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Health & Fitness

How Can Instructions Offered In a Yoga Class Relate To Everyday Life? By Tracy Bleier

 

            When a yoga teacher offers up some great advice or suggests that you “let go” of anything that isn’t “serving you,” do you ever stop and ask yourself what that really feels like? How can I even begin to believe that If I simply choose to “let go” I will be free from whatever my problem is or whatever is causing me to have pain or discomfort?

It’s a beautiful instruction, “let go.” It’s right up there with “listen to your breath” which is really a sweet way a yoga teacher reminds students to “redirect” their mind (which loves to travel) onto the one thing that offers the most benefit, and the greatest feedback with how we are able to handle uncomfortable situations.  I often say that hatha yoga classes are simulating some challenging situations (in our bodies) and yet we are encouraged and guided thoughtfully with how you “respond” to the agitation we feel rather than “react” to the challenge. Most people in life are up for the challenge - (they just need the reminders) because they see that their potential to endure, sustain and thrive far outweigh the typical feeling of fighting back or giving up altogether.  We see that when we react, the cost can be so great. Reacting can often ruin our day - or even worse, relationships altogether.

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            Whether you take yoga regularly or never set foot on a yoga mat, some of the simple reminders that often come out of a yoga class are often useful for anyone.  We all have moments and circumstances (big or small), which create friction, stress, and uneasiness. In yoga class you are simply reminded that we all have a choice with how we move through these situations. We do not need to have open hamstrings or be able to stand on our hands to benefit from simple advice that can er... stretch us miles into how we interact on a daily basis. So, the next time you feel that grip of emotion caused by some misunderstanding or even some frustrating interaction with your child or spouse... take a moment before you just react and try to take a deep breath, listen to it, and see if by letting go of that initial emotion, you can help yourself turn what could have been a troubling situation into something beautiful.

 

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Tracy, a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from Columbia University taught English at Staples and Darien High School before deciding to change careers and focus on educating the community on the richness and transformative benefits of yoga. Tracy, was the first yoga teacher to bring this style of yoga to Fairfield County  over 13 years ago, and for the majority of that time owned the most reputable yoga studio in the area.  Tracy is a teacher and visionary at Yogapata.

 

For more information go to www.yogapata.com or call us at 203-215-7750

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Tracy, a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from Columbia University, taught English at Staples and Darien High School before deciding to change careers and focus on educating the community on the richness and transformative benefits of yoga. Tracy, was trained in Mysore India, and was the first yoga teacher to bring this style of yoga to Fairfield County more than13 years ago. Tracy, along with her husband Mitchel, owner, is a teacher and visionary at Yogapata in Wilton Ct.

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