Physical Health and Body Archives - Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Calm Mind Best Way Ever

Calm mind is an aspiration often when you’re served up stressful situations in life… from work, family, or friendships that you balance in your life wheel.

A sign that this is not your practice life and life is not a dress rehearsal are good reminders to live a calm mind life as the secret to health and happiness. — Reminder: you get one life to live well 😊

The sooner you practice a calm mind and mindset, create boundaries, and step higher than your face-value situations…

…The better your life and work-life balance.

For the ONE life you get.

And during stressful testing times, the best way to calm your mind is to give the mind a way out.

This article is about how to calm your mind.

Because first off… you are not your mind, but the mind is in you.

Separating yourself as the choice and decision maker (that your mind is not) is your way out… and away from stress and toward your calm, peace, and happiness.

They are opposite directions where you get to choose which way you go. ⬅️➡️

You can take subtle, enjoyable baby steps toward the better direction choice using calm mind apps and daily music therapy 🎶 that will help turn the tide.

Those are the Ayurvedic ways I love. 🧡

But they subtly work in the background, so you won’t necessarily know they worked because they gradually turn the tide from the inside-out into the right direction (mind-body calm and peace).

Using your sense of sight, smell, hearing, and touch are all part of the prescription… and they are Ayurvedic comforting and add joy to your daily life. So why not?

…Gotta love that!

And when you have a loud interfering monkey mind 🙉 that swarms in worry or high ego-drama unrest in your mind, feeling good again is the goal.

To break out of those clouded mind moments or seasons, you would need to shout back at your untouchable and unseen ego that’s your then-invisible enemy in play that’s blocking truth, love, and peace.

At the root, your ego’s job is to protect you in survival situations… to get you to act and react to save your life if a tiger is chasing you.

But in modern daily life, it’s a detriment as ego goes overboard in its protective role!

Shutting off your ego (that shows up as pride) is the answer in most modern stressful situations.

It’s never your fault that your ego acts up due to situational triggers.

…But it is completely up to you how you want it to play out. And if healthy and happy is your goal, then the following tips will help support this…

Lowering ego is the restoring way back to your happiness and inner love-peace.

But not so easy is shutting off others… and actually impossible to do!

So you need to manage those situations.

Because misery is an option that adds zero daily benefits.

I know this well through many trials and situations…

I grew up and lived most my life in the DC metro area where egos fly high in close proximity to America’s politically charged circles where heads butt.

And that permeates in the local air and work environments close by outside of politics.

Pride in ego runs high and causes riffs anywhere in the world.

The problem is: everyone thinks it’s normal.

So it has been normalized. And even congratulated by people (through their egos) in the wins that are sometimes harmful.

This “normal” way trickles down into how we day-to-day operate and our relationships at work, and with family and friends.

But you can rise higher for a better calm mind AND life…

In your daily circles, when you have conflicts and tough situations that you may often grin and bear, do a healthy action that frees your mind from the ego bondage…

To escape from the trappings of you ego, look for an out that will settle your mind.

This is especially useful and needed for your happiness if you are being treated unfairly or feeling displeasure from other people’s ways.

Take the mind-out of the situation by creating options.

And when you have options, your ego mind is no longer a prisoner.

It’s set free and so are you! 🎉

Example: your under-stress boss demands undesired actions from you creating a miserable work environment for you. While you may do the tasks begrudgingly to keep your job (that’s important to keep a roof over your head), in your free time, lunch break, or evenings, start proactively looking for other jobs.

This will subtly show your ego-mind that you have options (and are not trapped) and then you will feel better about your life and situation.

You are free from your ego’s captivity.

And you may even find the job of your dreams in the process!

Another example: your spouse or partner has been taking things out on you or bringing their negative emotional energy that has caused arguments between the two of you. Let the other person work out their unrest issues themselves. Start spending more time with your productive activities and friendships.

Because you can’t control or change other adult’s behaviors and actions.

That’s the bottomline.

Changing people is not the answer.

Provide the information they need, but it’s up to them to come up with their conclusions as it is for you to come up with yours and your peace of mind.

That’s the peacemaking way that will add years to your calm mind life…

And that protects your mind from the ugly ego (yours and theirs) rearing its ugly head in your situations… where anger, resentment, or taking out on other areas grow.

You’re likely served up these type of situations from most people in the world, and specifically those who aren’t as evolved… and letting their ego invisibly and cunningly play them.

In those times, the high ego person may even commonly accuse you of what they are actually going through if you’re in their regular or daily path.

BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE AREN’T AWARE OF THEIR EGO. AND IF THEY ARE, THEY ARE BEING PLAYED IN THEIR STRESSFUL SITUATIONS, UNTIL THEY STEP OUT.

As someone who considers herself evolved 🙋🏻‍♀️… for me, it still takes a while to step out of ego’s loud ways and see what’s going on.

And I completely remember the days when I had no clue I was being played.

But information is power!

Breaking out of old mindsets is a worthy fight for a calm mind and inner peace.

And the more practice, the easier it gets…

It sounds ridiculous (and to the ego that effort needs to be made), but my dear friend… the daily effort is the path to happiness.

Effort is the way out of stressful situations with people who walk around not knowing their ego (enemy) is playing them.

And all of us who are doing modern life have experienced people’s ego rearing their ugly heads.

You don’t have to turn far to find examples.

And if you’re in those situations now, don’t play the ego game served up.

Most importantly, don’t further enable bad behavior.

Train the ego person with your boundaries:

Love the person, but hate their behavior.

Be calm and kind, but firm.

Don’t let others manipulate you because they are persistent (e.g. kids can be the worst ego maniacs because they know no better).

It will only get worse if you say yes… to both ego adults or kids.

Stand your ground no matter how you feel in the moment… or the fear you feel creeping up in your that the ego is drumming up.

Rise higher to the opposite that’s love (that the Universe is full of).

Stand your ground with tough love that may feel harsh, but you and the ego-other will be grateful later.

Don’t let your ego block and blind you from seeing the harm that’s so common.

I can see ego-action from a mile away now (informed), and as you learn more you will be able to too! 😊

Ego is the danger for most people where they can’t see what’s going on in their mind and play-by-play actions in them or others’ egos.

Ego-blinding in you or others happen if you don’t consistently pay attention no matter how busy you are… 🙈

Use loss of sleep, appetite, gray hairs, sudden pimples, and body aches for no physical reason as more obvious signs something undesirable is happening to you!

A.K.A ego situations are near.

To catch all this, slow down, be aware and sensitized, and witness what’s happening…

Use your deep breathing present moments to slow down to see clearer and insight into what’s going on.

This is where time on your yoga mat or quiet chair help so you’re more sensitive of your symptoms that are more easy to spot.

Think of it as a diagnoses session where you get your calm mind peace and years back!

Because your body and loving, peaceful mind don’t lie (like the ego does in your busy moments).

And you can use this revealing body balance quiz to help you see what’s going on with your body and mind-body today from your body symptoms POV.

It’s like seeing the printed words on your car side mirror: objects are closer than they appear.

Or the nearby signs.

But in daily myopia and ego-blindness, we don’t see the signs.

When we become aware and get close-sight clarity, then you can see what’s happening in your stressful situations.

You can effectively calm your mind… AND use those stressful situations to make positive impact in your life.

AND OH, this is the best part of stress that makes it healthy good and worthwhile!…

If you’ve already spent or wasted hours or days on a stressful situation that robbed you of joy and peace, you might as well turn your victimhood into something useful in life (and help others going through similar situations).

…like I’m intently doing here in this article I wrote. 😊

I learned at one of my early-on jobs that you teach others how to treat you in life. I use that as a guiding mantra.

And you can too, to set healthy boundaries with others to get your calm mind, peace, happiness, and time back.

You’ve probably heard before that kids need… and LIKE boundaries.

They actually like ’em. And as grown up kids, adults do too!

So embrace that counterintuitive way in your daily situations.

That’s how you’ll get your calm life you aspire to.

And remember, tough love is a good thing for everyone. 🎉

Recuperate Yourself To Life

Recuperate is something we’ve all done in life whether it’s from a difficult season, illness, or exhaustion.

…Recently I felt the effects of a move where I had to take a break to recuperate.

…And why you may have missed me during my short break.

Well, I’m glad I’m back.

And I feel good NOW.

But before and during my move, I was exhausted as moves are exhausting.

It felt like a hangover everyday!

Every muscle in my body was at work packing, planning, or moving something from one corner to another.

…Oh, and I have a tendency to love a basket, pair of socks, or a mug as much as my television or comfy pillows.

So, making decisions for moving my things took a lot of care, planning, and effort… that was well worth it when I found a place for them in my new home.

…Which btw,I know this move challenge and the need to recuperate feeling VERY well, as I’ve moved every couple of years and sometimes sooner.

I’m happy about that choice, so I can experience more and new places in this life.

And I wouldn’t be in my new happy place if I didn’t make those other moves.

That’s how you and I are similar.

Oh, and let’s be real, I know I won’t be doing this physical moving in my 70s and 80s… most of us won’t.

So losing a couple weeks while able is worth the time and effort.

The biggest tradeoff for me was giving up routines like blogging.

I had no creative ideas coming in and out as everything was focused on successfully moving.

…And that gave me a creative mind break.

So I’m glad I took that time off from my weekly posts. And I’m even more glad I came back (and hopefully you are too!). 😊

I mean, we’re not machines…

We’re not meant to keep doing something just because our ego pride tells us we have to be 100% all the time in whatever that pursuit is… or else we’re not good enough.

Who says?

Breaking self-imposed strongholds holding us back and keeping us stuck is satisfying, and telling the Imposter to take a hike is so gratifying!

And breaking have-to-do patterns is healthy!

If nothing else from the 2020 pandemic, that’s a lesson we all can embrace.

Amen? 😊

And taking recuperating breaks through life transitions is part of our life’s journey and daily joys.

Breaks allow us to let go and breathe in new energy and inspiration, grow, and discover what matters most to us!

In those ways, growth and discovery can be the best definition of success.

…Amen to that!

And that’s EXACTLY what the doctor ordered for me in my move!

…Plus indulging in a little coffee o’clock latte day break in my new town helped.

When I felt so completely out of it from exhaustion being on go-go-go physical moving action for over a week, I was nursed back to life through daily joys.

Because I was completely wiped out.

My discombobulation (…a word I almost never use 😎) happened mostly because of an unexpected last-minute broken elevator that changed my move plans.

Suddenly I found myself taking 52 steps for each up flight and 52 steps down flight (…but who’s counting anyway!? 😜). Plus all the stairs I was leaving behind.

Feeling the pain meant I was alive and determined!

…Oh, and my poor movers had to endure that for a day too.

They didn’t have the emotional mental toll I had. It’s not the same when you’re doing it for others and emotionally detached.

…But it can be physically as taxing as it was for me.

…All in all, I raked up thousands of moving steps that was probably more steps than I’ve taken in all the mountain hikes I’ve accrued… where 300 steps plus the mile up was the comme d’habitude (usual way).

I have my daily Apple points as my witness. ⌚️

The points overflowed… and I not only met the goal, I think I ran an extra marathon. 🎯

That kind of abundance can only be a blessing from above.

Because I now have more gratitude for what my body-mind can do. 💪

And that was training ground for spring mountain hikes.

…Btw, I’m wondering why isn’t there a race sport for climbing steps? ⛰️

The Summit CBS reality competition show (…did you see it?) comes closest to the physical challenge I felt.

But anyway and thankfully… physical was the deepest challenge felt as there were no weather hindering events, other than rescheduling from a storm… and there were no social obstacles to climb besides skipping social media.

I gave up most my routines besides work and my yoga mat (more on that below).

Because during the move and finding time to recuperate, I was lucky if I slept a few hours without interrupted sleep.

The mind-body knows when life is interrupted.

Calming the mind-body is how to get those routines and good feelings back.

And using routines to relax is how to recuperate faster.

RELAXING THE MIND-BODy

Unrest is often at the heart of why you can’t sleep… It’s NOT the lack of sleep hours, but the turmoil of change and stress happening inside your body.

So the sooner you can get to the routines, that helps the Vata (aka wind or change) in each of us and grounds the mind-body.

The body likes routine or predictability.

But the mind like a challenge to never be bored.

So during transitions like a move, let them duke it out 😊… as YOU the person grows and is healthier on the other side! 🫵

…Where sometimes you can’t see when the finger is pointing back atcha until you’re calm again.

And that’s what I went through to restore after the move and when the unpacking was finally over.

After I calmed my mind, I could use that to help recuperate my body where I still felt daily worn aches.

RECUPERATING THE BODY

And rolling out the yoga mat from Day One was a NO-BRAINER.

Every day my back, arms, and legs burned.

…And where it hurt the most was my hamstrings.

Fave poses: Sitting Forward Bend, Plow Pose, Bridge Pose.

I was also ravishingly hungry (that’s par for the course as a Vata body).

And during this transition time, I was burning so many move calories every day.

…I couldn’t eat enough.

And I delighted in childhood foods like ramen noodles. And mixed it with plant-based adult foods like pea shoots and kohlrabi.

In my travels, I found my grocery stores (Aldi, Lidl, Whole Foods, and Harris Teeter to name a few).

And I found a walk-to farmers market.

…I mean, I couldn’t lose all the exercise I had just gained. 😊

…So I did a little of this and a little of that to get back to normal.

That was my way to recuperate and ease into my new post-move life.

And every time I had an idea for what to hang on my new home walls or rearrange into another drawer, I was putting my mind at ease and unleashing new ideas.

I was stirring up my creative juices again.

…And making fresh smoothies was part of that mix.

And of course, routine baking my way back to feeling like a human again.

There’s nothing like sweets that tell you you’re home! 🏠

Ujjayi – Deep Breathing In Energy

Ujjayi is life-energy giving. Because if you’re feeling tired and your Kapha (in Ayurvedic terms) is revving high, this breathing technique will bring new oxygen into you. 💨

The Healthiest Response to Life is Joy.

-Deepak Chopra

And this article is all about revving high and getting deep breathing Ujjayi oomph in your life and season.

First off, Ujjayi is balance restoring.

With more breathed-in energy, you are more of your most productive and joyful self today.

Breathing intently can be the oomph in your day that gets you up or down that last step. Seriously!

It’s the tipping point that makes a difference in progress.

We start and end our life with breath.

So breathing matters most in this life.

And any deep breathing technique you purposefully do in whatever pose you’re in and wherever you are, you don’t feel as winded. Because you’re becoming One with the daily wind and creating your own breeze. 💨

…And Hopefully not a tornado.

If you’re feeling chaotic or Ayurvedic Vata anxious, then deep breathing will also calm you and any uncontrollable heart palpitations.

…So it’s energizing and calming.

And if you have body aches like a headache, deep breathing in peppermint oil scents you could add to a humidifier can help to restore those unwanted sensations.

For a Pitta imbalance, you can use Ujjayi deep breathing to calm and slow you down from the stressful life areas.

Adding a daily dose of rose or jasmine scents coupled with light instrumental music work toward your balance.

Tips: For Pitta heartburn, mix water with apple cider vinegar and take a teaspoon. With Kapha congestion, take a spoonful of raw honey 🍯, and drink lemon waters 🍋 and warm teas. With Vata stomach ailments, add ginger 🫚 to your water and drink warm peppermint tea. 🫖

Those are all easy formulas that make each breath more enjoyable.

And a deep Ujjayi breathing practice can reset your day no matter what unwanted moods you’re holding.

Sweep out the old, and make room for the new. 🧹

Ujjayi is also a great morning practice to reset your mind from cluttered cobweb (or confused) thoughts that enter.

Without costing anything or any inconvenience, Ujjayi breathing can solve your unhappy moments like a Happy Baby pose.

The problem thoughts melt away or at least give you a much-needed break from the soap opera going on in your head.

And that’s all you need for getting through to the other side of peace… in moment-to-moment just being and making play-by-play progress.

Because everything changes and will change soon enough.

And for those areas that don’t, they are meant to be there. If you lean into those areas, you’ll discover more of your purpose.

If you try to run from those truths, then you end up re-routing anyway or the opposite of happy… sooo, finding the joyful spirit and loving authentic paths is direct self-care.

…Too often we fool ourselves to think we need an expensive vacation to escape, or if only we had fill-in-the-blank outward dream things in our lives, we would be happy and our life would be set.

(That’s how I started out.)

Often those things take years or decades to manifest, if that’s still what we still want by then.

…And if the cheering-you-on Universe doesn’t change your plans en-route.

I’m a poster child for those ways, lol.

Even if those things you know you want now dropped in your lap, soon you would be wanting more or something different… something flashier to keep up with the Joneses or a higher bar goal met.

We all have examples from our past experiences to attest to this truth reality if we examine.

Our desires are moving targets.

And the unattainable bar keeps raising.

The better way is to save energy and stop chasing.

Be content where you are.

Deep breathe in contentment that’s the opposite of happiness based on situations and fleshly wants.

Reach and seek deeper inside.

You’ll be glad you did.

It’s not scary unless you’re scared to go in. So I dare you! 😊

Use your Ujjayi breathing to tap into those deeper areas of contentment.

Then expect to feel progress and personal growth.

Reaching new heights, you gain higher perspectives like a flying butterfly vs. a caterpillar on the ground.

Grounding is learning discipline that helps us grow.

And appreciating simple things like daily sunsets put a warm glow feeling in us that money can’t buy.

…Plus, Ujjayi breathing that can help you get there faster.

Where you reset and change your thoughts and ways seconds later.

Higher perspectives never grow old and are lasting.

So anytime you catch an extra second or second wind in your day, find a spot on your yoga mat or floor to reset.

Reset time is never wasted time.

And a yoga mat is one of the best inventions EVER.

It’s portable, costs little, and supports working-on-me time.

It can be the BEST self-therapy tool out there.

Wherever you are in the world, grounding on a yoga mat or laying back completely with eyes closed and soaking it all in, is healing.

Having a mat tag along with you like your water bottle is a comfort reminder no matter what environment you’re in.

Roll out your mat anywhere and you’re off to the races to creating your own mind-body calm environment.

…Or maybe counting breaths along with others in a class or someone else across a video screen.

Those are life-giving daily energy and wellness minutes.

And with self-care, taking care of your mind-body calm is going to give you the better answers in your life.

And likely spark creativity that could be hidden from view in this season.

…Ready for those sparks? ✨

If so, then taking quick inhales and letting it all out… as in letting it all go is the best next step.

…Even if all you have is just 5 minutes, deeply breathing is life changing as your stressed feelings are re-routed.

Just like that.

And that can make you feel like a million bucks that money and things can’t buy!

Inner peace and empowered happiness are priceless.

Give it a go…

Maybe take a pause now and inhale deep, hold your breath, and let it all go.

And if that 4-7-8 style of breathing feels good (…of course it does!)… then keep going with Ujjayi.

Ujjayi style breathwork, btw is popular in Ayurveda (the science of life) and yoga (union) practices.

It’s the healthy lifestyle way.

In the western hemisphere, it’s the ticket to longevity where stress, anxiety, and fear permeate the air.

Growing up in the mover and shaker DC metro area, I know all about the ego-centric shallow air with those energies.

And leaving that behind for a higher, balanced life, I haven’t met an Ayurveda way that isn’t life-giving healthy… from yoga poses to focused breathing!

And if you’re someone who loves cozy comfort creatures like soft sweaters and warm beverages, then learning to restore your own less-than moods and body balance is something that you’ll love… and never want to go back to less-than again. 💕

The calm energy is palpable… where you feel your spirit.

That’s usable air and power carried inside you that sometimes just needs to be plugged back in properly. 🔌

Your spirit helps lift the brain fog.

And in wellness, Ujjayi breathing is a habit that can fuel your inner spirit.

…That strong wind is invigorating. Think of it as like taking a cold plunge.

This can naturally kick you into a higher gear that propels you into an unstoppable season of good things…

No longer feeling stuck on the same ‘ol things and ways that were holding you back before.

And another way to unstick stuck areas is stepping outside and taking a walk.

Outside re-centers your breathing practice that’s always along for the hike.

It helps to clear your mind, purge thoughts, and bring new cathartic tears of joy.

And daily Ujjayi breathing exercises is a good purge way too.

A fun ending way is in Lion’s breath. 🦁

In the letting out exhale breath, emphasize sticking your tongue out like a roaring lion.

In a mirror, you can see if it’s reflecting a healthy color (…maybe from the rainbow color foods you eat 🌈).

It’s a good way to reflect and end your day with when the sky illuminates in rainbow colors.

That’s when I’m breathing in calm tunes where my day began. 🎶

Morning Healthy Move Reminders

Morning is when we set the tone for our day.

Often we don’t consider the early wee hours as part of the morning.

If you wake up at 3 am and can’t fall back asleep easily, you can wisely use that awake time to think of solutions to your worry, and what’s on your mind or eating at you.

…But will you?

The ego can murky the waters instead of focusing on finding answers and reframing early awakening to the positive.

And if you can remind yourself of the positive way (as minutes can turn into an hour), then you create a special occasion healthy morning ritual that’s a personal growth reflection session.

Because unless it’s our job, we’re asked, or on relaxing vacations, most of don’t sit around during the busy day or waking hours to idly come up with creative solutions.

We’re focused with the task-at-hand.

But this little extra bit of carved out early morning time brings out ideas and may just be what you need.

And as far as losing sleep, it’s not as bad as it sounds.

Because the fact is you’ve already slept a few hours in the earlier part of the night (in Part 1 of your sleep), so your body has done its needed reset for survival for the next day.

In Part 2 of sleep in the morning, mostly you’re missing out on REM sleep or dreams.

And if you consider it, coming up with real-life solutions is more productive than meaningless dream movies.

So when you reframe your lack of sleep hours to productive self-time, your calm helps the day you’re entering.

…And often that is why busy, inspired people on a mission don’t need more than a few hours of sleep-a-night.

The last few morning hours are slightly optional.

It’s not a good regular sleep habit to get into, but sporadically or for a short season is not going to hurt you.

It’s like when you pull several all-nighters to cram for an exam or take a red-eye flight.

Because if you’re excited to wake up for a purpose, your enthusiasm or excitement makes up for the lack of total sleep hours.

…Ok, so now you can sleep better tonight even if you don’t get the 7-9 hours. 😊 🛌 💤

And below are some healthy reminders and yoga moves when the sun rises for your best day.

Morning routine can include letting the sunlight in. …So wake up, Sunshine! Rise and shine.

In the morning when you get out of bed, you use you mind-body muscles to get you up as part of the daily, morning human routine.

Sitting up and standing helps to clear your mind and passages that get stuffy from laying down in resting pose.

Morning is a great time to start deep breathing to clear the air waves for more oxygen… a natural way to get more immediate energy circulating. ⚡️

Eyes open, you can focus on the best morning light.

That will be the eastern exposure windows in your home or if you have indoor/outdoor living where you can step outside.

Be sure to let light into your eyes for at least 30 seconds to invigorate Vitamin D production.

Just think, you’re your own vitamin supplement factory. 🏭

[But remember, wearing blue glasses to protect eyes from digital screens and outdoor shades during the rest of the day is a good idea! 😎 Too much sunlight is not a good thing.]

In the morning with the naked eye when it’s not direct sunlight like it is at noon, you can see what’s happening in your natural environment while you enjoy your morning water, smoothie, or coffee beverage.

Scan and enjoy the horizon if you’re up early enough. 🌅

If you’re not naturally a morning person, creating good morning practices like these help to wake you up.

And if you’re prone to seasonal affective disorder (SAD) that’s typical in winter, healthy practices can be the game changer.

Women need more sleep than men and children need more sleep than adults, so that can help you be sympathetic to those sleepyheads still in bed while you’ve run circles around the neighborhood. 😊

Natural Kaphas also tend to be more tired than Pitta counterparts.

And Vatas are more inconsistent waking up at different times each day. It is a brand new day experience for these folks!

And for anyone, these tendencies can easily drift with a gradual seasonal imbalance.

You can get tips on how to restore your Ayurvedic imbalance with the body balance quiz.

Morning Yoga 🧘🏻‍♀️

Morning yoga for even 5-minutes is worth the effort!

Everyone has 5 minutes they can sneak in as a habit stack to a water or bathroom break.

Getting into Table Top pose and doing a few Cat/Cows can change your day because mostly your calm mood is improved.

With yoga, your Ayurvedic routine can include ginger and water or herbal tea that are good for the body.

Like finding gaps in the wee hours of the morning (if you’re awake), finding your regular morning imbalances and self-restoring is going to help your healthy, happy day.

One easy practice to do would be to use mood-feeling clues to discover what is dominant:

If you’re super tired or withdrawn, Kapha is dominant.

If you’re feeling hard charging or opinionated, Pitta is dominant.

If you’re feeling scattered or anxious, Vata is dominant.

And if you feel a little this-and-that throughout the day, know that Vata runs the show so restoring that energy first will do you good!

And restoring each mood as it appears will help you feel better than letting the hodge podge of feelings take over.

Welcome in the feelings and assess each one to restore separately is a good way to start the morning and invite in the day.

Do you need to calm from worry (Vata)? Are you thinking-feeling critical of others (Pitta)? Are you feeling disengaged or the needy opposite (also Kapha)?

Getting on your yoga mat to assess can change the trajectory of your day.

Deep breathing in and out on your mat is one helpful cure-all to help restore… calming anxiety/worry, lowering blood pressure, and breathing in oxygen for energy and love.

This is a good way to ease into the morning or Vinyasa flow to the next part of the day you’re called into.

And here’s a simple daily yoga morning practice that you can use and tweak up…

Do your standing Sun Salutations.

Rise up slowly and as controlled as you can like one spinal vertebrae at a time, into a standing Mountain pose position.

Then sit or lay down.

Feel and test your body for any kinks and tightness.

Cracking joint sounds are more common in the morning or sharp changes in temperature.

Seated, do a Seated Spinal Twist to see if your sides are tight. This was one we did as kids (…maybe, hoopla hooping or Sit-n-Spin twistering).

Check your back too.

Lay down. Do a Bridge pose. See if and where there’s tension in your bridge that you can restore.

Easy Yoga for Beginners

If you’re intimidated by the idea of yoga and doing poses wrong, don’t be…

I’ve been in morning yoga classes before where I would hear people say they’re “not good at yoga.”

Re-framing your yoga ability thoughts to encouraging messages help you and then you’re better at yoga!

It’s a good metaphor for being a lifelong learner.

We all start as yoga move beginners and each morning is a re-start, so your body feels different than the day before. You get to try something new.

Laying down flat on your back or Corpse pose is a fancy name for just being.

You’re connected or in union with yourself. 🔌

In a class, everyone is busy concentrating and looking at their own body parts and poses.

It’s a non-competitive, individual sport and pursuit.

You get a chance to look inward and see yourself like when you look in a mirror.

If you’re self-conscious, yoga can help you break away from judgmental feelings about yourself or others.

When I attended my first class I felt disassociated because I didn’t know what I was doing. And there was no home yoga back then…

But today years later, practicing yoga at home is accessible and can help give you the confidence you need.

Have fun with getting to know your body and mind as part of your you-uniqueness in the mind-body connection.

Trust the process of showing up and taking baby steps, and the rest will work itself out.

Having a morning yoga routine can reset your life balance and centering priority.

I hope my tips help your morning jam! 🌅

Bird Yoga Pose For Balance, Strength, and Flexibility

Bird yoga pose is one metaphor in life that can help you soar and help with your body balance, strength, and flexibility. It’s a healthy way to kick start your year. Learn what these poses are below. 🦅

Eagle pose is one bird yoga pose you can do anywhere. — More about this “crouching tiger” looking photo below 🐯

Today I’m gonna share how bird yoga pose (and actually 4 bird yoga poses) can help you get some of the tight kinks out.

Below I spend time on Pigeon Pose because I think it’s underrated for all the benefits (especially if your joints need some flexing).

And I believe everyone can use yoga no matter what profession we have or how active we are (as we tend to do repetitive actions that the body can get irritated with).

At some point, some part needs a stretch… and if you keep up with stretching, then the body cells remember the stretched feeling… and you don’t have to grease up the joints as much to get there.

I remember I took a season away from yoga at the beginning of my yoga journey and I thought I would have to start all over again.

I was surprised and happy to find that was not the case. I did lose muscle, but the time off actually restored certain smaller worn muscles. They appreciated the time off 😊

It’s like getting rest on the weekends. You probably need more self-care time than you initially think.

…Like if you take a few days off, your body kinda can unwind but isn’t totally relaxed. It’s ready to jump back into busyness, but that’s not good for your body.

And if you take a purposeful year off like I did to discover, travel, and recoup, you may sleep like a hibernating bear (and bypass a mid-life crises later on if that still exists).

You could call it a gap year or sabbatical.

Then once restored and feeling like a million bucks, your body wants to get back in action. And that brings more meaning and purpose to your life.

In contrast, ignoring the body can catch up with all of us at some point, but the good news is we have a chance to make healthy changes along the way.

When we’re in a busy season, carving out time to work out is hard work, and so many of us don’t get to do it, or we prefer to spend our time with other fun or catch-up activities.

Plus, how exciting is it to talk to others about your workout instead of a fun outing event you had?

…But like many good things for you, they are not exciting.

Like habits. But little by little (and in micro-habits) they make a difference… and the sooner you do them, the sooner they stick.

Yoga fitness is one (less intense) way you can do and stay consistent with fitness habits. 🧘🏻‍♀️

And if it’s important for you to check off working out for your week, consistent yoga could be your Savior… and you never know, could pivot you into other fitness areas as you discover more about your body.

You can do yoga anytime and anywhere without a change of clothing (or babysitter).

If I told you some of the unique places I did yoga, you’d probably laugh… like I did once on a cold, swept restaurant floor and on a busy, warm sanded beach…

Wearing stretchy pants, I even showed off my Bird of Paradise pose to my co-workers.

I found that adding fun challenges with step and move goals, kept me motivated. And keeping the eye on the prize helps… like staying energetically healthy as life progresses.

…I think we all want that in our lives so we can have a high-quality of life as our generations are living longer.

That’s where the bird yoga pose and poses I mention below can help. The poses can relax and stretch you (both body and mind).

And since none of us can fly on our own (at least not today), this is the closest we can get to being a bird. 😁

An inspirational bird yoga pose (that can be goals) could help encourage you to work on all or one of these core yoga areas: strength, flexibility, balance (holistic fitness), and body alignment because one side is usually tighter than another.

…Or, one slight tweak move in a muscle can be all you need for that nagging pain you or others have been complaining about in conversation.

Yoga isn’t a rigid practice (…it’s individualistic), so you can call it stretching if it’s less intimidating and can stretch your imagination to wanting to give it a GO.

The name of poses are really just to help you know which poses to get into, but your body and its needs are you-nique, so tweak the poses in a way that makes you feel good (and doesn’t hurt)!

In case you’re new or consider yourself a yoga beginner, yoga stretches should not give you a wincing pain or any agony where you’re biting your lip.

So that helps for you wanting to come back for more and to try all the bird poses!

…And if you’re not in alignment for certain poses (likes ones bearing the weight of certain body parts), you won’t necessarily feel the misalignment at the moment.

It could show up in a day or two, like when you work out with weights.

…So use good form in the pose moment.

Stretches should feel like you needed the stretch, and the longer you hold the stretch… the less tight it becomes, wearing off the tight kinks.

Of course, if you have any injuries, avoid those areas until they fully heal.

But other than those caveats, yoga can solve most daily and accumulated nagging sore muscle issues!

I’m living proof 😊

So with that encouragement, here are 4 inspirational bird yoga poses to work on and towards (and btw, you won’t end up on all 4’s even if you start out that way, so you can test out your flying ability just a little).

Crane Pose – is a good mat pose for building strength in arms

In this one, you’re supporting your body with your arms. Your feet start off on the floor and then lift off.

You want to be careful not to twist your wrists (the good form is keeping them straight on your mat and perpendicular to your matching left and right shoulders).

When I went through a short season where I stopped doing my arm exercises like push-ups, getting in a Crane pose was like starting over.

I had to build back the arm strength that this pose requires. Your body may feel that way or may not have those issues, but instead other ones in other areas.

Yoga is a journey and that’s what I think keeps it interesting. You’re always working on something.

For you, it could also be strength and/or a combination of flexibility and balance (or all of the above). We all start somewhere with our one and only body, so keep trying.

Pigeon Pose – is a floor or mat pose good for developing flexibility in the hip, legs, knees, and butt(ocks)

When you have tight quads or hips, this pose can help get you outta that quandary.

As with most yoga poses, there are many variations… and if you want to keep your arms and legs on the mat the whole time, that’s an option.

You want to find the body spots that are tight and sore and work on those. You can do this by moving around your pointed straight back leg after you get in the Pigeon Pose (that btw, your leg isn’t supporting the weight of other parts of your body so it’s OK to move it around in this pose if that doesn’t offer your body any pain).

Pigeon Pose can help with your largest muscle groups like your quads, your glutes (butt), plus the tight muscles surrounding your knees that you wouldn’t easily be able to get to in everyday positions.

We underestimate how much we need our knees to easily work to be mobile.

In Pigeon Pose, each side won’t necessarily be equal in terms of tightness and you’ll realize that quickly.

So give more attention to the side that needs the longer stretch.

The easiest way to get in this pose is to start in Downward Dog (your “V” with all 4’s planted) and then hinge your body and arms forward with one leg you want to have in front.

Do this like a flow motion (also called Vinyasa).

Then sit down on the mat focusing on squaring (aligned) hips to your shoulders.

The opposite leg will rest straight (not bent) back behind you with the top of your foot on the mat.

You should feel long and that can feel good in itself!

With this bird yoga pose, you can also work on opening your shoulders if you can reach back and grab your bent leg and foot.

This is a chance to look up to the ceiling or sky.

It’s a nice break for your neck.

If you regularly cook, clean floors, or work on a laptop on your lap, you may not realize how many hours you’re looking down all the time, and that hurts your neck that supports your head, brain, and reminder… your mind control center.

Well, when it’s put that way!…

But anyway…

In this active Pigeon Pose, there’s a good opportunity to look up (and restore your neck).

OK, this reminds me of movie theaters… have you ever sat in the front row of a movie theater? 🎭

I haven’t been to one in ages. But when I was a teen, movie theaters were often packed and we’d arrive later and not having a choice, had to sit in the front row just a few feet away from the big screen.

That felt like the worst movie scenario at the time. We had to crank our necks and gaze up for the entire movie.

Looking back now, we didn’t know the yoga neck-posture benefits we were deploying back then. You may remember me next time you’re at the movie theater 😉

So deploy that head up move in your active Pigeon Pose… or you can gracefully go into a more passive Swan Pose (like in the theater production Swan Lake). 🦢

This is almost like a resting child’s pose, but a great stretch all around as your arms are stretched long on the mat and your one leg behind you.

I love this bird yoga pose as you feel graceful as your body is stretched from one end of the mat to the other (maybe why ballerinas love it too).🩰

If you have tight quads or muscles you can’t seem to get to in your regular stretch routines, this pose can do the trick over time or days.

The longer you can hold the pose (like minutes at a time), the better the benefit. You feel the healing working when you ever so slightly move and the tightness eases up.

It feels good just talkin’ about it 😉

Eagle pose – is a good standing balance bird yoga pose

On earth, eagles are harder to come by in the world. They were an endangered species and can fly higher than their prey and vultures.

That’s the meaning behind: “I can fly higher than an eagle” song verse in Bette Midler’s “Wind Beneath My Wings” song.

This one takes a little body coordination memory. Just remember, the same side where one leg is lifted off the ground is the same side where the arm/elbow will wrap underneath the other. Don’t overthink it!

Then in union (the definition of yoga), the hands will meet.

When you’re in this pose, you feel good for being able to stand on one leg in balance… and you can do this anytime and during commercial breaks.

Or even in regular clothes, like this photo of me below where I’m in a dress wearing big costume jewelry ready to go to a holiday event, but still getting the benefits of my eagle here 🦅…

Bird of Paradise – is a pose that challenges flexibility, balance, and leg strength (…and isn’t a bird at all. It’s a tropical orange flower that could be found in this type of paradise environment at the Miami Botanical Center).

When you can do this Bird of Paradise pose, then you can be thinking you reached yoga paradise

The Bird of Paradise pose is a complete mind-body pose (and not one in awareness where I want to be wearing a dress without showing too much of my flower if ya know what I mean!). So you’ll just have to trust me here and give it a try yourself.😉

And if you want to know the mind-body mechanics of the bird yoga pose, I wrote a past blog post on this great mind challenge bird of paradise pose.

If you can do this pose, then you have a good shoulder opener, leg strength builder, and torso flexor, all-in-one.

Plus your mind will be stretched in a good way (focused and in the moment).

Just something to consider especially if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed and stuck in life… Bird of Paradise yoga pose can be a nice little goal to take your mind off for a brief moment.

You can change your outlook one bird yoga pose (and day) at a time… like I did being one with this Takahe bird (or blue hen if you prefer).