Month: August 2016

Is it just me?

Although I hate to think about it, we’ve passed the peak of summer and labour day is just around the corner. Labour Day, no matter how many years you’ve been out of school, seems to signal the end! It’s the end of a more relaxed state of being and a signal to get back to serious work.

As someone who is self-employed, it doesn’t really mean much to me. Holidays for others are often my busiest times and yet I still dread how the atmosphere in the city changes right after Labour Day.

What if we could maintain that carefree summer feeling no matter how heavy our workload? What if we could get our work done without tension and with less angst?

Can you learn to maintain that relaxed summer feeling in your body no matter what?

Think of how your body feels in the summer… the warmth in the air keeps your body relaxed and at ease. Can you maintain that relaxed feeling no matter how much you have to accomplish?

We hold tremendous tension in the body and I believe it reflects our state of mind. As summer comes to a close, and your to do lists get longer, try to maintain that “summer feeling” in your body. Simply remember that the body and mind are integrally linked…tension in the body reflects tension in the mind. If you can relax the body, you will relax the mind. Relief from this unnecessary state of tension is a close as your next deep breath and your next yoga class.

My first class back in Vancouver is September 12^th. I can’t wait to see you on the mat!

For online courses, check out my new Breakthrough Your Blocks Online program.

Find out more here.

 

You hear yoga teachers say this all the time, “take your yoga off the mat.”

What does that mean? I had the perfect opportunity to practice yoga “off the mat” boarding a ferry last week. I was in a human crush of foot passengers, cars, trucks, and motorbikes all swarming onto a very narrow ramp simultaneously. THIS I said to my husband, is the perfect opportunity to practice yoga…this is why we practice. It takes deep breathing, focus and meditative calm to get out of situations like this without being overwhelmed by the chaos.

There are situations all day long that can unnerve you. Even small, insignificant events can trigger you and knock you off balance for hours and even days.

Your yoga is meant to serve your life. It gives you the tools you need when you’re in situations that are anything but calm and serene like a yoga studio.

Finding calm inside the studio, and on your mat is simple. Finding that same calm when it feels like everything is falling apart around you is your real work.

Yoga trains the body to relax when challenged. That is what all that deep breathing is for!

It’s amazing when you experience the excitement of perfecting a challenging pose but the poses are irrelevant.

The point of the practice is to always be able to find the calm in the storm and the light in the dark.

This is a big part of what my upcoming online program, Breakthrough Your Blocks  is focused on.

Starting September,  you will be able to join me from anywhere in the world,  for 6 days of concentrated and transformative work.

Find out more here.

 

Walking in town yesterday morning, we came across some incredible structures that were a blend of ancient temples, venetian fortresses and modern day churches.

Staring up at this incredible wall made me reflect on all the different aspects that make up each one of us.

This wall couldn’t be labelled any more a castle than a temple, or a church.

Where does one end and the other begin?

How we think about ourselves depends on what aspect of ourselves we give more importance to.

What we think we become.

Are you creative? Are you athletic? Do you hide behind your intellect? Are you an explorer and a wanderer? Do you thirst for adventure?

There are parts of ourselves that we embrace and we honour, and there are disowned parts of ourselves we need to reclaim and explore.

We live into the persona we’ve created to navigate our world, but some parts of ourselves have been left behind.
Some excavating needs to be done.

Uncovering lost aspects of ourselves is as simple as moving  towards the things that bring you joy.  Every thought brings with it a corresponding feeling…are you feeling drawn to or repelled by something?

What are the things you like to do, people you like to surround yourself with, books you enjoy reading?

Don’t limit your experiences by sticking so rigidly to the person you’ve become.

 The person you intended to be is waiting to be rediscovered.

Join me this September on a journey of self-discovery in my new online program Breakthrough Your Blocks to unlock your potential.

Find out more here.

May the Long Time Sun Shine Upon You.

Sat Nam,
Gloria Latham