We are so accustomed to stress that stress is just a part of our everyday life.  In fact, for many of us, it’s unthinkable to be stress-free.  We may even be brainwashed in thinking that, if we are not highly or chronically stressed, then there’s something amiss and that we are not doing enough. We may even interpret being stress-free as being a lazy under-achiever… somehow inadequate.  Being stressed is wrongly defined as being productive. Or some people are very stressed and overwhelmed but they will not know it as such state of high alert and pressure.  To them, that’s the norm. And some take pride to say that they relish stress as though it’s a mark of true success and courage… a purple heart in this daily grind called … life.  Stress may be something they dismiss or for some, they may be in a state of total denial.

Ask one of those people who appear to be  carrying a huge load and you ask them, How are you?  They reply – oh, fine. Oh, it’s nothing. Oh, it’s a breeze.  It’s absolutely NO problem what-so-evvverrrr, Really!  What? Is it your pride and ego responding? What’s wrong with acceptance and admission that this load is an overload?   And that you are over-extended and over-taxed perhaps. Do those people go on muttering some mantra that goes, stress is good; it allows me to get things done.. repeat over and over, stress is good for me, stress is good for me… it makes me more productive… stress is needed…Really?  There’s nothing wrong with our coping skills if we admit things are not looking all that perfect as we juggle.  Also, know that getting help is not an admission of defeat AND you are still needed and loved if you are not doing all those things that garner admiration and awe and comments such as – “I don’t know how he/she does it? ”  To admit that maybe it’s okay to not do so much – That reality does not make you a loser.  No, not at all.  You are just human not super-human. You are of great value and service without having to do so much.  Just being, instead of constantly doing… is … okay.  Judith brings that message to all egocentric over-achievers that the world is not going to come apart or to an end if you “relax and renew”; in fact, it may become a better place.

If we do not manage this stress level  properly, then the body’s defenses break down, making us vulnerable to illness. And that’s just the physical toll we are referring to, not even touching on the emotional toll it might take –  It’s been said that up to 80% of ailments are attributed to stress.  Restorative yoga induces a state of deep relaxation and tranquility… The alpha… some even theta and delta state of relaxation is generated which leads to a special consciousness at which natural healing can take place…  Who wouldn’t want to feel refreshed and restored with a pure sense of well-being and inner harmony.

It’s hard to fully relax if various parts of your body is bothering you – whether it be aches and pains or tension and kinks… or… that dull blocked up stuck feeling, that hard to explain feeling of fatigue…so that’s why the help from our little friends for support (read “props”:) plus some … magic…at rescue:)

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If it’s something you LOVE.  If it’s your passion that you are DOING, then, it’s not stressful. It’s JOY.  Doing = Being when it’s your passion, isn’t it?  No sleep, no food… even then to me, it’s okay…that’s not stress.  You are doing what you love to do and that allows you to be present.

There appears to be a trend that more and more women are experiencing various discomforts attributed to onset of menopause early on – a premature(*) peri-menopause that comes to the unprepared is alarming, even scary. ( “*Premature menopause means the woman’s ovaries have spontaneously stopped working before she has reached the age of 40 years. Women can be affected in their teens or early 20s: About one in 1,000 women may reach menopause before the age of 30.”)

Yet it is nothing to be in denial about or feel negatively about – your body is on its natural trajectory of … aging. Yes, aging – I said it without flinching – and … let me tell you that it’s okay because you can do something about it. No you cannot reverse the clock but you can change the bias and prejudice you, yourself have about this very natural process every human being alive undergoes.  You can choose to age with grace and acceptance.  It begins with you. Then you can change how you treat yourself with more compassion. You need not fear the change. In this outer world we live in, everything changes; nothing is permanent.

The average age of menopause was 55 just ten years ago but now it’s something like 51; however, many start noticing the tell-tale signs in their 40’s; some as early as in their 30’s… and perhaps this earlier occurrence is directly related to the fact that more and more young girls are experiencing early puberty (the new “normal”). It follows logic that what starts early must end early… (so know that it’s okay to be a late bloomer girls – early bloomers, on-time bloomers, late bloomers – like flowers, all are beautiful:) This is a mystery but some say it’s due to increased additives/chemicals such as growth hormones in our foods.

Women’s experience in living in their bodies will bring about 3 major life altering events – this is as far as their physical biological development is concerned: First – when you start having your monthly cycle; Second – pregnancy and childbirth; then finally, menopause.   Some may skip the second event but no women is likely to skip over the last transition in their lifeline. When these junctures come varies but they follow a general statistical trajectory.

And what about men?  That typical term used by lay-people “mid-life crises” or “Man-opause”… is apparently also prevalent and I am here to propose there’s a healthy way to deal with this change that may often be unwelcome:

“Although male menopause occurs in older men whose testosterone levels have declined, it tends to affect older males with heart disease, obesity, hypertension (high blood pressure) and/or type 2 diabetes. In other words, unlike the female menopause, several factors together contribute to the development of male menopause. Some underlying health problems, lack of exercise, smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, anxiety, and sleep deprivation could also be key factors.

Psychologists suggest the male “midlife crisis”, when men are supposed to wonder what they have accomplished so far professionally and personally, can be a cause of depression and might possibly trigger a cascade of factors that lead to symptoms associated with male menopause.”

– excerpt from Medical News Today Knowledge Center

Some go to yoga to escape the daily stress, some for fitness to burn calories and lose weight and some because … maybe their doctor told him/her to… whatever motivates you to get on with the journey with all your senses engaged is… all good.  I want to assure you (1) you are not alone; and (2) if you are committed, you can find the power to heal within; It’s a mind-body-spirit all working together to get you to that place of balance, freedom and stability.

And to those who are just hooked for no reason other than it makes you feel good, you might stumble upon rediscovering your body – mind – spirit.  Yoga allows you to rediscover who you really are under all those layers of habits and societal and self-imposed limitations.  You are then practicing preventative medicine and meditation in motion and … stillness… it’s… sublime.