TEDtalks Anonymous

Remember that whole gratitude and joy meditation deal from last week? Well, let me start off by saying how much I am grateful for TED Talks because of how much joy they bring me! I’ll talk more about this specific TED Talk in my video, but after we do some yoga here together, go check out Caroline McHugh’s discussion on “The Art of Being Yourself”. I’m pretty much just paraphrasing (not quite as eloquently and with a much less cool accent) the first part of her talk, but what she has to say about being larger than ourselves is really profound.

By growing “a foot larger in every direction” we create space to use the body more efficiently. Physical expansion and lengthening can open up compression and help us “un-stuck” ourselves. We’re stronger when we’re open (muscles work by pulling, after all) and we’re capable of finding greater rotation when we avoid the compression of condensing the body together. I’m finding a lot of success in my classes and my personal practice by lengthening in rotating poses to avoid painful compression and better balance the body in standing poses.

In this week’s video, we’ll explore some thigh opening and strengthening, as well as some creative use of blocks (or large heavy books – I might be the only yogi in history to go on camera with Cthulhu between her thighs).

By the way — I’d love to hear from you! Leave me some comments on YouTube, let me know what you think of these videos and if you have any requests for future content. I love connecting with people, making sure I’m providing something that is beneficial for the people who are practicing with me. Thanks for being here, and thanks for being your fabulous self!