December Daily Practice

[GrannyTeapot]

How the year has flown by!
Perhaps a time for drawing in, for contemplating our practice on and off the mat.

I would like to work on mindfulness more this month: ideas so far are for daily short mindful walks on the beach, turning my cuppas into tea ceremonies regularly, jigsaws crochet and colouring in to activate the relaxation response, and mudra meditation.

Asana today - an hour of Yoga for strength, and a 90min Sagittarius Slow Flow class.

Nice hatha flow and 30 min pranayama.

Hatha 60 min, pranayama 30 min.
Received my certification, distinction, in Meditation Teaching today so that’s great news.

Congratulations! Well done to you. You have achieved so much. And you know it!

I practice everyday and have done for many years.

Today, 5 minute YouTube work out,
weights - followed by affirmations and Sun Salutations.

I do not have the time in my life to do as much as you do, sadly. But do practice mindfulness throughout the day l, on the go.

I have a mindfulness affirmation that I say, which I start my day with, is present with me throughout my day and I which I end my day on! It is a ritual of candle work, connection to the energy and consciousness.

Peace, love and harmony!

@MNLurker1345 your practices sound lovely!

I only practice asana as much as I do as the hospital wants me to (4 different departments so I’d best listen lol), plus I have insomnia and yoga at 1am can help sometimes…and as a single parent it’s company I suppose, if that makes sense.

I meditate every morning and evening, and try to add mindfulness throughout the day. I’m also becoming more settled in to chanting. Philosophically, I’m working on advaita, which can be pretty deep, and I’m trying to work out if there is a call for a Yoga Book Club…I know I’d love one 😂

90 min Gemini Full Moon Circle. A gentle, enriching practice.

I am off to bed now. The full moon is so bright here. A lovely clear sky. I will take my dog for a little walk in the garden and do a little moon affirmation.

Oh, If only I could live a life of Yoga. But I do not complain, Yoga is central to my life.

I practice everyday and my daily rituals are
very grounding. So necessary in these times!

I do not know of advaita. I did look it up though! The philosophical aspect of Yoga. Very interesting.

@MNLurker1345 our grounding rituals are sacrosanct, I think. I’ve turned tea-making (especially the first cup of the day) in to a bit of ceremony and the mindfulness colours the rest of my day.

Did a lovely hour of Kundalini with a focus on inner wisdom and intuition, and a late evening chanting hour which went by so quickly…was so good.

I had time to go to my Crystal shop today. Aluna Elixir. I bought some Rune stones, a first, some Dragons Blood Melts and some Moontime Elixir Water, which I will spray over my bed.

Tea is an important part of my rituals also.

I am building up my herbs, grown and dried
to get through the winter months.

I have always keep an eye on Kundalini yoga.
But not practiced. Your day sounds awesome. You are a teacher, yes?

@MNLurker1345 I am yes. Very newly qualified, I don’t include all my prep for class here as that’s not my ‘personal’ practice, though of course it is as I weave my soul in to my offerings…my classes definitely aren’t following the (very dominant) local ‘norms’ of teaching but I had to decide to teach with integrity rather than for money, and I’m happier after making that decision. So I include more meditation, chanting, trauma-conscious kundalini…workshops on discovering our feminine power etc.

I hope you enjoy the rune stones, I’ve been throwing them for many years (a strong Viking area) and also have my most important ones tattooed. The Elixir Water sounds great. You might like this book:

https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/products/kitchen-witch-book-soraya-9781849340700?sku=GOR003986230

An hour of Hatha by the fire, an hour of chanting. Nice Sunday.

60min power, felt like I needed it. An hour of meditation. Life is making me tense at the minute so trying to work out what will best help yoga wise.

I usually have a rest day so I’m not technically a yoga every day person, but I did over 290 hot yoga classes over the last year. It have changed med body mind & soul.

im really feeling the benefits not - binding in many poses, very strong, finally nailed the chataranga (sp).

yesterday I went to a lovely winter solstice event - caccao ceremony, chanting, dancing, yin yoga & sound bath. Very blissful.

I need it to cope with my ridiculously stroppy 14yo DD

😵‍💫🤣😀🙏🏼

winter blessings yogis!

I'd love to join you all in January. I really need to get a regular practice back. Yoga was such a positive part of my life, sad that I don't regularly participate anymore

Is there a January daily practice thread before I jump in and make one (and likely p regulars off!?). I’ve been at a face to face beginners weekly class for 6 months and loved it but she’s now focusing on Pilates and I want to stay with yoga. So, got my mat out and am going to do 30 days with Adrienne - just done day 1 and it was much harder than my beginners class, but I feel great. Hope there’s some other folk practicing this month 🧘

A new thread for January would be great. I haven't done any yet. Feeling very sluggish this year. Waiting for the snow to go so the children can go to school and then I'll hopefully get going.

Hello I came looking for a January thread too. I'm following the Charlie Follows 30 day January Flow series and even though I've done yoga on and off for years I'm finding it super tough! She did say it wasn't for complete beginners but I'm doing it having just done her 30 day Beginners series! Still it is a good work out every day and hopefully I'll get stronger by the end of Jan.

Had an email from Adrienne. Looks like a weekly session over 4 weeks in January.

I'm not attempting a daily practice but so far have done one yoga session and two meditations. Hoping to build from there.
I resubscribed to downdog app as I find it really useful and flexible. But I occasionally do some YouTube videos too.
Interested to hear what others are up to.
Was a bit shocked at how difficult the yoga felt yesterday as although I've not been practicing religiously I still do it periodically but very much felt like I was back at step one.

i did week 2 of ground. It was nice but again found it hard as I had a gap.

What's Ground?
Is it an Adrienne?

Yes. It’s the new January one she’s released, weekly for four weeks.

its called return. The second session was called ground

Our January practice series has officially begun!
Each weekend I will be sharing new practice in the RETURN series.

How are the YWA January practices going? I'm still doing the Charlie Follows 30 day January one. I am two days behind now but hope to catch up one of those tomorrow.
It is a bit challenging, especially some of the binds and the likes of grasshopper just seem unfathomable to me. But I feel like I'm getting better, my Chattarunga is more controlled, less of a collapse to the floor.

I’m on day 4 of the 30 days and am finding it’s much harder than my beginners class. Didn’t do anything last week but back to it this week

after 340 odd hotpod classes in the last 14 months I have started to make some great progress - this weekend I stepped through from downdog to high plank - in one step.

I've never been able to do this and then on the weekend I gave my leg a bit more propulsion & viola! It happened. I nearly whooped out loud in class.

We have been focusing a lot on internal front hip strengthing (not sure of the correct term) and that has really worked in advancing my step through.

It took me about 11 months to be able to chattarunga properly @Jumbojem - just keep going! I was very weak in arms & shoulders so it was tricky until I built up that strength.

I've officially increased my height my 2 cm over the last year too!
After being 173cm most of my life, the last 6 months the doctors height/weight/bp machine now consistantly gives my height as 175cm.

Not bad! Its amazing what posture improvement from regular pactice will do.