Pajama Yogi
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" overlay_color="" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" padding_top="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" padding_right=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" min_height="" hover_type="none" link=""][fusion_text]I enjoy encouraging others to practice yoga because of all the many gifts it has offered me over the years. I have been practicing yoga for over three decades, with that history one might assume that I am a very advanced yogini, doing pretzel poses and suspended asanas ( poses with both feet off the ground) taking flight. But no… I’m the lazy, pajama yogi. And this form of yoga has served me well.The gentle, easy style of yoga that I practice in my pj’s is called Hatha yoga. This form of yoga is considered restorative as opposed to aerobic or power yoga styles. Restorative yoga is calming, centering and is good for those new to yoga, those in recovery, those of a “certain” age… and those like me, who just prefer a gentle form of yoga. And though I'm not doing acrobatic yoga, I feel a great sense of vitality due to my yoga practice.
I typically practice at home, in the early morning. I first began taking classes in 1978 in Washington, DC practicing Kundalini yoga. At the time I knew nothing about yoga, and so I didn’t realize that there were different styles of yoga and that Kundalini was just one of them. Kundalini yoga is more about breath work a.k.a. pranayama. That kind of yoga helps with the acceleration of developing your chi or life force. It works on the radiant, spiritual centers of the body more than it does the physical body… so to speak. I actually stopped practicing Kundalini yoga back then because of the effect it was having on me. I was having a lot of out-of-body experiences and lucid dreams (when you are aware of the dream that you're dreaming). I didn't feel spiritually mature enough to handle what I began experiencing due to the fear and uncertainty it was causing me.A couple of years after practicing Kundalini yoga, I came across The Integral Yoga Institute, which teaches classical Hatha Yoga. This form of yoga is wonderful as a foundation for all other yoga styles. It’s simple, it’s basic but it’s also profound in that it is the foundation to all other forms of yoga and the gateway to tuning into your internal self.
With classical Hatha Yoga, there is a rest period (20-30 seconds) in-between each pose; engendering the nickname, "the sleepy yoga". The short rest periods allow the body to process and integrate the benefits of each pose. It's relaxing, restorative, non-competitive yoga that is very nurturing to the nervous system. Due to the popularity of "extreme" and "fashion yoga" styles, many find classical Hatha Yoga, boring. I see as a foundation and starting point that can carry you through other more intense styles. Eventually, in 2001 I decided to take it a step further and became a certified Hatha Yoga Instructor via Integral Yoga Institute, receiving my certificate after eight months of training in 2002.Long before becoming a certified Hatha Yoga Instructor in 2002, in the mid-80s I began studying Bikram Yoga via a VHS tape by Raquel Welch. Bikram Yoga is really Hatha Yoga but is practiced with a specific series of poses and usually with an intense heat index of 90 - 108 degrees Fahrenheit. At the time I didn't know this specific series was a trademark brand called Bikram yoga. And I certainly didn't have that level of heat in my home. I just felt it was just a really cool series and I enjoyed the challenge. This was also my first foray into consistently practicing yoga at home as opposed to in a class. By then, I felt I knew the basics well enough to practice at home without injuring myself.
Many people assume yoga is difficult and complicated, but it really depends on the style of yoga and what your goals are. This simple form of yoga has allowed me to remain flexible in my body and in my mind. It restores me, it grounds me and yet it often makes me feel as if I can soar. It has helped me maintain my health and mitigate the occupational hazards of standing on my feet for the 20 years when I standing on my feet for 8 or more hours doing hair. Now that I spend many hours sitting behind a desk (another unnatural position for the body to be in all day) yoga continues to help with that.What I also love about Hatha yoga is that you can start at any age and at any level of flexibility. The motto is no pain, no pain. There should be no straining, no forcing your body to do something it’s not ready to do. Little by little will get you there, eventually, as long as you are consistent, you will see and feel progress.
In the early 2000s, I began practicing Vinyasa Yoga (yoga flow) with videos by Rodney Yee via the Yoga Journal Series. It's a yoga style that reminds me of dancing because there is constant movement, flow; unlike classical Hatha yoga which has a rest in-between each pose/asana. I began to realize that Vinyasa yoga was building my upper body strength, with the use of Downward Facing Dog -Adho Mukha Savasana as a constant pose throughout the series. Rodney is a wonderful, engaging instructor and I found practicing Vinyasa yoga via the video series a very accessible way for me to break the monotony of my usual practice.
Be aware that many things, besides your body can change with the practice of yoga. Emotions become revealed, insights and intuition become keener, you may be inspired to adjust your diet, address areas in your life that need addressing. You may decide to move away from toxic environments and people in your life. Be open to the changes and go with the flow.These days I am practicing both Hatha and Kundalini yoga. I would like to encourage all those who think there are many obstacles to their being able to practice yoga, to realize the only obstacle is your decision about whether or not you want to include this practice in your life. I say go for it. The rewards are simply amazing, adding a gentle beauty, vitality and centering to your life.I offer one-on-one classes to beginners, boomers, and to those in recovery, as well as group classes. Please inquire at anu@anuessentials.com [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]