In last week's practice, we used the 3rd and 4th limbs of yoga (asana and pranayama) to bring more peace and calm into our practice and our day, and this week we will use those same tools (movement and breath)to nourish and energize our bodies and minds. Those pauses in our breath at the end of our inhales and the end of our exhales are called kumbhaka in the yoga tradition, and they can be used to ground or anchor ourselves in the moment in order to shift our experiences.

To help cool the body, reduce stress, and calm our nervous system, we started stronger last week and gradually and easefully added pauses to the end of our exhales in several asanas like forward bends, lateral bends, twists, and holds in pigeon or figure four. In doing so, we better prepared our body and mind for the guided meditation towards the end of class. I hope you were able to feel the effects of the practice and were more easily able to welcome the stillness. Sitting or lying still can be a real struggle in a culture that promotes and rewards productivity and busyness, sometimes to the detriment of our physical, mental, and emotional health. That's why I may sound like a broken record when I remind you and myself how important it is to balance effort and rest. It's important, valuable, and necessary to take a break.

On the other side of the same sheet of paper, feeling stuck, lethargic, or apathetic calls us to again bring the opposite, this time welcoming some warmth, expansion, and strength. So this week we'll create change by starting low and slow and then using our movement and breath to build energy. We'll gradually increase the pauses at the end of our inhales to help shift our nervous system and uplift our mood.

Notice this shift by joining me for public, in-person classes at LA Fitness or Energy Lab Studio. You're always welcome to join me virtually on Zoom at our at-home classes, too, and I'm always happy when you're there.