This week...snow storms....savasana....yoga

Today is beautiful. Sunny with blue skies. I'm looking out my office window at the sun glistening off the icicles that hang from the eaves of my roof. Very cold outside, but warm and toasty inside the house.

Yesterday we had snow storms with blowing wind. It was a good day to stay inside, catch up on paper work and to take some time to do a savasana practice.

Breathing in, breathing out. Breathing in calm, breathing out worries.

I like to use guided practices; helps to keep me on track if my mind wanders off and it will sometimes. Yesterday the practice I used was perception of the body. In three steps; stillness of the body, bringing the breath into each area of the body and perception of vibrations (or feelings like pain, restlessness, warmth, cold) in each area of the body. The idea is to notice what is happening in the body without being judgemental or impatient with yourself. Just being aware, that's all.

While doing this practice, I was reminded of how I longed for time to do this earlier in the week. I went to a Yoga class and was looking forward to the relaxation at the end of the class. Just a couple minutes, lying on the mat and it was over. Everyone was packing up their gear and getting ready to go home and there I was, still on the mat, not ready to move.

Breathing in, breathing out. Breathing in calm, breathing out worries.

The next class was anxiously waiting outside the door to come in for Hot Yoga. So, though I would have liked a longer savasana, I had to bring myself back, roll up my mat and find my boots.  I was really happy to be in Yoga class this week to stretch out and relax, but I was glad to have time at home yesterday, to rest and do a longer relaxation too.

It's good to have a few CDs or MP3 recordings of different meditations and savasana practices.  I have a few that are maybe 10 to 15 minutes in length and also some longer ones.  The longest is almost a full hour long.  I can choose what fits my needs at the time and enjoy the practice.

Breathing in, breathing out. Breathing in calm, breathing out worries.