Resolution

Here we are at the end of 2013 already. How did you do with your "year of desk yoga" challenge?

Did you find a few minutes to enjoy peaceful stretching and breathing each day of 2013? Yeah, neither did I.

But there were more days when I did make the time to be still compared to 2012. And that is what it's all about. Small steps. Let's be grateful that we had those quiet moments and look forward to many more in 2014.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

Namasté



 1.On an inhale, lift both shoulders up to your ears, exhaling as you relax them back down again. Repeat that 4 more times, always moving with the breath: lift on inhale, lower on exhale.

2. Roll shoulders up on inhale, then back on exhale, repeat 4 more times

3. Turn head to left on inhale, face forward on exhale, turn right on inhale, face forward on exhale, 3 times each side

4. Inhale with face forward, exhale as drop chin, inhale as roll head to left side, ear toward shoulder (shoulder stays settled), exhale chin to chest, inhale as roll right ear to right shoulder, exhale chin to chest, 3 times each side

5. From chin down position, inhale as look up at ceiling, lifting chin, keep back of neck long not pinched, exhale back down, repeat 3 times

6. Lift hands from lap, on inhale squeeze into fists then exhale as splay open fingers, repeat 4 times

7. Rotate wrists 3-4 times in both directions, ending with hands pressed together (fingers and palms flat as in prayer/heart center position) in front of sternum (breastbone), take 3 slow breaths

8. Open arms widely to your side, palms down and arms parallel to floor, reaching fingers to side walls, shoulders stay relaxed notice opening through your chest, continue to breath and hold here, reaching away from your body for 5 full breaths then let your hands rest on your lap

9. Push chair away from desk enough so make room for legs to lift. Sitting up tall, tighten your lower belly, on inhale lift right foot off floor until knee is straight, toes pointed to ceiling as you lift, push into heel, exhale slowly brings foot back to floor, switch to left foot, and continue alternating lifting on inhale and lowering on exhale, repeat 4 times each side

10. Settle both feet on floor, inhale arms up with fingers reaching for ceiling, elbows can be bent if your shoulders feel tight, exhale hands to heart center position (hands pressed flat together at center of chest), repeat 3 more times

11. Let hands rest gently in your lap, lean back against chair, let your eyes close or look down at your knees, return to slow breath, letting belly rise and fall with each breath

12. Relax and breath for a full minute, count 20 deep, slow breaths, before returning to your day!

Acceptance

We could all use a little serenity at this time of year. We enter the holiday season with great expectations of radiating joy in every moment of celebration time with family and friends.

Then reality hits. If we can breathe through the tough moments, we can accept that we are only human. That slight internal shift lets us step forward, offering our true selves to the rest of humanity.


"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,


The courage to change the things I can,

And wisdom to know the difference."

-Reinhold Niebuhr




 1. Neck massage: Lean your head toward your left shoulder and use your right hand to massage your right shoulder and side of your neck with a slow, circular motion of your fingers continuing for at least 5 slow, full breaths (inhale and exhale). Repeat with head tilted to the right and using your left hand.

2.Bring both hands behind your neck. Use all your fingers to massage the base of your skull down to your upper back with a slow, circular motion of your fingers continuing for at least 5 slow, full breaths (inhale and exhale).

3. Point and flex ankles: Rest your arms on the chair armrests. On an inhale, flex your right ankle, toes pointing up and heel on floor. Exhale as you lift the heel and point the toes into the floor. Repeat 5 times then switch to left foot.

4. Torso twist: Sit up straight in your chair with hands pressed together at heart center. As you exhale, still with hands pressed together, bring right elbow to rest on the left thigh, turning chest to face the left side of the room. Stay here for 3 breaths then inhale back to sitting up tall. Repeat by bringing left elbow to right thigh and twist to the right this time, again for 3 breaths. 

5. Warrior 1: Slide to the front edge of your seat and turn your body and both knees to the left side with the chair seat supporting the left butt cheek and thigh. The right thigh hangs off the front edge, perpendicular to the floor while the right knee points toward the floor. Slide the right foot back so that the right leg begins to straighten. Turn the foot out so that you can comfortably place it flat on the floor. Keep your upper body sitting tall, resting your left hand on the chair arm support and your right hand on your left thigh.  Keep your torso facing to the left, and if you feel steady on the chair, you can raise your arms up to the ceiling on a inhale. Hold 5 breaths then repeat on right side.

 6. Close your eyes and breathe slowly and calmly for one or two minutes before returning to your day.

Winter

The daylight hours have been getting shorter and the temperature keeps dropping.

Welcome Winter!

This time of chilly darkness has been honored with feasts and celebration as far back as neolithic times. Long before modern religions co-opted the season, the winter solstice was recognized by ancient cultures for its significance: the reversal of the gradual lengthening of nights and shortening of days that begins at the summer solstice.

In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs at that time at which the sun is at its southernmost point in the sky, causing the shortest day and longest night of the year. So naturally that means that every day after the winter solstice, the length of daylight is increasing once again.

Definitely a reason to rejoice!




1. Imagine you could breathe in through one nostril then exhale through the other. Picture your breath cycle as drawing the breath up from base of your spine and up the left side of your body as you inhale through your left nostril. Then picture the exhale leaving your right nostril and traveling down the right side of your body back down to the base of your spine, where is continues into the next inhale up the left side again. Use this visualization for 3 cycles of breath then reverse direction: inhale up the right side and exhale down the left.

2. Sitting up tall in your chair with the lower belly firm, inhale your arms straight out to the sides. Exhale and bring your fingertips to your shoulders. Continue this movement for 5 breath cycles, bending at the elbow with upper arms parallel to the floor.

3. Bring hands to rest hands in your lap, still sitting up tall, lift right foot off the floor as you straighten the knee. Ankle is flexed with toes pointing up, lift the thigh right off the chair just an inch or so, using the belly muscles and holding 3 breaths. Repeat with left leg.

4.  Camel: Slide a few inches forward away from the back of your chair, bring the palms of your hands to your lower back. Look up at the ceiling as you arch your back and come into a gentle, supported back bend, hands on lower back, letting your head and neck relax and drop back. Breathe for 3 breath cycles. Slowly use your hands to come back up, then shift hands to your knees, folding at the hips to rest your belly on your thighs in a forward fold. Take 3 breaths then use your hands to push to sitting,

5. Eagle: Cross your right thigh over your left thigh. If you can, wrap the right foot all the way around the left calf. Cross your left arm over the right one at the elbow. Bend the elbows and bring your palms to touch.  Lift the elbows while dropping the shoulders away from the ears. Hold three to five breaths. Repeat with left thigh over right thigh this time.

6. Repeat #1 for 3 cycles each side, then rest for a few minutes with your natural breathing. 

Stress

How is that holiday preparation "to-do" list looking? Do you freak out every time you hear the number of shopping days the remain until Christmas?

According to the Holiday Stress Index that resulted from a 2009 study of U.S. adults:

*41% are anxious about not being able to purchase gifts for everyone on their list

*30% feel anxiety about shopping for the “perfect” present

*28% are anxious about dealing with family conflicts

Step away from the list! Even on the busiest day, you can find a few minutes alone to be still enough to notice your breath. Even if you are sitting in your car in the mall parking lot.

For some inspiration, read this great Mayo Clinic article to find out the ways that yoga helps relieve stress.











1. Become aware of your breath by placing one hand on your lower belly and the other hand on your chest. Just notice the rise and fall: where do you sense the beginning of the inhale and what changes come with the exhale? Stay here and pay attention for the next 5 breaths until you feel calm and focused.

2. Use your left hand to slowly massage your right forearm, moving the thumb in wide circles with gentle pressure. Continue to massage the wrist then the palm of the hand and finally each individual fingers. Take your time, breathing calmly as you feel the tension melt away. Repeat with left forearm and hand. 

3. Sit up straight with shoulders relaxed back. Bring your forearms across your chest so that you can use your hands to clasp the opposite elbow. Still holding your elbows, lift the arms to shoulder height and tuck in the lower belly. Taking a deep inhale, fold at the hips and bring the forearms down to rest on the thighs, still hand-to-elbow. Tuck your chin to your chest and keep your back flat, belly tucked in. Breathe here for 5 full breaths.

4. Come back to sitting upright, sitting tall with belly tight, straighten one leg with the foot flexed, toes pointing up. See if you can lift your thigh off the chair seat, just an inch or two. Slowly pulse the leg up and down with your breath: lift on an inhale and lower thigh to the chair on an exhale. Leg stays straight the whole time. Lower the foot back to the floor after 5 lifts then repeat with your other leg.

5. Warrior 2: Move to the edge of the seat and open with legs wide, with left knee turned out to the left side and right leg straight out to the right with foot flat on the floor. Torso, with belly tightened, stays facing forward toward your PC monitor. Use an inhale to lift both arms out to the sides, parallel to the floor. Turn your head to look out over your left hand. Take 5 full breaths here then repeat on right side.

6. Settle back comfortably in your chair and repeat #1 for 10 breaths before returning to your day.

Gratitude

No, it's not about the turkey.

What are you grateful for today? This moment? Even if you feel like nothing is going right and the world is caving in on you, there is always the time to be thankful for this breath. And the next one.

Start with noticing your breath, then shift your focus your amazing body. Not how it looks or how it may not always function the way you would prefer. Be grateful for this body, every single bit of it, that allows you to move through the world. This imperfect body that allows you to experience the world through all five senses.

That's it.

What more do we need?





1. Sit up tall in your chair with lower belly muscles firm. Place your hands against your lower ribcage and notice the rise and fall of your breath. Stay here for 5 complete breaths.

2.  Let one hand rest in your lap as the other hand *very slowly* begins reaching for the ceiling, your eyes focused on your fingertips, carefully following the movement. When your hand is as high as you can comfortably reach, relax your shoulder and neck, continuing to look up at your hand for 3 breaths. Rotate your wrist and squeeze your fingers, making a fist, then release your fingers once again. Reverse the movement by slowly watching your hand return to your lap- challenge yourself to move as slowly as possible! Patience, remember? Repeat all instructions with your other hand this time.

3. Let's use that same focused movement with our legs now. Hands can rest on your lap again. Push away from your desk so that you can see your feet. Begin to straighten one knee as you *very slowly* lift one foot off the floor, eyes fixed on your toes. Pay attention to the feel of each muscle working to make the movement possible. When leg is straight, flex the toes toward your body as you push through your heel. Take 3 slow breaths as you keep watching your foot. Then point your toes away from you, taking 3 full breaths. Circle the ankle in each direction 3 times. Then you can very slowly lower the foot back to the floor, eyes watching. Once it's lowered, gently shake the whole leg a bit to relax the tight muscles. Repeat all directions with opposite leg this time.

4. Sit back comfortably in your chair, let your shoulders relax down, release your jaw so your teeth are not clenched. Close your eyes and just breathe. See if you can count to 100 before getting distracted.

5. Did you skip #4 completely? Did the slow pace of #2 and #3 drive you crazy? Impatient, maybe? Let that message be your theme of the day. :) 

Courage

Some of us face this month of mandatory joy with fear and dread instead.
Facing the in-laws, blowing the gift budget, getting the flu: all real hazards of the holiday season.

For others, the sense of loneliness casts a dark shadow over what all the commercials tell us is "the most wonderful time of the year." If you know someone who is recently divorced or widowed, or lives far away from friends and family, reach out to them this month. Even meeting for a quick cup of coffee can make a big difference in someone's life.

If you are the person facing a lonely celebration, find the courage to connect with your community in some small way. Your local food pantry or homeless shelter will embrace your willingness to make the season bright.


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  1. Let's begin with the 3-part breath. Breathing through your nose, inhale and notice that your belly lifts, your ribs expand, and your chest rises. As you exhale, your chest drops, your ribs contract, and your belly softens and lowers. As you continue to breathe, keep your awareness on this three-part movement. Close your eyes and continue for 5 full breath cycles.

2. Sit up tall in your chair and extend your arms straight out to the sides so that they are parallel to the floor. Flex at your wrists so fingers are pointing up and palms face away from your body. Keep your arms straight as you push through your wrist, as you rotate your shoulders making small 5 circles in each direction with your hands and arms. Maintain the 3-part breath throughout. Still with arms extended, now flex your wrist down so that fingers point to floor. Repeat mini-circles, 5 in each  direction. Then let hands rest in your lap.

3. Lift your right foot about 4-6" off the floor. Rotate the ankle a few times in each direction, then place the heel on the floor with your toes flexed up. Take a breath here and allow the calf and Achilles to open. Next breath, point the toe onto the floor as you lift the heel. Now slowly alternate with each breath: inhale and point, exhale and flex. Complete 5 rounds then let the right foot rest and repeat on the left side.

4. Check to see if you are still sitting up tall in your chair. If your seat back is higher than your shoulders, you'll need to move to the edge of the seat. Extend your arms straight out to the side once again as in #2. This time palms face up toward ceiling. Take an inhale then bend your elbows, slowly exhaling and bringing fingers to touch your shoulders. As you inhale, twist the entire torso toward the right, still with hands on shoulders and elbows pointing out. Your lower body stays still in the chair. The exhale brings you back to center, then inhale as you twist to the left. Complete 3 full cycles of this torso twist to the right and left.

5. Supported high lunge: If you are not already sitting on the front edge of your seat, slide there now. Turn your body and both knees to the left side with the chair seat supporting the left butt cheek and thigh. The right thigh hangs off the front edge, perpendicular to the floor while the right knee points toward the floor. Slide the right foot back so that the right leg begins to straighten while the right toes are balancing the foot, heel is lifted. Keep your upper body sitting tall, resting your left hand on the chair arm support and your right hand on your left thigh. Guide the right leg to straighten even more by breathing into the back of the right knee as you push through the right heel. Stay here for at least 5 full breaths then slide the knees over to the right and repeat with the left leg extended behind you this time.

6. Sit back in your chair and relax. Return to the 3-part breath that we started in #1. Close your eyes and complete 10 full rounds of the 3-part breath.

Service

Whether you embrace the excitement of the season or have to be dragged kicking and screaming through the door of the store that is blaring Christmas carols already, there is no avoiding the fact that the holiday game is on. The rules of the game start with materialism and end with consumerism.

But your family is the exception, right? You will focus only on the spiritual aspects of the next eight weeks. I suppose that might be possible if you don't leave your house. Or use your phone or internet.

For the rest of us, the reality is that we are trapped under the spell of the buy/wrap/give/receive cycle.

Here is a way to ignore the first half of that cycle: give of yourself and your time to help a worthy cause, and receive in turn the rewarding feeling of helping others.

Try this link to get started: http://www.volunteermatch.org/




1. Sit up tall away from the back of your chair, use the lower belly muscles to keep your spine supported.

2 Inhale as your roll your shoulders up then exhale as they roll back, completing 5 rolls total.

3. Bring both hands to the back of your head, elbows pointing out to the sides. Gently press your head back into your fingertips . As you breathe deeply, draw the shoulder blades together behind you, opening through your chest. Stay here for at least 6 breaths.

4. Move hands under right thigh, lifting it off the chair seat. Rotate the ankle and wiggle your toes. Repeat with left leg.

5. Bring both hands to left armrest, twisting your upper body to the left as your bottom stays in the seat. Breathe 3 full breaths. Repeat on right side.

6. Bring hands under right thigh again, this time lifting the knee high. You can even move your hands to grasp a few inches below the front of your knee, hugging the thigh into your body for a deep hip stretch.  Take three breaths once your knee is at its highest. Repeat with left leg.

7. Open your legs as wide as you can while still staying seated. Inhale your arms reaching for the ceiling, then as you exhale, sweep the arms forward and down, fold at the hips to rest your torso onto or close to your thighs. Hands can rest on legs or hang down to the floor. Gently nod your head "yes" a few times and then shake it "no" to loosen your neck muscles. Let your head hang without tension. Stay here for 5 full breaths. Use your hands on your thighs to slowly rise to sitting.

8. Rest against the back of the seat, elbows relaxed down, fingertips on lower belly. Inhale for a slow count of 4, then exhale for that same slow count of 4. Continue this counting to four on the inhale and exhale for 5 full breath cycles. Return to your day with a renewed sense of power!