Inward Bound

A thought as we find ourselves at the last day of the year…

Every ending signals a new beginning. Often we see the New Year as a fresh start, a way to reinvent ourselves or set big goals. Today as we reflect, we’d love to remind you of one of the five Yamas described in Patanjali’s eight limbs of Yoga; Aparigraha, meaning ‘non-possessiveness’ and ‘non-attachment’.

This important Yama teaches us to take only what serves us in the moment, and to let go when the time is right.

While goal setting is an important motivator for many, this process can also be a cause of anxiety or fear and take us outside of ourselves and away from this moment. So as we turn the page into 2023, we would love to invite you to pause and reflect. What serves you right now that you can appreciate and take with you into this new year? What can you leave behind?

We wish you peace, joy and much love. We look forward to sharing 2023 with you, and all that it will bring. With Gratitude,
The Yoga Effect


📷 Perigold.com

I hope you enjoyed a meaningful and memorable holiday. If you are traveling or want to take a class from the comfort of home there are virtual options at The Yoga Effect almost daily. There’s also a great on-demand library. I have several recordings if you would like to take my class🙏🏻❤️

Tuesday opportunities to make time for yourself from anywhere:
Level 1-2 with Anna at 9am
Level 1 with Ljiljana at 6:30pm
Sign up to access our virtual classes:

https://theyogaeffect.com/classes-schedule/

Before Covid I would sometimes teach classes in the local schools. This sweeties grandma sent me this photo taken during one of my classes a while back. This is why I teach yoga❤️

If you haven’t read any of Brene Brown’s work and this resonates with you…pick up one of her books. You won’t be disappointed. My personal favorite is “Braving the Wilderness”.

❤️

Wellness hack…
Keep your fish oil supplements in the freezer and take them completely frozen to avoid burping up the fishy taste. 🥴

Sometimes the solution is simple. Most of us are chronically dehydrated. If you are not drinking upwards of 3 liters of water a day, you are probably experiencing some of these symptoms among others. Drink 3 liters of water a day for a month...and document what happens! In fact, it takes a whole month to really get hydrated on a cellular level. What do you have to lose? Are you in? Let me know how you feel after!
P.S. you will p*e a lot at first until your body learns to absorb the water.

Join me on the mat!

Be kind not only to others❤️

Throwback to an amazing experience in Sri Lanka a couple of years ago. I crave this kind of travel, where we are taken completely outside of life as we know it. “Please be a traveler, not a tourist. Try new things, meet new people, and look beyond what's right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding this amazing world we live in.” -Andrew Zimmerman

If you are looking for an outdoor activity today...Sally will be teaching a class at the Round Lake Civic Center at 3pm. Details are below:-)

Outdoor Yoga Classes - The Yoga Effect It’s time to get back outside and practice yoga! ALL LEVELS SUNDAYS: May: 16, 23 June: 6, 13, 20, 27 July: 11, 18, 25 3:00-4:00PM with Sally **************************************************************** TUESDAYS: June: 15, 22, 29 July: 6, 13, 20. 27 9:30-10:30AM with Dina $10 / OUTDOOR...

Strengthening your vagal tone can help relieve many of the various forms of anxiety. Hyper activity, exhaustion, tension in the solar plexus, TMJ, IBS and the list goes on. With a consistent wellness routine we can lessen the severity of anxiety and even eliminate it completely.
I’m very pumped to talk to you about the Vagus Nerve. It is one of our cranial nerves and it is responsible for so many functions in the body. There is so much information about this nerve and the mind body connection but today I want to tell you about its relationship with the parasympathetic nervous system. When we have a healthy functioning vagus nerve, our body returns more quickly to a rest and restore vibe after experiencing stress. Conversely, if our vagal tone is low, even the smallest stress can make us spin into fight or flight and stay there. When we are in fight or flight we all respond in our own ways and that is why there is such a long list of diverse anxiety symptoms.
This is what’s important. There are simple things you can do (if you do them consistently) to strengthen vagal tone.
1.Deep breathing: Take time everyday for some deep breaths. I know its hard to sit on a meditation cushion for a long period everyday and breath so let’s make this more convenient. Anytime you are waiting for something, take deep breaths. When you are on hold, when you are at a red light, when you are trying to fall asleep. There are so many great breathing exercises but I’ll share one to start you off: Breath in until your lungs are full (5-7 seconds), pause for 3 seconds, exhale slowly until your lungs are empty and pause for 3 seconds. Repeat. Five to 10 mins of deep breathing a day will help you maintain a calm nervous system.
2.Loving kindness Meditation: This type of meditation has feel good vibes. You can find many options on youtube. It works because it trains your mind to look on the bright side lowering cortisol levels.
3.Chanting or Just belt out your favorite tune while showering or driving in the car. When we chant or sing, the vibration of our vocal chords massages the vagal nerve relaxing our nervous system.

https://theyogaeffect.com/classes-schedule/ Join me on Tuesday mornings from 9-10am Central Standard Time for a virtual level 1-2 class through The Yoga Effect.
You can request a recording that is available for 1 week if the time is not convenient for you and practice at your leisure. Hope to see you on the mat!

Look within ❤️

Growth and change require connection and compassion ❤️

The highest honor of friendship isn't getting invited to "that party" or out on a girls weekend. It's not clinking champagne glasses at fancy brunches or wearing matching shirts on a beach in Florida. That all is nice and fun and good and special, but it's not what it's about, not at all.

The real honor of friendship is being invited into someone's REAL. It's getting an invitation into the nitty gritty, the not-so-pretty, the hard stuff, the vulnerable stuff, the weird stuff, the unpolished stuff. It's being welcomed into a home where the sink is full of dishes and the laundry is covering the couch. It's entering the places of heart ache and pain. It's being invited to the hospital room when your friend is still in her mesh underwear from birth. It's sitting crosslegged in old sweats on the floor and laughing till you cry. It's carrying around secrets that you've been trusted to keep. It's listening and hearing. It's holding space for each other. It's answering phone calls just to talk something through.

The highest honor of friendship isn't found in beautifully planned events or brightly filtered photos.

The highest honor of friendship is messy and dingy and real. It's in unfiltered photos of laughing so hard your double chin is showing. It's loving each other's babies and holding each other while you ugly cry.

I can't stress this enough:

If you've been invited into even one person's real, you are blessed.

Cherish it.

If you love this, you will love my new book! https://www.thomasnelson.com/p/ill-be-there-but-ill-be-wearing-sweatpants/?fbclid=IwAR22Ev1OWx0aXFjTSImo-aDsOHzm2S4p6xm1To0WAuxclUQnF-xQqS9jk1s

Some days I do feel this way!

Fascinating !

Well said and so important!

COMPLIMENTARY YOGA OPPORTUNITY with Linda Benton:

Dear Yogis,

I am embarking upon a practicum for Yoga for Recovery. Yoga for Recovery could be sexual abuse, drug or alcohol addiction, shopping addiction, gambling addiction, etc.

This will consist of a group of 8-10 people (or less) for an 8 week timeframe of 75 minutes each session starting the 1st of April and ending end of May ‘21. Not all classes are required but highly encouraged. 90 days of sobriety are recommended.

What does it consist of? We start with a check-in and inspirational reading, followed by a brief period of meditation, and a yoga practice adjusted to the needs of the students. The asanas and sequences include a series of Hatha, Vinyasa, and Restorative techniques. All levels of experience are welcome to attend. The 8 week workshop is COMPLIMENTARY and offered via Zoom.

CONTACT:
Linda Benton
E-RYT 500, IYT Advanced Teacher
www.lindabentonyoga.com
847.819.8804

Truth