“Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos — the trees, the clouds, everything.”
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I love Vinyasa Flow practice. But I also LOVE yin practices. And Restorative – It’s blended and fused … why be limited – our body deserves a well rounded practice customized and personalized for that day’s condition. It’s a therapy. Always trauma informed … I would call it more Yin Yang or Slow Juicy Flow to Restore kind of practice rather than power yoga… it’s nourishing. My schedule has prevented me from going to my favorite local practices (always nice to be a student, right?) by excellent teachers … so … I have a home or on the go- yoga anywhere – practice. 20 minutes here and there and like mala beads, beaded on fine silk thread, string them together for a complete practice – sometimes it’s not 108; just an increment at a time and that’s … okay. First 20 min. for standing poses; next for sitting and supine; next 20 min. for inversions or Pranayama practice; then next 20 min. for meditation or if too depleted restorative or Savasana. Total of 90 min. sprinkled throughout the day – Sometimes, it may be just one segment but my Yoga Therapy Teacher knowledge has helped me to distill the key poses for managing my energy level free of tightness and tension while benefiting from other “exercise” moderate in nature.
Trying out some seamless flow to trace back my own yoga history. I was reminded Vinyasa Flow was the initial practice that first drew me into be curious about yoga and later further reach out for this deeper practice of Yin and Restorative – the quieter, the softer, contemplative, and in my opinion, a tougher, more sophisticated, true to original intent, thus, authentic practices that only came with some maturity and depth … an understanding about what’s essential. That. That interconnection of our breath to our mental state, our emotional state, while being fully present in the physical body. What’s weaved in is also that jewel of meditation practice – the ultimate goal of Yoga and why? Why is yoga a “means” to an end? And what is that “end” look like? Modern science and medicine has evidenced that meditation practice appears to increase the grey matter in our brain and staves off dementia. Here’s the link:) And you ask what is grey matter? Here you go …
Then, there’s also many so called “anti-aging”* physical benefits we gain from stretching, lengthening the shortened muscles and relieving tight knots and hardening prior to any exercise. The quiet practice brings about Clarity and the … Calm. At first, though, there was always that exuberant flow practice – the endorphin rush to counter that annoyance, irritations, indignation … anxieties or call it stress that masks the fear … The Yang for those with irritations, annoyances, angst, frustrations, limited and limited thinking and so … slush that out of the system before or after the journey into the better versions of ourSELVES. To be reminded that underneath all that layers and layers of stories and talks, there lies a true shimmering luminous … Self.
Embracing both … the Yin and the Yang for better balance where your core is strengthened after your connective tissues and bone structure and alignment is tuned up for the strengthening practice. Let’s have a well-rounded practice – if there’s no time, we make time when we tune up our insides. Remembering – it’s inside out. 
Yin sequence for kidney care … sharing:) Fascinating organs – our kidneys!
Our system is interconnected and well-wired when we breathe in harmony …to integrate mind, body and spirit:) Yoga works when the practice itself is well-rounded.