finding-my-bliss

Have you received a hug today? I belong to this really lovely yoga group, the circle is part of a larger group which seems to be growing... A little while back however, I felt a bit awkward and a little bit reticent at joining in...! A new member of the group who I assumed to be an extrovert started this hugging thing off! I am your typical reserved English introvert by nature and like to keep my safe 'personal space' if you know what I mean ;~) if anyone gets their mat too close to mine in yoga I'm soon shuffling mine away ;~) Anyway I'm happy to report I have challenged my personal foibles and now am a fully bonded member of the hugging group! credit ~ rawforbeauty.com This synchronized nicely with the above information on a 'Time Line' photo my daughter posted on Facebook, we have been doing a lot of hugging recently as she is going through a rough patch with her Bi-polar... Which leads me to the subject of e-hugs! Have you e-hugge...

My hospital appointment coincided with yoga practice, so I was a little reluctant to visit as I knew it was just to tidy-up the paper work and to discharge. However, there was a consolation should I miss yoga! The 'English Eccentric', the consultant who was so very charming on my last visit, and, maybe he would throw some light on another concern I was holding my breath about? Having had some re-assurance from the 'pink cartoon tie' wearing consultant I was off in a jiffy. It was about 4 minutes to the hour, the lights being with me on the road and just a few moments later I slipped into the back of the studio unnoticed joining in with yogic calming breathing...... Tense situations in life tend to make us hold our breath, and then we may only breathe into the top part of the lungs or the chest, this is common, not using the whole of the lungs!  Yoga focuses on fluidity of mind, body and spirit, using the breath to facilitate this. Calm steady breath...

Excerpt from my diary 26 January 2013 ~> This morning I had the most beautiful yoga experience ever. I determined this day I would go with my own flow, to trust my inner Susan, to connect with my breath and feel my way forward. Thinking on the Sanskrit word  Ahimsa  and no self harm, no pushing myself to make up for lost time on account of not being well for the last eight weeks, I engaged my thoughts on gratitude for my renewed strength. This gratitude pervaded the whole practice that I felt deeply with each fullness of breath, each effortless movement as my limbs easily transitioned through the poses. As I stretched and relaxed into each posture spending time, breathing deeply, an emotion of appreciation and beauty entered and pervaded my entire Being, rising steadily throughout until towards the end of my time on the mat a crescendo of tears started to flow. I felt the most restful release. Tears started to flow, pent up tears from the ord...

I have been practising yoga for about six years, my practice has been consistent realizing early on the incredible value of these ancient holistic movements. I cannot extol the benefits enough! I came to yoga at a difficult phase in my life, when my adult daughter's serious mental health disorder surfaced. We became her sole carers.  Having had mental health issues of my own, mainly anxiety and depressive states, I needed something to help me cope. I'd heard how yoga exercise, (as I thought of it then) could help. Help it did in the most wonderful and beautiful ways! I am aware that yoga is more mainstream in some parts of the globe than others, here in the UK yoga is gaining ground at speed. I am going to be posting about my Yoga & Meditation journey, how it has been instrumental in both mine and my daughter's well being in the hope that it might encourage others. After six years I'm the first to admit I'm not the most knowledgeable, skilled...