Alicia King's Blog
Posted by Alicia King
Aparigraha, the yama usually associated with abstention from greed or possessiveness also applies to the thoughts, beliefs, or stressors in our lives that we do not need or that no longer serve us.
Just as I was asked gently to scan my body in this morning's Supta Baddha Konasana to locate and release any tension I was holding onto, we must learn to release the worries, cares and concerns of our lives to the universe.
Surrendering to the support of the floor, the bolster, and pillows supporting me and keeping me safe and comfortable, what was I supposed to do? There comes a point when we can no longer hang on to the things that are harming us.
This holds true for every part of our lives.
As I wrote in an earlier blog entry, I've been struggling a great deal with depression. Those clinging, grasping, cloying thought patterns of "not good enough" and "never getting better" are one example of thoughts and beliefs I had to let go of.
Now, thanks to the safe vulnerability of yoga, I'm able to surrender to the Universe the other things I worry about in constant refrain: money, weight loss, finding my life's calling....
Posted by Alicia King
During the past few days away at a Yoga as Muse writing workshop led by Jeff Davis, author of Journey from the Center to the Page, I learned too much about the embodied mind to fit into a single, tiny blog entry.
One of the lessons that continually occurred to me there on my yoga mat, my laptop warming my quads, was the idea of gentleness.
Jeff is a warm, gentle teacher. He approaches the world as a yogi, and behaves and carries himself with the calm and poise of a yoga teacher. Which he is. RYT Davis has studied with Sri Desikachar in India as well as other schools of yoga and meditation.
When he helped me with an adjustment in an intense twist on Wednesday morning, the thought coalesced. I never want to study with a writing teacher who does not possess the gentleness of a yoga instructor. Entrusting my writing is just as sacred, just as important as entrusting the safety of my spirit or body is in a yoga class.
Author and memoirist, University of Connecticut Writer-in-Residence, Daniel Asa Rose was a special guest in this particular workshop. Rose also exuded kindness and wisdom. Yes, they were still real people, just like the other twelve attendees, we shared meals together, learned and taught one another.
I have an overriding sensation that attending this retreat will reverberate as a turning point in this part of my life. I learned that I still enjoy performing on stage, that I still have a yen for it, and that I still have the presence and talent to be able to pursue it…. I see my next great adventure beginning to take shape.
Posted by Alicia King
I’m currently working to unlock poses and interview beginning yogis and yoginis about their experiences with the Wii Fit. (only two more to go!)
I have a series of articles that will probably rise out of the work I’m doing now:
- The first one is about the first four poses that are automatically available when you start up the system
- Another article will include important safety notes and modifications for the 7 poses on the Wii that you unlock and use the balance board to perform
- A third will cover the final four poses available on the Wii Fit, as well as the yoga-inspired lessons in the Strength and Balance portions of the game
- The fourth one I'm drafting will be posted under Video Games, and is my response to skeptics and yogis who think that the Wii Fit is altogether a bad idea. (My opinion, a little bit yes, a little bit no...)
- A fifth will eventually outline a yoga “class” using the Wii fit, allowing players to practice a complete yoga routine that does not follow the poses linearly, but rather in a sequence more like what you would find in a studio yoga class
Important Safety Notes: If it hurts, don’t do it.
There are already blogs and reviews that complain of sore and strained knees. I’m beginning to understand why that is.
Please read the detailed articles for more information about saving your knees and protecting your neck while using the Wii Fit!
Posted by Alicia King
I'm indebted to Decatur Healing Arts for a warm and welcoming introduction to Qi Gong (or qigong, the “q” is pronounced with a “ch” sound) this evening, where my boyfriend and I attended a one-hour class.
He went in feeling sluggish and tired from workday and commute. I was curious and very nervous.
I have tried Tai Chi in the past, and I found the fluid standing motions to be daunting, especially in sequence. I know that I attach a bit too much to the outcome - concerned with being graceful, with moving in slow, soft lines. I also know that my inherent goofiness prevents me from this finesse.
Susan's Qi Gong class was taught in the lineage of Master Chen of the Wu Dang Monastery, and we practiced a series of movements called "Wu Dang Yang Shen Gong" in tonight's class. I was enchanted.
Much of the focus of attention was on the breath, which took my attention off of my oafish feet and hands and allowed me to simply follow the movements. We pushed and pulled the energy, and built a lot of heat in a powerful standing meditation pose that circulated energy and attention across horizontal and vertical planes.
By the end of the class, I had worked up a light sweat and felt far more graceful and relaxed than I'd started out. Brett felt a lot more alert and awake, and we were both hungry!
This is definitely a practice I'd love to explore. The movements were simple enough to learn, the real challenge was being aware of the breath while performing them - a true Mind-Body experience!
Posted by Alicia King
Between the Healthy Kids Expo announcements coming from the Suite 101 home office in Canada, to reading and reviewing kids yoga books like Yoga Calm and Itsy Bitsy Yoga, it seems like I’ve been bombarded with the idea of children’s fitness and health concerns.
I also learned this week that there is going to be a wellness initiative here in my hometown led by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, which is one of my favorite in-town non-profits. I’m applying for a position with the team that will be creating their new web portal. What an exciting opportunity to do something that can help shape the lives of children and families!
Include the Kids Every Day
Right now, I’m frustrated about my own weight gain, and I knew that the key to getting myself up and moving would be to have support from my family. Getting the boys on bikes and out rolling around the countryside has been a great motivator!
Plus, it's easier to make healthy meal decisions when the whole family is eating something nutritious together. There's nothing that drives me crazier than cooking separate meals for everyone!
So, whether your concerned about your own fitness, your spouse's or the kids' - the solution is to support one another as a team, and to learn about choices you can make together, as a family. Starting or joining a community garden is a great way to ensure that your family has a ready supply of fresh, local organic vegetables!
We all know that children learn best by example, so it makes sense to include your children in the choices you have to make for everyone on a regular basis!
