What's stopping you?

"I'm not flexible."
"I went to a yoga class once but I wasn't good at it."
"I don't have a yoga mat."
"That's not my scene."

These are common things I hear when I invite people to go to yoga with me; whether it is to attend a class that I am teaching or just go to one with me. I constantly tell people about yoga and invite them to practice with me because I have lived the healing power of yoga. I am dedicated to this practice and I have seen how it changes lives.

See my post on my journey to yoga

I went a panel discussion about diversity in yoga this week at the Avid Bookstore. It was inspiring and got me asking myself, how can I make myself more accessible to students. How can I continue to share the gift of yoga with others? If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. I always want feedback on how I can be better for those around me.

I took away 2 big points from the discussion at Avid. One: It's not always about the physical practice, the asanas. Sure I use pictures of me doing various challenging yoga poses to draw people in but that's not the point of my classes. If you want to come to class as an exercise, that's great. It is good for your physical body. But please know that yoga is more than bending and stretching. It is about focusing on the present and the experience of "yolking" the mind, body, and spirit. I hope that I bring that to my classes.  Google yoga and you will see tons of beautiful fit blonde white women doing impossible arm balances. I love these images. I double tap them constantly on Instagram. I love seeing people doing really challenging poses. I was awestruck when one of my teachers pressed up into a headstand while talking and teaching the other day. It was amazing to see a body be that strong. But please know that this is not the end goal of yoga. You don't have to even want to do a headstand to try yoga. You don't have to be fit, or flexible, or really be anything but willing to show up to get something out of yoga. I have sat in child's pose for 20 minutes in a yoga class before. It was still a powerful experience. I learn something every time I go to a class, whether it's about the poses, teaching, or myself. I hope I bring that to people who practice with me.

The other point was the elitism in yoga. It's marketed "to people that are already chillin." People who can already afford extra, whether it be through time, money, or physical ability. I thought this was a good point. It really got me thinking about the ways that I perpetuate this stereotype. My yoga room is on the second floor of a building that is not handicap accessible. This already sets me up in the "able-ist" category. I also teach from a place of privilege as a white cis gender person and as someone who has the luxury of going to yoga in the first place. I totally acknowledge this. I don't know what to do with that knowledge, other than say, I am aware, and I love yoga so much, that I hope that this part shines through more than anything else. To me, Yoga is an important practice that can help people live more whole lives, heal from trauma, and connect with themselves and others. I can ramble on and on about this stuff, express all my guilt of being privileged or whatever, but the bottom line is, please just try a yoga class (online, in person, from a book) and see what it can do for you. Let go of how you think it is supposed to be and just try it. If you read this post to the end, you're either my friend already, or you're interested in yoga on some level, but whatever is holding you back from coming to a yoga class, please let it go.

Get on the floor and start breathing. Maybe go to a yoga class. Maybe you will even chose to practice with me. Namaste, my friends.

Updates on yoga classes!

Hello Friends!

Things have been a little hectic over at Cedar Creek Wellness. I'm starting a new adventure with a local women's residential recovery program, which I am very excited about. I have been doing training and meeting lots of new people but it has been cutting into my yoga time. Classes at the office have been on hold. But don't worry, starting in April, we will get back into the swing of things.

Saturday classes at No. 3 Railroad in Arnoldsville have been ongoing. Starting this month (March), our good friend Lydia will be co-teaching these classes. We are going to alternate each week with her leading this Saturday's class at 9am on 3/18. She completed her teacher training at Chattanooga Yoga School in 2015. She teaches an accessible Vinyasa style class incorporating traditional aspects of Hatha yoga with strengthening poses of Power yoga. Catch Lydia working at Athens Community Counsel on Aging when she isn't riding her bike around the eastside and teaching yoga. I'm excited to have her teaching with me. I hope everyone will continue to attend that class. Bring a friend!

Starting in April:

Monday 9am at Cedar Creek Wellness Vinyasa Flow class Starts April 3, 2017

If there is another time or day that you would be interested in taking a class with me, let me know and maybe we can schedule something.

Namaste Friends,

~Valerie

New Office, New Classes

Hello! I'm excited to tell you all that I have moved into a new office. I moved into the women's room that was previously occupied by Rachel Mapp, The Life Doula. We had partnered in 2016 to offer yoga in her beautiful space. She has moved on to other adventures and so I moved into her space full time. It is upstairs from the original office. I will be expanding my groups and yoga classes so stay tuned for updates about that. Currently, there are two classes on the schedule. Mondays at 1pm and Thursday at 6pm. If you have a time or day that would be convenient to come practice, let me know and I will be happy to try to work out a class at that time. I hope to see everyone's beautiful faces in the newly redecorated office space!

New Yoga Classes!

I am excited to announce a new partnership with Rachel Mapp, the Life Doula and Cedar Creek Wellness. Rachel moved into the building and has built a beautiful space for women to gather. Check her out here, and follow her on Facebook! The Women's Room is on the second floor of 985 Gaines School Rd. Above the office. 

Through this partnership, I am going to be able to start offering 2 more yoga classes each week. Classes are $10 each. You can purchase a full series or multiple class pass at a discount.

Check out the website for full details but here is a short run down:

These classes are limited to 6 participants per class

8 week Body Positive Yoga for Women Thursdays 6pm-715p from 9/22-11/10/16  

Vinyasa Flow Mondays 1pm-2:15p from 9/26 -12/19/16 

Classes are $10/each. Six class passes are available for $50 and can be used at any of my Classes. 

AND Don't forget about the ongoing Saturday Morning class, 9:00a out in Arnoldsville at The No. 3 Railroad Street! 

Why I do yoga

I started practicing yoga when I was about 19 years old. Someone gave me a pilates and yoga for beginners DVD. I did it, and liked it. I got this "Yoga Self Taught" book that I have since lost when moving or something. When I started reading it, I realized that I didn't know how to breathe at all and that the body has an amazing ability to heal and balance itself. Throughout my high school life, I was paralyzed with anxiety and self doubt. Painfully insecure and filled with self loathing. I was afraid to speak up about anything or be seen. When I first tried yoga, I had begun a transformation into a more confident and outgoing person by that point and I know yoga helped me shift to where I am now.

Where I am now-ish 

I went to some classes at a gym, at some local studios, got some more DVDs. I went to a class at a friend's house taught by another friend, Living Room Kundalini. It was amazing. I felt clearer in my mind and my body. I practiced on and off for years. I read some about the 8 limbs, and worked on breathing. I used the breathing knowledge I learned in yoga to cope with anxiety and soothe my social angst. I also did traditional counseling and wrote piles of journals. There have been years when I slacked off and didn't practice the asanas. But I always carried with me some of the lessons I learned from doing yoga. Not judging myself too harshly was one of them. One of the biggest lessons was learning to focus on the process of doing something rather than the outcome. I heard it over and over from teachers, it's not about whether or not you can do a headstand, it's about the fact that you showed up and tried. To me, this is one of the most valuable lessons that yoga offers us. I practice asana pretty regularly now. I'm still not one of those svelte super strong pop up into an handstand kind of yoginis. But that's not the point of practicing yoga. If you can do super hard arm balances that's awesome. If you aren't quite there yet, that's awesome too because you are practicing and trying and working on being stronger in your mind and body. That's amazing.

The philosophy of Yoga is rooted in the Yoga Sutras which is an outline for living in a healthy and spiritual manner. In chapter 2, the first aphorism is translated as "Austerity, study, and the dedication of the fruits of one's work to God: these are the preliminary steps towards yoga."
To me, this means focusing on the process and the acts of devotion and not on the outcome. If I practice yoga focused on the outcome of doing an arm balance, then I am missing all the benefit that comes from that work such as the opportunity to practice breathing while working hard, being accepting of my body and abilities in the present, learning alignment and muscle control. I miss the benefit of feeling my body and being in the present moment if I am focused on when am I going to be able to get my legs up. Instead of seeing the process that I have made, my ego is disappointed because I didn't do the pose I wanted to do. But there was still benefit in the process of trying!

I do feel more confident in my body and my strength, I know I am strong. I know that I am connected to my spirit and the universe. I hope that through starting to practice yoga with me, that you also start to feel that way. That you are able to find a few moments of a quiet mind and strong body in every class and eventually find those moments every day.

Don't forget: I have a 6 week Yoga series starting at No. 3 Railroad Street in Arnoldsville. For more info, check out the website. Or schedule a private session!

Parasympathetic Nervous System Response and why you need to exercise it.

This post is a throw back to high school science class. I'm going to explain the difference between the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous systems. It's important to know about these systems within our bodies because they play a key role in anxiety, anger, tension, and relaxation. Knowing how something works helps us understand why something works.

The Sympathetic Nervous System is in charge of keeping us upright, breathing, and going. The fight or flight response is part of that system. Flight or Flight is how we defend ourselves in a dangerous situation. When this response is turned on, our muscles tense, heart beats faster, and our body prepares itself to fight (or run) for survival. Your brain sends chemical signals throughout the body telling all your organs and muscles that you are in danger. This is useful when there is actual danger, but unfortunately, some people's fight or flight response is always turned on or very easy to trigger. Panic attacks are this fight or flight system gone completely awry. It is a sympathetic nervous response. That underlying anxiety, constant worry, jitteryness, is all due to some kind of malfunction in the fight or flight system. At the end of the day, the "wired but tired" feeling is because your body has been pumped with adrenaline and other excitatory chemicals and it wears you out physically. But your brain is still pumping those chemicals so you're still thinking thinking thinking. For most western people, the Sympathetic Nervous System is strong, and the fight or flight response is very active. We live in a fast paced world where we skate from one activity to the next, navigating busy streets, busy people, and always thinking about our next move. Trauma and chronic stress can also cause the fight or flight system to stay on all the time.

The Parasympathetic Nervous System is what helps us fall asleep, relax, and calm down; frequently called the "rest and digest" response. It balances out the Sympathetic System. It's our bodies natural ability to relieve pain and tension. Most people need to strengthen this system. Guess how you do it? Mindfulness, Yoga, and Meditation. It has been shown (through science and stuff) that taking a few minutes to focus on deep diaphragmatic breathing, activates the Parasympathetic Response. It is like a muscle that requires exercise. It takes practice and repetition. But the more you work on feeling and understanding this system in your body, the easier it becomes to activate and use this natural calming response in times of stress.

You have the tools to heal and restore yourself already within you today. Like most people, you need to practice turning it on and strengthen those natural systems, but the foundation is already there. Humans have an amazing ability to heal themselves. It's so strong that any new medical treatment has be checked to see if it's really effective or a placebo. Activating and strengthening our bodies natural ability to calm, detox, and heal is vital to wellness, coping with stress, grief or trauma. The way I practice this is through taking time every day to practice some mindfulness breaks and connecting with my breath. Most days I do a little yoga and meditation too. You can add me on Periscope (@ccwellnessathens) for weekly guided meditations and yoga tutorials. By working with me one on one, we can develop a practice that fits with your current life and time tables. Please post any questions or thoughts in the comments below. I would love to hear from you!

Namaste!
~Valerie

More about the Parasympathetic Nervous System:
WideBrain.org explains the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PDF)
Neuroscience Introduction to Autonomic Nervous System
Psychology Today: 4 tips for slowing down

Where do I start with Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a hot word right now, with lots of medical and mental health professionals talking about it. Mindfulness is a conscious, non-judgmental focus on the present moment. You’re still probably thinking “BUT WHAT DO I ACTUALLY DO?! “ Mindfulness is a skill, and something to practice, any time anywhere. Focus on the process of doing these things, and not so much on the outcome. You don’t have to start meditating for hours every day. Here are 5 things you can do to experience mindfulness, or develop present moment awareness, starting today.

Perhaps you've seen this cartoon around the internet:

1. Take a few moments every hour to focus on your breathing. Right now, feel the breath as it enters your nose, and as it exits. Expand your lungs from the bottom to the top, even to the sides. Every time you do this, you strengthen your innate ability to calm yourself. When you focus on your breathing, you are activating your parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system is your body’s internal calming system. Taking a few moments every day to focus on your breathing starts to strength that system.

2. When you are in your car or waiting in line, resist the urge to look at your devices. I love the smart phone and you’re probably reading this on your iToy right now. Next time you are in the car, or a line, do that breathing thing, but add in feeling your feet in your shoes. Notice how your toes come into contact with the innersoles. It’s try to press your weight evenly through your feet. Take a breath. Look at the people around you, they’re probably looking at their phones and missing the life right in front of them.

3. When you eat, do not turn on the TV or look at your devices. Look at your food. Smell it. Feel the textures on your tongue. Start by doing this when you first sit down, start by doing it for at least 3-5 minutes before you start looking at something else.

4. Start or end your day with meditation or prayer. That’s more tricky, but to get the full benefit and to really start working that parasympathetic response, you need to start meditating. Even 3 minutes a day has benefits. Try a guided meditation or visualization. These types of meditations are usually easier to start with. There will be some links at the bottom of this page to direct you to some meditation resources. Prayer is also helpful because it is purposeful time for you to focus on something bigger than yourself, and taking time to connect internally with the spiritual. It’s more active than meditation, but having this spiritual practice is just as important. Again, you are purposefully focusing your attention, which is mindfulness.

5. Experience FLOW states. Have you even been doing something that was so interesting or engrossing, that you lose track of time? For those moments, there is nothing but you and your task. This is called flow and is considered an "optimal experience." It happens when your task is just challenging enough to hold your attention. Your skill level and the challenge meet up perfectly to keep your brain quiet for a little while. Recreation is an important part of a healthy life. It’s easy to put that on the back burner when you’ve got kids, career, or basically modern life. It doesn’t have to be done every day, or even every week, but you need to make fulfilling recreation a part of your life. Once a quarter at the least. Some people run or do craft/hobby projects. Some people fish, golf, paint, hike, mow the grass, do a puzzle, color, or do yoga. There are tons of options. It needs to be challenging enough that you are able to just do the activity. Not so hard that you get frustrated or angry, not too passive so you get distracted. Having these types of experiences are just as important as meditating or other daily mindfulness practices and are an integral part of caring for yourself. Find what that is for you, and then do it. Seriously. Make time for yourself to have these experiences.

All of these are things you can start doing this week. Focus on just doing the tasks, and try to let go of the outcome, the changes you expect, or wondering if you are doing it “right.” Just try and see what starts to happen.

Meditation Resources:
Fragrant Heart Free Guided Meditation Audio
Shannon Ball Meditation Mondays  One of my teachers and all around awesome human, Shannon Ball makes inspiring meditation videos which she posts on her blog from time to time.
UCLA Mindfulness Awareness Center
Mindful Muscle

More Info on Flow States:
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's Theory of Flow