3/29/2021 0 Comments Spring - New BeginningsThis past weekend I hosted another fundraiser. The theme was "Spring-New Beginnings". Participants received a gratitude gift of wildflower seeds. Planting seeds; anticipating the fruit of your labor, beautiful flowers.
Spring, a season of life lessons: to attain the fruits of your labor, you must face harsh and taxing conditions beforehand. Simply put: getting through winter is a challenge. Spring; however, is the light at the end of the tunnel to many who’ve bore the brunt of winter. Source: Health-Ade March 15, 2019 The pandemic was our winter, our harsh and taxing conditions, therefore spring is even more symbolic for new beginnings and change. We all experienced isolation, longing for social interaction. I am thankful that I am able to meet people and interact with them. Practicing Yoga in the park, giving people the chance to do something good for themselves. I had a wonderful encounter at the fundraiser, I met a sweet lady who joined the Yoga practice. Afterwards she was telling me how hard it is to connect with people and how much she appreciated my invitation to Yoga with Oma. Life is good and spring is a lovely reminder how beautiful change can truly be. Here's to new beginnings! Oma
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Why celebrate International Women's Day?
International Women’s Day is a dynamic holiday dedicated to lifting up the social, economic, cultural and political accomplishments of women. It is also rooted in raising awareness of the issues women face across the spectrum and, accordingly, advocating for gender parity. Reference: https://news.yahoo.com/international-womens-day-why-celebrate-170000477.html I recently watched "The United States vs Billie Holiday" - what a powerful piece of art. It stirred up a whole bunch of emotions. I am not going into detail as to why - as we all experience art differently. What I am going to talk about is finding strength in pursuing ones talent. Art is a way to express emotions, experience joy, and to communicate with others. Art is like speaking another language! It can help reduce the strong emotional charge attached to traumatic memories, providing relief from difficult symptoms. Art can aide in moving forward on the path to healing. Everyone should be in a safe environment and able to express their talent. I am closing with a poem by Bunmi Laditan It's tempting to hold each moment up to the sun examining it for flaws glaring imperfections noticing how it fails to meet our expectations for what it should be, could have been but what if you put it down let it wash over you accept it as yours make your peace with the present acknowledging that it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful Stay beautiful, OMA Another successful event! The weather was beautiful, not too much of a gamble in AZ! We started with kids Yoga, this month's theme "I am Peace". The adult Yoga practice focused on various stretching poses as well as balance. This month's fundraiser was a food drive for Valley View Food Bank. The donations are for emergency food boxes for families in need within Arizona. If you would like to learn more about this non-profit organization click here Valley View Community Food Bank | Providing wholesome, nutritious food to a diverse community. (feedingaz.org)
We express love for others in many different ways. But do we take care of ourselves?
Here are a few tips on how to practice self love/ care:
Oma 2/7/2021 0 Comments Finding the Right Yoga Teacher"The main focus of yoga is to unite the mind, spirit and body through the breath, or prana. Your success often lies in the hands of the person guiding you in this practice." Ira Israel (YOGI TIMES, 8/2020)
How do you know if you have found the right Yoga Teacher? The following may help:
If you haven’t yet found a teacher that resonates with you, don’t lose hope! He or she is right around the corner. Remember that the right yoga teacher for you is ultimately the one you feel a connection with and are happy to learn from. Read the complete article Finding the Right Yoga Teacher | Yoga Alliance What a beautiful day to host a fundraiser in the park!
Thank you for practicing Yoga with me. This was the first of 12 fundraisers hosted by YOGA WITH OMA. Each month I will host a free Yoga class, accepting donations for local non-profit organizations. This months cause was raising awareness about food insecurity. More specifically food insecurity of the Navajo Nation. 100% of the proceeds go directly towards purchasing water and non perishable food items, and dropped off on the reservation in Arizona. This cause has been brought to my attention by one of the emergency room physicians I work with. He regularly visits the reservation to drop off donations. I wanted to support this cause by offering a free Yoga class for children and adults in the community where I live. I am researching non-profit organizations for February event. If you would like my support message me via contact form. If you would like to donate to a more global cause, check out my company's foundation Vituity Cares Foundation With Gratitude, Oma 1/24/2021 0 Comments Rainy Days and GratitudeWhat do you do on a rainy day? Sleep in? Grab your umbrella and go for a walk? Curl up under a blanket and watch a movie, read a book?
Did you enjoy rainy days as a child? Jumping in every water puddle? I remember going outside with my boys on rainy days. Dressed for the occasion, jumping in every puddle, twirling my umbrella. Coming home after a long walk, drying off, and enjoying a cup of hot cocoa. Now that my boys are grown, what do I do on rainy days? I reflect, recalling the giggles and smiles during our walks in the rain. Practicing gratitude for the memories. Practicing gratitude in general can be a beneficial daily habit. You can try journaling, meditation, or simply pay attention to the little things in life that bring you joy. If practiced on a regular basis, gratitude will likely provide positive long-term effects to your mental health and well-being. I like to do "3 things". You can do it in the morning as you start your day, or at night before you go to sleep to end the day on a positive note. On a piece of paper write down 3 things you are thankful for. Do this for 30 days. It can be a family activity as well. At the dinner table have each family member share 3 things they are thankful for that day. It will improve your mood, boost your immune system and will strengthen your family bond. Here's another simple idea that's easy to put into practice (with children too), gratitude jars. Whenever something good happens or you feel thankful for something, write it down on a piece of paper and put it in a jar. Next time you are feeling down, give the jar a shake and pick out one slip of paper. It will remind you of something good in your life that you can appreciate. It can help you recall simple pleasures that you might have otherwise forgotten. Here's what I am grateful for - you reading this post. Enjoy the rainy days! Oma The benefit of Yoga and Mindfulness: - increases flexibility and balance -improves concentration and focus -boosts confidence -promotes health and wellness Here's what Marsha Wenig wrote on August 28, 2007 in the Yoga Journal: "Our children live in a hurry-up world of busy parents, school pressures, incessant lessons, video games, malls, and competitive sports. We usually don’t think of these influences as stressful for our kids, but often they are. The bustling pace of our children’s lives can have a profound effect on their innate joy—and usually not for the better. I have found that yoga can help counter these pressures. When children learn techniques for self-health, relaxation, and inner fulfillment, they can navigate life’s challenges with a little more ease. Yoga at an early age encourages self-esteem and body awareness with a physical activity that’s noncompetitive. Fostering cooperation and compassion—instead of opposition—is a great gift to give our children. Children derive enormous benefits from yoga. Physically, it enhances their flexibility, strength, coordination, and body awareness. In addition, their concentration and sense of calmness and relaxation improves. Doing yoga, children exercise, play, connect more deeply with the inner self, and develop an intimate relationship with the natural world that surrounds them. Yoga brings that marvelous inner light that all children have to the surface." Still true today! Oma |