. I left feeling like there was still so much to learn (and very, very sore). Later I found out that the classes we participated in were “level 1”. Maybe in ten years or so, I'll be ready for “level 2”.

If you have the opportunity to practice with Brock and Krista, I highly recommend it. You can follow these gravity-defying yogis on Facebook (BrockandKrista Cahill) or via their websites below.

Namaste!

http://www.gravitycowboy.com/

http://www.cahillyoga.com/

Photos courtesy of Mary Clare Sweet.

A Sucker for Sequencing

You had me at “peak pose”. I have to say I am a goner for a well-sequenced class. I just love it when the teacher commands your full attention to take you on a journey with an actual destination. Different teachers have different methods, sometimes it's a peak pose and other times it's a thread that brings everything together and provides cohesion.

It wasn't clear then, but I can see that I've been drawn to intelligent sequencing for some time now. As my yoga practice evolved like many, I went from DVDs, to the gym, to the studio, to a home practice and now to teaching. I sought out those instructors who put thought and effort into their classes and provided a new variation, challenging options or a different perspective.

The class where I really learned to appreciate sequencing was centered around Padmasana or Lotus pose. This posture requires major hip opening and was not an easy asana for me at the time. You sit up nice and tall, with your legs folded, one on top of the other with your feet resting in your hip creases. It's the stereo-typical yoga pose.

So, I trusted the teacher and enjoyed the journey. He weaved and winded us through a number of postures gently coaxing the hips to open, deeping the bend in the knees and lengthening the spine. By the end of class, my legs slipped into place like they were meant to be there. The savasana that followed was blissful. I had trusted the journey, made a few discoveries along the way and really enjoyed the process.

This was a big turnaround for me with my yoga practice. Since then, I've been blessed by a number of amazing teachers who are deliberate with their classes and intention. Sometimes I reach that “peak pose” and sometimes my peak isn't quite at the summit. The peak or destination isn't really what's important.... it's the journey.

Praise to the Sun!

For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, today is the Summer Solstice, the day with the longest period of sunlight. It's the day that summer officially arrives, one of my favorite seasons. So, today, let's celebrate the sun and celebrate summer.

A traditional yogic celebration can include, of course, sun salutations or Surya Namaskara. To hold your own Summer Solstice celebration consider doing 27, 54 or 108 Surya Namaskaras. This group of poses can be considered basic. But, string a number of them together, really focus on your breath and you may enjoy the challenge. The first time I did a set of 108, I was surprised at how much focus it took, how physically demanding it was, but also how lost I got in the flow of the movement and breath.

For added effect practice your Surya Namaskaras outside or in silence. After this incredibly rhythmic practice, take a few minutes to meditate on the gift of the long day, the sun or your yoga practice. For this soltice, I'll be using St. Francis of Assisi's Canticle of Brother Sun for my inspiration. I've included it below, maybe it can be your inspiration as well.

The Canticle of Brother Sun

-St. Francis of Assisi

Most High, all powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory, the honor,
and all blessing.

To You alone, Most High, do they belong,
and no man is worthy to mention Your name.

Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Praise be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon
and the stars, in heaven you formed them
clear and precious and beautiful.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene,
and every kind of weather through which
You give sustenance to Your creatures.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
which is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom you light the night and he is beautiful
and playful and robust and strong.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Mother Earth,
who sustains us and governs us and who produces
varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Praised be You, my Lord,
through those who give pardon for Your love,
and bear infirmity and tribulation.

Blessed are those who endure in peace
for by You, Most High, they shall be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no living man can escape.

Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will
find in Your most holy willl,
for the second death shall do them no harm.

Praise and bless my Lord,
and give Him thanks
and serve Him with great humility.

AMEN

Finding Balance

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity, but of balance, order rhythm and harmony.”
-Thomas Merton (monk, poet, social activist)

Hard and soft. Ebb and flow. Yin and yang. Teeter and totter. Life is a balancing act. The thing about balance is that it requires constant adjustment, alignment and calibration. Balance is important in every aspect of life; food that fuels your body, work that provides for your family, play that renews you, and faith that sustains you.

When I think about finding balance on the mat, regardless of the pose, I'm reminded that it's the minor, more subtle adjustments that are effective at bringing me back to stability. Big, grandiose movements or changes just create more unsteadiness and cause plenty of other problems. Finding balance on the mat requires strength and softness, activity and stillness, focus and release.

Consider ardha chandrasana asana (half moon pose). The bottom leg is rooted to the earth, strong and stable, creating a sold base. The hips are soft, open and effortless, providing realease and a gateway for the energy of the pose. The back leg is active and expansive. The torso is lifting and lengthening, providing space for soft, full breath. The heart shines forward as the arms and hands radiate. It is one of my favorite balancing poses. It requires balance and minor adjustments throughout the pose to feel the stability. When I can really settle into ardha chandrasana I can feel the full potential of my strength and the full comfort of my grace.

When I find that same balance in my life, possibilities seem endless. Finding balance off the mat requires similar minor adjustments and movements. There are lots places in my life where minor adjustments can have a big impact. Providing a little extra care and attention in a hug, an unexpected kiss or unscheduled date for my husband. Taking time to cut loose and play before chores or work is done with my children. Doing that one extra assignment or duty to make a co-worker's day a little easier. Smiling and breathing as my bags are inefficiently packed by a store clerk. Little adjustments and small changes can make the balancing act of life a little more stable.

How do you find balance? What adjustments or changes work best for you?

Get Out and Play!

"It's too nice to be inside today, go out and play!" These words can be heard any given day at our house. Thankfully, the kids can usually find something fun to do outside on a nice day. Swinging, shooting baskets, playing catch, drawing with sidewalk chalk and biking are some of the regular activities seen near and around our house. There's just something about the fresh air and the sun on your shoulders that makes being outdoors refreshing and fun.

This holds true for yoga. I love to practice outside. Last year, I was on a family vacation at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. We had a comfy little cabin with a narrow deck that sat just several feet away from the lake. Since I'm an early riser, I would venture out with my mat and enjoy a simple practice before everyone else awoke. It was lovely. The warmth of the air, the gentle breeze off the lake and the water lapping against the rock wall provided a soothing environment and soundtrack for my practice.

I also had an opportunity to practice with my mom and sister on that vacation. We would meet early in the morning, when only the serious fishermen stirred, but the rest of the world was sleepy. The resort's tennis courts overlooked the lake and were the perfect place for our practice. We took turns leading the practice and then went our separate ways to pursue the activities of the day. This vacation solidified my love of outdoor practice and left me wanting more.

Practicing outdoors can be so invigorating. The connection with nature can offer a new opportunity to feel rooted and connected with the earth. The change of scenery can motivate you to explore your practice in new and different ways. A shake-up to your normal routine can feel like you are experiencing a flow or asanas for the first time. Enjoying the beauty and majesty of nature can directly connect you with the Divine.

An outdoor practice can also offer some challenges to help you grow. Differences in terrain, whether it's concrete, cobblestone, grass, sand or dirt, can provide new perspective for rooting and balancing. Random noises or pesky bugs can increase your need to focus and prioritize your drishti. Other distractions like on-lookers, pets, heat or humidity create the need to turn inward.

It can be a little daunting to move your practice from the comforts of your DVD player, gym or studio. If you are interested in giving it a try, here are a few suggestions:

1. Do a few sun salutations on your back lawn, patio or deck. Try it when the actual sun is coming up and you are in for a real treat.

2. Strike a few simple poses; tadasana (mountain), vrksasana (tree) or adho mukha svanasana (down dog), at a park. Make it a game of Simon Says if you have your kids around.

3. Just sit quietly outside for a few minutes on your porch or a park bench for a brief meditation on creation, nature or the elements.

4. Suggest your studio or gym to hold a class outside. On a hot summer day, try a poolside flow and then slip into the cool water after a mellow savasana.

5. Find an outdoor yoga event in your area. Just search the web for “outdoor yoga your city” to find great events. There is such great kula (community) and energy at these events and they are typically attended by yogis of all levels.

So, give it a try, get out and play! It's too nice a day to be inside.

Have you tried practicing outside? If not, do you think you'll give it a try?

***For those of you in the Omaha area, be sure to check out Yoga Rocks the Park this summer for a great and fun opportunity to bring your practice outdoors. http://yogarocksthepark.com/omaha-2011/ ***

In Honor of My Mom on Her 70th Birthday

Recently, my sisters had an enlightening email exchange about what we learned from our parents, what we took away and what we would do differently. It really got me thinking about my parents and how they have influenced me. It did make me realize that I probably don't give my mom praise for the things she did well. So, for the record, here are the things for which I give credit to my mom. (A big thanks to my sisters for their help on this one.)

1. Dinner time is family time. In a family of 9, it's almost impossible to coordinate schedules to honor the family meal time. There were always lots of after-school activities, sports and jobs that kept everyone coming and going. Mom always made it a priority for us to sit down to a home-cooked, well rounded meal which included fruits and vegetables. Mealtime was such a priority that my parents had a custom-made, round table, with a lazy-Susan, built to accommodate our large crew. The importance was not missed. Mealtime is now a priority in my home and the homes of my sisters. Even when we vacation together, almost every night the 30-40 family members will sit down and feast together.

2. Say please and thank you. Mom stressed the importance of good manners. Through proper grammar, writing thank you notes and table manners she tried to make us respectable members of society. She's been know to take it a bit too far. One time, she corrected an Iowa news caster, while listening from another room, for saying, “Another great win for UNI.” The news caster was talking about the University of Northern Iowa, not “you and I”. But, her point was made. I almost never end a sentence with a preposition, try diligently to send thank you notes and usually know which fork to use.

3. Trust the design of the body and nature. The body is designed to give birth naturally, breast-feed, be fueled by natural whole foods. Babies are designed to need and be near their mothers. When I made the choice to have my children at home, it was considered by many to be a radical choice. In fact, it was a very natural, logical choice for my family considering my mom had her 2 youngest children at home and my sisters collectively had 10 children at home. My mom, blazed the trail by just doing what was natural and what was meant to happen with the body and birth.

4. Traditions are important. Traditions build connection, memories and comfort. Sometimes they were around how holidays were celebrated. It was also about not missing a birthday celebration, even if everyone was sick, just bring on the birthday Jell-O. One Thanksgiving, even though she was a vegetarian, she still cooked the turkey and slid the cranberry sauce out of the can because that was the tradition. (Why we trusted the turkey to the vegetarian, I don't know. The duties were later transferred to my dad. Also, I don't think anyone ever ate the cranberry sauce, it was just always there jiggling on the plate.)

5. Be empathic. She never gave up on trying to teach us to be concerned with the greater good. There were countless rice bowl projects, justice and peace conferences, rights walks and other efforts to teach us about the world we shared and the immoral conditions. She exposed us to a variety of people, places and challenges and helped us to realize that the world was bigger than just us. Trying to get my own kids to try a third-world lentil recipe as a sacrifice helps me to know how tough a job this really can be.

6. Make healthy choices. Throughout her life, she has gone through an array of exercise regimes, diets and lifestyle changes. All had the same goal of creating a healthy vessel. Today, she is a vibrant, healthy, raw, vegan, swimmer, cyclist, yogini and plans to live for another 70 years, I'm sure. She encourages this in others by sharing her passion for raw food, acting as the “bike-fairy” for her grand children and supporting other healthy pursuits (especially yoga).

So, thanks mom. The credit goes to you.

Mother's Day is just around the corner, don't forget about yours. What in your life can you credit to your mom? What have you learned from your parents?

Intention

It's easy to get caught up in the current of life. Going through the day, blindly running through a to-do list just to get things done, because they are expected, because that is the routine. There are so many demands; spouse, kids, home, work and committees to name a few. And then there are all of the wonderful distractions; television, facebook and smartphones. Purpose can easily get lost in the shuffle.
Intention can really make a difference. When you act with deliberate thought, effort and purpose, it shows. Think of the times you received that perfect gift that you did not even know you wanted or would love, deliberate thought was behind that gift. When you put together a meal from scratch with healthy, fresh ingredients it just tastes better and fills the soul as well as the belly, effort was put into that meal. When you participate in a well-planned meeting with direction and energy it's amazing the teamwork you can cultivate and what you can accomplish together, a purpose was shared.

Intention can be nurtured and honed on the yoga mat. At most classes, the teacher will instruct you to set your intention, focus on it and return to it throughout your asana practice. Why are you there? What do you need? What can you contribute? When you are new to yoga, there is so much to learn and get comfortable with and intention is no different. It always helps me when teachers encourage intention and go a step further to suggest a few.

I am strong. I am balanced. I am grace. I am peace. I am love.

Broader intentions can be incorporated to your practice as well. Consider dedicating your practice to someone or something as you would a prayer. Dedicate your practice for someone who is unable to. Dedicate your practice for the healing of a community in pain or conflict. Dedicate your practice to mother earth or father creator. Intention and dedication can add meaning and depth to your practice of yoga on and off the mat.

When intention becomes a regular part of your asana practice it easily begins to seep into other areas of your life. Instead of being caught up in the current of life you act with deliberate thought, effort and purpose. Intention.

What intentions do you invoke during your practice? How have you noticed intentions enhancing your life off the mat?

What, No Medals?!?!?!

I am a very competitive person. Throughout my life, I’ve participated in a variety of sports; gymnastics, swimming, diving, soccer, dance team, softball, track, golf, karate and others. I like to do well and I love to win. This desire is not confined to the sporting world. At work, at play, whatever the pursuit, I like to excel. And, I know I’m not alone.

How does this relate to yoga? Like many people I originally approached yoga as a purely physical pursuit. It was a great way to exercise, stay fit and provide balance to an otherwise intense physical routine. I would regularly go to class and treat my practice as a competition with everyone in the room. My focus was on my performance compared to theirs. If a practitioner “did better” than I did on the mat, it was a reminder that I needed to try harder, push further and compete more. Regardless of where I should be practicing, I would many times take it too far based on my fellow competitors, I mean practitioners.

It took me many years to realize that the physical expression of asana was only one part of yoga and really no place for competition. A couple of years ago I had an “aha!” moment. The softening of motherhood, the reminders to “check your ego at the door”, and a better understand of the beauty of yoga being more than just a physical practice created this epiphany.

I turned my focus inward. What did my mind and spirit need, want, and yearn for? Not just my body. What was available to me based on my emotions, energy and physical ability? How was I servicing my whole self? When I stopped competing and started experiencing, my practice grew by leaps and bounds. Personal understanding, openness to meditation and harmony of mind, body and spirit replaced the need or desire to win. I was really able to appreciate the other yogis and their practice.

When I see another’s asana practice that is “better” than mine, I am still intrigued. But, now I can approach it, not as a competitive challenge, but with appreciation for their practice, their expression, their journey and their yoga.

How have you taken competition out of your practice? What is one of your “aha!” moments?

Driving Under the Influence of Savasana

Sometimes I wonder if I should drive home after an evening candlelight yoga class. I emerge from the studio under the euphoria of a great savasana, a little bit tipsy to be honest. It takes a lot of motivation to be focused enough to make the meager five minute drive home. Should I even be driving? I will do my part to be more alert on the trek home.

The bigger question is, why are my evening savasanas more fulfilling, successful, complete than others? My suspicion is that there are multiple factors that come to work here. The length of the class, it's at the end of a tiring day, and my guard and control are relaxed. These all make it eaiser to really experience the rest, the bliss, the refueling benefits of savasana. It is so much easier to let the thoughts float by, ignore to do lists and nagging thoughts in the evening.

Like all parts of yoga, sometimes the practice of savasana clicks and sometimes it doesn't. With asanas or poses, sometimes you can explore more deeply and fully than before and sometimes you have to back off, based on what's available to you that day. The practice of savasana is no different.

So, how do I find this release in my daytime practice? I need to find a way to surrender to the practice and to the mat when the sun is high and the candles are packed away. But, then again, maybe I'll have to worry about driving home during the day.

What works for you?