11 responses to “shine day 13: Spark Your Body Love with Yoga”

  1. Jamie

    I recently really delved into yoga! I have been drawn to it a while! I have done some yoga, on my own….using books, the computer, or DVDs. BUT, I really wanted to go to a class. I felt it would be better in a community. I thought the energy shared in a room would build the practice. I was nervous to go because….well, I’m curvy. But, I decided (and Anna and Curvy Yoga was a HUGE inspiration) to go to the class. I was pleasantly surprised when the teacher was a bit curvy, too!

    So, when I don’t go to class….I try to do some poses at home. If I only do one, I do Downward Dog because I LOVE this pose!!!

    Because the yoga class is a fairly new to me, I am excited to see how it becomes a part of my body acceptance/body love! I do enjoy waking up to a few poses (again, even if only one)!

  2. emily strickland

    I took a yoga class for six weeks a few years ago and have yearned to go back. I am going to start looking for classes again.

  3. Meg C.

    Yoga is what started me on this body/self-acceptance journey. I was participating in an intense pastoral care education experience and one of my colleagues in the program introduced me to practicing yoga. I fell in love after one class! I too had the weight loss goal and discovered that the more I practiced, the more amazed I was with what my body could do instead of what it looked like. The weight loss became a bonus instead of the focus. Yoga has helped me to accept myself just as I am, with what I can do that day, letting go of comparisons and finding joy in celebrating the successes, large or small.

    Today I did a few sun salutations. I learned that those few minutes make a huge difference in how I go about my day! I have a more positive outlook and approach frustration and concern differently than if I don’t take the time for a few deep breaths and center myself.

    I want to recommit to a more regular practice and this might be the jumpstart I need!

  4. Ann Becker-Schutte

    Yoga is one of my favorite things to do for my body. I haven’t been able to get to a regular class because I live pretty far out. When I practice, I feel more in touch with my body, prouder of my body, stronger–all good things. Today, I’m breaking out my yoga deck here in my office and taking a yoga mini-break.

  5. Susannah

    This was an easy one for me: I do loads of yoga, and Monday is Iyengar day. But I was extra attentive during my class, and worked just a little bit harder!

    1. In what way did you practice yoga today? What did the practice give to you? What did you learn?

    I took an Iyengar class with my favourite teacher. I was very pleased with myself, because I managed to do 2 minutes headstand away from the wall, for the first time ever. Apart from that, the practice gave me what a good practice always gives me: joy about what I can do with my body. It may not be exactly the way I want it, but I am strong and flexible, and it is great to be aware of that.

    2. Can you see yoga begin a part of your continued self-acceptance journey? In what ways?

    It already is. I go for 4 or 5 classes a week, and they are moments of relaxation and enjoying my body for what it is. Well, the Iyengar classes are – the Bikram classes are challenging, but that means I enjoy the progress I make.

  6. Valerie

    I have never done yoga. It isn’t really something I ever even thought about. But as I’ve started this journey of learning to take care of myself and of learning to love myself, I’m considering learning yoga. I enjoyed reading the post for today, and I am going to check into the resources offered.

  7. Faith

    Love it! Will add yoga in this week!

  8. jenn

    Yummm – yoga. But sadly, my lower back is out of whack – an entirely new phenomenon for me. My personal practice has consisted of laying flat, sending reiki to myself and moving through very small twists and spinal movements and breathing breathing breeeeeeathing.

  9. LadyEm

    1. In what way did you practice yoga today? What did the practice give to you? What did you learn?

    Over the last year I’ve developed a very distorted image of my body and become totally detached from it. Whereas once I accepted and was proud of all the parts that made me unique, I came to see them as something to be eradicated and not cherished.

    I am now trying to reconnect with my body; to know it, feel it and like it. I intend to take up yoga but, in the meantime, this morning I practiced 30 minutes of pilates. I felt the incredible tension in my shoulders and back and focused on breathing through it. I focused on my body and nothing else and tried to feel my body and accept that it is ok for me to care about myself and nurture myself. Afterwards I felt, quite literally, stretched and awake!

    2. Can you see yoga begin a part of your continued self-acceptance journey? In what ways?

    Absolutely! I want the practice of yoga/pilates to allow me to slow down and feel my body again. I want to recognize the aches I have and not see them as suffering which I deserve to feel but rather my body’s way of telling me that it needs to be cared for, that I’m asking too much of it.

    I’m always keen to rush around and push myself further and harder. If I want to continue to do this then I need my body on my side! I need to nurture it and listen to it so that we can go forward equally rather than me trying to dominate it.

  10. Jackie

    Yoga has been so helpful for me in learning to appreciate and tune into my body. I love classes but often can’t get to them so have a hatha yoga dvd for stress relief by Hala Khouri that is an amazing video. She’s all into body awareness and deep breathing. I try to do a 10 or 20 minute segment every day. I feel so much more relaxed after doing it. Yoga is helpful for me with self-acceptance because it helps me be IN my body rather than outside judging it.

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