Yoga for Life

Recreating the Self Through Yoga

Posted 5/25/22

Begin by looking in a mirror (short one just of the face). Examine closely and objectively your “portrait.”

You must be a member to read this story.

Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.


Already have an account? Log in to continue. Otherwise, follow the link below to join.

Please log in to continue

Log in
I am anchor

Yoga for Life

Recreating the Self Through Yoga

Posted

Begin by looking in a mirror (short one just of the face). Examine closely and objectively your “portrait.” What do you think of what you see at this stage in the game of life? Do you like what you see? Are your eyes “smiling?” Do you feel and sense well-being through the expression projected through your face?

The mind is the beginning. Observe your expression. Do the lips curl down and droop at the edges or are lips lifted into a gentle smile? This is how we greet the world. Our thinking about life shows up in our face.

Now stand tall in front of a long mirror. This is where we begin and use yoga to create a new self. Even if you are presently confined to sitting, due to illness or accident, do you greet others with a smile and hold your posture tall?

Each new day is a new beginning and an opportunity to re-invent the self. I have practiced yoga for many years as a methodology and philosophy to create life each new day. I study yoga postures to help me re-construct my mind and body. It takes concentration, dedication and energy into this renewing process. “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Only engage and then the mind grows heated, begin it, and the work will be completed. There is beauty and Life in it” (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “Faust”).

Begin this morning by rolling out the yoga mat and standing tall. If you can practice yoga on a screened porch, you can connect closer to the power of nature. Become part of this life as you deeply breathe. Let go of all distracting thoughts. Inhale, as you let go and the hassles of the world flow out. As you begin to visual yoga postures, a new energy emerges in the mind/body.

As you stand tall, slowly raise your arms parallel to each other and reach for the sky, pulling your energy up from the feet firmly planted into the earth. Hold the arms straight and align them by the neck as you reach up. Deeply inhale and exhale 10 times through the nose. Next, release the arms slowly down to the sides and relax.

There is no such thing as static growth. Think of the early pioneers who settled Florida amidst black clouds of mosquitos, unexpected storms, sinking their bodies into the muck, as they fulfilled their dream to settle their families and cattle in this new, unexplored territory, now Florida. This is the Spirit that exemplifies the “Cow Hunters” as they re-discovered their strength, fortitude and unity of will. Read their true stories of determination as told to me in my books (www.nancydalephd.com).

Today, you can exemplify this Spirit of will and determination through your own yoga practice. “Warrior Pose” is just the beginning of a new you and regenerating a new Life. Re-discover your strength. You are a winner. Keep that thought in mind each time you roll out the yoga mat to reorient your life force. Life is beautiful and meaningful; create it from within. Yoga re-enforces this positive and powerful philosophy of you!

yoga

Comments

x