Om Hop Yoga

What if...

 

I had alluded in one of my recent entries how difficult it is for me to wake up early.  I'm almost unconscious at six in the morning, which is probably why I've waited so long to start practicing yoga before I start my day.  I honestly never thought I'd do it.  It took truly believing that this was the only way for me to progress with my practice.  Of course it's still a struggle.  I don't like seeing that 6 with a double zero every time my alarm clock rings, but it gets easier every day.  It's become more of a habit now, however just like I did when I started, I continue to remind myself of the ultimate goal.  And the more often I go, the more my body and my brain are trained to recognize how wonderful I feel when I leave that studio after my practice.  I've never felt so good so early in the morning.  Ever.  My stiffness melts away with every asana.  It took initiative and consequently a consistent mental reminder of my long-term goal, but I'm there.  

When you finally take the leap to pursue something you've been desiring wholeheartedly however difficult it has been to embrace, it will suddenly be a part of your life and you'll never be the same again.  

 

Take a different route to work...

 

Someone recently told a friend of mine to take a different route to and from work whenever she can.  This way, she not only stimulates her brain and takes it out of a routine, but gives herself the opportunity to bump into people she wouldn't have necessarily had the opportunity to interact with if she chose the same route everyday.  It made me think of my own commute.  In Greenwich Village, all I had to do was hop on the A C or E trains from the West 4th subway stop and I'd be in my office in under 15 minutes.  It was amazing.  I did this 5 days a week for 4 years.  How incredibly boring.  

Now, living on the East side and a few more blocks from the train, I have a choice between walking, busing or subway-ing.  Heading to work on my first day I felt like I finally broke up my routine.  I finally had to think how I was going to get to my office.  While there are only so many routes to and from work and while I will eventually get used to all of them, it'll be exciting to switch it up every once in a while and make the commute an experience rather than a boring routine.  

Now I'm brainstorming how else I can create a little unease or pep in my life - eating soup with my left hand, biking to dinner, having a glass of whiskey on the rocks, learning another language, starting a conversation with a complete stranger, acting on an impulse... going commando?....  If only for the experience!  

 

Support Opening Act with Om Hop Yoga!

Support Opening Act with Om Hop Yoga!

We will be flowing through an invigorating sequence tomorrow evening on the Christopher Street Pier in Manhattan in support of Opening Act's 10 for 10 Campaign!  

Opening Act's theater programs help underprivileged high school students build self-esteem, confidence in their talents, and become energized leaders in their communities.  This week, Opening Act has launched its10 for 10 Campaign - we have 10 days to raise $10,000 through $10 donations for the organization's 10th partnering school!  Having just joined Opening Act's Social Board I am really excited to be a part of this amazing organization and teach a class to raise awareness of the positive impact the it is having on the lives of these students.

If you'd like to learn more, please click on this link for an inspiring video!

DETAILS

Location: 

We will practice at the end of the pier right by the water.  To find it, search Organicoa (Pier 45 Hudson River Park) West Street, New York, New York and it's right down the pier across from this cafe. 

Date/Time: Wednesday, September 14th @6:45pm

Donation: $10

RSVP to OmHopYoga@gmail.com

[Photo courtesy of Maciej Barwinski]

Letting go and receiving

How quickly time has been flying.  I've been neglecting this blog for the past couple of months and I miss blogging dearly.  My mind had been elsewhere - mostly focused on finding a new home in New York City and settling in - so for a brief spell I was neglecting what I've dedicated myself to and I hope not to do it again.  In the last month, I've said farewell to the last 4 memorable years in Greenwich Village and am starting fresh in a new neighborhood with an incredible guy.  This move is symbolic of the running theme of this year - a cleansing of the the body, the mind, and my spirit.  I'm dispensing of old habits that no longer serve me, making room for new ones, and retaining those that allow me to continue to explore who I am and how I want to interact with the rest of the world.  

Almost inadvertently, this period for me began with an aching desire to cleanse my body.  I wanted to feel good and to feel clean from the inside out.  For too long my energy levels have been volatile and my stomach never really felt right.  Having read enough about the healing powers of whole foods, and the destructive powers of foods that have been so processed to the point of being devoid of any nutritional value, I started with nutrition.  It's a process and I'm still very much right in the middle of it.  I'm developing an awareness of how different foods affect my body and my health.   I'm grateful for the people who support me and and help me to further my food and health knowledge.  I'm retraining myself to choose wisely, knowing that the ability to eat anything I want right now as a young person, and doing so whenever I want has consequences down the road.  And what's wonderful is that I'm getting the benefits immediately.  It is a beautiful thing to know and understand how my body reacts to certain foods.  I pay attention to that feeling and it helps me to choose to eat things that energize me and make me feel good.  

I've also begun the Ashtanga journey.  Practicing yoga twice a week in the evening as long as I didn't have any other enticing plans no longer serves me.  I hit a wall with my practice only going to the studio twice a week.  I realized I needed to embrace discipline and make a dedicated commitment to practice everyday or as close to everyday as possible.  I feel very fortunate to have been introduced to Guy at the Ashtanga Yoga Shala in the East Village through my friend Margaret.  The past couple of months have been a revelation.  I have NEVER been a morning person, but waking up at 6am every weekday and biking over to the Shala has been a blessing.  

I'm going to continue to embrace all the little clues my heart sends me and continue on this path, allowing myself to to let go and receive.  I can't wait to see where I am next year.