How Are You…Really?
See that face? Obviously not fine.
How many times has someone asked you “how are you?” and you mindlessly say “I’m fine, thanks.”
When you are not.
When I say, you are not, I don’t mean that you just had someone you love die, or you just lost your home, or your job, or you just found our your beloved was cheating on you…I mean “you are not,” because you don’t actually know anymore.
“I’m fine, thanks” is something we say countless times and most of those times, we don’t even think about it.
Our mouths answer before we even truly think about what we are saying.
It really isn’t that your life sucks.
In fact it’s probably a nice life.
There are ‘things’ that aren’t perhaps what you wish they were…but hey, you have tons of things that other people don’t…a place to live, friends, a decent partner…blah blah blah.
At least that’s what you tell yourself. BUT there is something in your belly, a slight little feeling, that your life isn’t where it’s meant to be.
It’s that feeling that you only feel when everything around you gets quiet.
When the world stops in between each breath.
When you notice the quiet in between each breath.
Which doesn’t happen too often 😉
I bring this up because this yoga class episode was inspired by an amazing project by Adam Baker called “I’m Fine, Thanks.” It’s a VERY important life changing project that all of you should be aware of and consider donating to.
THERE ARE ONLY 9 DAYS LEFT TO DONATE!
For Some Complacency = Death
Really?
Yes.
If I would not have made the choices that I made in the fall of 2007 I would in no way be as alive as I am right now.
I feel it in my bones that my health would have suffered greatly.
I am 100% certain that I would not be a mother.
I didn’t have a horrible life, in fact from the outside it looked just peachy. I looked just peachy. I sounded just peachy.
But in between the breaths, I was not.
The following class is an opportunity to practice stepping deeper into your heart, and ask yourself “how are you?”
And answer yourself truly, in the privacy of your own mat, in your own practice.
The class itself is not particularly challenging in terms of the poses, but it is slow deliberate and I don’t teach from the ground up. You’ll get the most of the yoga class if you already have a practice, simply because you get an opportunity to forget the ‘poses’ and make it more about a moving meditation.
Let me know how it goes!
The Level 2-3 Yoga Class Sequence
Downward Facing Dog
Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana into knee to head plank x 3
lunge
uttanasana/ardha uttanasana
Tadasana
tadasana arms interlaced over head
tadasana arms interlaced behind the back
Half sun salutes x 3
Plank position
Chattarunga
salambasana
Downward facing dog
deep lunge on forearms
pigeon
ardha bhekasana
urdhva dhanurasana x 3
Downward Facing Dog
Easy supine twist
Apanasana
Would love if you support the podcast by leaving me a review in iTunes or purchasing my $3.99 yoga podcast app for iOS or Android.
You can also consider buying THE best essential oils on the planet and get 25% off while you are at it by and going to http://floracopeia.com/discount and in the text box input yogeek. I am a crazy proud affiliate!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Elsie- thank you for this and thank you for shining a light on I’m Fine, Thanks. What a great project! This past year has been a huge transition for me (through which I would not have survived if it wasn’t for my yoga practice). I was in an unhappy marriage to a good man- try explaining that to people! I was “successful” in an industry that I hated so much, I dreaded getting up and going to work every day. On a face level, my life was fine. But it wasn’t. Those moments of reality, as you so beautifully put it, between the breaths, they were getting longer and louder.
Last fall I went through a very amicable divorce with my ex and moved back to the Midwest, to be near my family. My new motto has been to do the things I am most scared of. When given the opportunity to take a stable job in my old industry vs. taking a temp job in a field I am markedly more interested in, I took the risk and I am so happy. I have stopped trying to follow rules or expectations and I’m just surrendering (hard for a Type A person!) and trying to serve my highest self and the universe has given back to me, 10 fold.
So thank you for this- I totally identify and, as always, appreciate your gracious offerings to your kula.
Namaste-
Kris
Kris recently posted..tasty cake…
Kris! Wow, thanks so much for sharing your story! Wow. Talk about transitioning. That must have been a pretty powerful experience all around. Isn’t it amazing that sometimes that most challenging and perhaps life sucking moments of “I’m Fine, thanks” are not when there is something REALLYTOTALLYAWFULLYWRONG, but those things that are just no quite *right*.
You are beyond magical and you totally inspired me today to life my day with a smile in the midst of the mama chaos.
So much love to you!!!!
Thanks for yet another great class – so great to be reminded that even 40 mins of yoga can turn the day around!
Sarah!
thanks so much for practicing along! It’s been such a eye opener for me as well…not being able to do a proper 90 minute class. I gotta take what I got and at times I get it all done in less than a half an hour. Amazing!
Thank you Elsie!! What a fabulous class!! I needed this message, and I love how you cue each pose to invite us to fully and intentionally embody it with our full selves. All the best!