EVERY Body's Yogini

I don't post for 2 months & now 3 times in one day....

Today, I explored a little on my mat.... I took some notes. I looked at a few yoga pages.

No, I didn't get savasana or any quiet meditation time. I didn't even get my heart rate up a whole lot.

But I did the one thing I wanted to make sure that I did today: I made time to do a little yoga at home. It may only be a small victory, but it is a victory.

Another truth? Without in person classes, my teaching feels stagnant. I’m working to change that now. There’s a lot I can learn online. I need to embrace it.

So, I typically try to only post positive things here. Motivational. Inspirational. But, I also think that one of my strengths as a teacher is the fact that I am always very real and very genuine with my students... So this is me being real. And I may try to start being "real" here a little more often....

Something that I will often bring up while teaching a yoga class is self-acceptance, self-love. Honestly, I've really been struggling with that lately. It's hard to be teaching a virtual class and seeing myself on the screen right now. I really just look SO fat... And I hate it. It makes me hate myself. And as I say those words to my students about loving themselves, it's not truly sinking in to ME.

2020 was HARD on my body. I try to not use scales in my house because of my past eating disorder & my issues with food. My brain can get a little obsessive about things. So I don't look at my weight, typically, except when at the dr. But I know I've gained weight. I'd guess I gained 20 in 2020.... Honestly, not sure if it's 20, but it feels like a lot. Additionally, up until the last year or so, I always looked pretty young for my age. There's been a rapid decline where I now definitely look my age, maybe even older than my age.... Youthful Jill is no longer who I see in the mirror. Those Zoom classes really make me notice all of this way more than I want to.

So it's hard.

And getting back into a routine to do something about the weight gain has been hard! I was FINALLY finding that in the fall... I had started attending a couple yoga classes as a student. Then, the latest frustrating mandate from the city started requiring face coverings at yoga studios and gyms. My favorite class was no longer an unperson option. I tried to make up for it and started going to a hot yoga class once or twice a week. I did that up until the week or so before Christmas. I haven't been back since then.

And as time continues on in this messed up sort of way, yoga studios have closed. In person classes are very limited. And it's just SO hard to, once again, get motivated!

The thing is: I LOVE TO GO TO YOGA!!!! (as a student). And the fact that the world is interfering with that, with what "that" normally looks like to me, is very, very frustrating.

So last night, I was thinking to myself about how I need to look at things differently... I need to find a new routine. The way things were a year ago are simply not an option right now... So I'm going to try to start fitting in a little more yoga on my own, it's not as much fun. And when I'm at home, I don't really get to enjoy anything like savasana, but I can at least get the physical benefits of it.

In the meanwhile, I will continue with that struggle to see myself on the screen with my extra pounds, my wrinkles.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJy7T2MFKQW/?igshid=1ucryvz9nvj0d. Love these posts

Try these tips for tights hamstrings. Yoga can increase flexibility in the lower back and hips—opening those areas also helps to decrease tightness in the hamstrings. Click the link in the bio to visit our Yoga and Meditation blog. Also, check out our eBooks and use code SAVE20 for 20% off. Picture credit to: @davidrobsonyoga ❤💕🙏 Follow @yoga_fundamentals and tag us for a chance to get featured. . . . #yoga #yogaeverydamnday #yogi #yogalove #yogainspiration #namaste #yogaeverywhere #yogagirl #yogachallenge #yogalife #igyoga #yogini #yogapractice #meditation #yogapose #yogaeveryday #instayoga #practiceandalliscoming #handstand #balance #pilates #yogajourney #asana #flexibility #yogagram #yogadaily #yogaaddict #yogisofinstagram #stretch #yogateacher

I've been really enjoying this on Instagram. Nice little yoga tips. I'm not sure why I mostly see the ones with the guy and the gal doing the little shake of the finger, but those are my favorites... There's other good stuff there too, but the tips I'm liking are from those two.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJp7NZ3jPQV/

For this week’s #ashtangamondays we look at Urdhvadhanurasana, Upward Bow, from Ashtanga’s backbending sequence. • Follow @dailyyogajourney 🌟 For More Yoga Tips & Tutorials 🧘 • At first, we learn this pose by trying to lift into it from a lying down position. But eventually we also enter it from standing position - these are known as dropbacks! And yes, they can be very hard, take time, and lots of mindful effort. So, with that in mind, I decided to offer you FOUR tips to set up and find effort as you work on the dropbacks. REMEMBER, you don’t have to be able to lower all the way down in order to practice this. Stay with your breath, stay in control, and only go as far back as you feel safe. Don’t fall! And as as always, @davidrobsonyoga is my helpful, sweet robot demonstrating it. 🤖💕 Tip ONE: ❌ Your fur baby is on the mat?! ✔️ Let them be. Remember, you want all the magic and calm you can summon. And if you don’t have one, I suggest you #adoptdontshop Tip TWO: ❌ Try not to squeeze your bum and pull your hips into a posterior tuck. ✔️ Go into anterior tilt in your hips by sticking your bum out, pulling in your lower belly, and lifting your chest up. Tip THREE: ❌ Don’t let your elbows splay out. ✔️ Press the hands together in a prayer position to help keep your elbows shoulder width apart. Tip FOUR: ❌ Don’t forget about the shoulders. ✔️ Maker sure to flex your shoulders as well. Spin your arms out (palms facing each other) and then reach/lift through your shoulders. Video FIVE: Here is a little demo of David demonstrating how to work and find depth in this vinyasa, while maintaining control. Remember, strong legs! Have faith. Have fun. Giggle along the way. And let me know how it goes! 🎈 - Post By @vesic_jelena - - #Yoga #yogaeverydamnday #yogalove #yogalife #yogainspiration #yogagirl #yogachallenge #yogapants #yogashirt #yogapose #yogaeveryday #yogateacher #yogapractice #yogajourney #yogadaily #yogafit #yogagram #yogaaddict#yogafun #yogamom #yogalover #yogaretreat #yogaflow #YogaForLife #yogalifestyle #yogaphotography #yogacommunity

so I'm dealing with a wrist thing.... a different wrist thing than the wrist thing from 2 years ago. once again, I am reminded of one of the greatest things about yoga is the ability to modify your practice, yet still practice, when you are dealing with an injury. today, I taught a vinyasa practice which tends to include lots of downward facing dogs (my very favorite pose) and planks.... I told my students ahead of time that I'd be skipping those, and no, I wasn't happy about it. It changed the way I could personally flow through the practice, but I still worked, I still practiced, I still got my heart rate up, I still got lots of the benefits of the class. Yes, I hated not doing my downward facing dog poses.... And that's a challenge for me right now, but I found a way to make it work. As a teacher, I learn from each and every injury, ache, illness, etc. that I have. Honestly, I think it improves my teaching when I have to stop and think for myself how to modify my own practice. I cannot WAIT to be able to do downward facing dog again. In the meanwhile, I'll do what I can. Tomorrow, back in full swing teaching... 3 classes tomorrow, 2 gentle, 1 a slow-flow. I'd love to see you on the mat (or through your computer screen). Have a great week everyone!

This song just makes me feel good...

India.Arie - I Am Light (Lyric Video) Music video by India.Arie performing I Am Light.

Hi friends, I’m teaching an extra class this week at KC Yoga Kula. Tomorrow evening, 630pm, slow flow. It’s available in person or virtually. Let me know if you have any questions! I’d love to see you there.