Winter Solstice 2022 - New Year 2023 Sadhana Check in

[JustSandra]

I'm in!

Yogapam, thanks for starting the check-in thread.

After working out exclusively at home for decades I recently joined a brand new gym that opened up near me. I love all the fresh options it provides, including various live group classes. One of them is a flow yoga class, and I've really come to appreciate what it does for me both mentally and physically. Unfortunately at this time it is only offered once a week (at a time I can attend). I want to get more of this type of movement in daily. To that end I've tweaked my workout area to be cozier and welcoming for those types of activities. Committing to a sadhana will also encourage consistency.

I plan to start today (on the Winter Solstice ).

Will be back later to report!

[yogapam]

I’m excited to see so many joining the Sadhana! I’m starting today and will be back to post later.

Happy Winter Solstice!

[SpiritYogi]

Originally Posted by toaster

Dena, I don't do that, but it sounds like a nice idea. I saw that there is various info on the web about how to use daily intentions. When I set an intention for practice (e.g., if a teacher suggests doing so at the start of a yoga class), I usually try to keep it to a few words, like "peace" or "kindness to others."

Thanks for the information. I definitely plan on keeping my intentions simple.

Originally Posted by Pat58

Dena, I am a huge fan of intentions now - Kassandra Reinhardt (Yoga with Kassanadra) got me hooked. Here are some of her brief affirmation meditations to give you an idea of how to frame a good intention. The main rule of thumb is it must be positive and stated in the present. Example: you want to lose five pounds. Rather than "I will make myself avoid sweets today" try "I nourish my body with healthy food.

Thanks for the tips and links, Pat. I've listened to this one in the past few weeks and find it very uplifting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvIO...fWFen&index=10

My goal is to set a daily intention on my own, before my yoga practice, and repeat it as I do my practice, meditate, and carry on through the day.

As for today's practice, I'm doing a Desk Therapy series this week that works out the kinks from sitting at a desk all day. Although I'm currently on vacation, I'm finding it very rejuvenating as it really gets deep into the muscles. My meditation was on manifesting and the law of attraction. I've got a lot of manifestations to attract!

[SpiritYogi]

Originally Posted by Vantreesta

So last January I started eight, yes EIGHT, different challenges (only a few were yoga). Seriously?? And I was still working on two others that I had started months earlier. And I have not yet finished any of them. I still want to but yeah.

Are you a masochist?

[Vantreesta]

Originally Posted by Dena

Are you a masochist?

Haha! Lifetime overachiever!!

[Vantreesta]

I did an episode of Happy Yoga With Sarah Starr earlier. I'm still hoping to do Kassandra's solstice yin practice later but I just found out my great uncle was put in hospice and I'm not feeling much like anything now. His wife just passed in January from pancreatic cancer. I feel so sad for all of us but especially their kids and grandkids. Maybe he can make a turnaround.

[SpiritYogi]

Originally Posted by Vantreesta

Haha! Lifetime overachiever!!

Nothing wrong with that...as long as you don't get burnout.

Originally Posted by Vantreesta

I did an episode of Happy Yoga With Sarah Starr earlier. I'm still hoping to do Kassandra's solstice yin practice later but I just found out my great uncle was put in hospice and I'm not feeling much like anything now. His wife just passed in January from pancreatic cancer. I feel so sad for all of us but especially their kids and grandkids.

I'm so sorry. Going through something like that is hard any time of year, but seems especially difficult when it happens around a holiday (that's supposed to be joyous). You and your family will be in my thoughts.

[Vantreesta]

Thank you, Dena. It does always seem harder around holidays. Like it isn't hard enough. We lost my mom two days after Easter 2020, which was also their wedding anniversary.

[laurajhawk]

Oh Dena, I'm sorry. Sending hugs to you.

I'm using the sadhana this year to recommit to daily meditation. My asana practice is in good shape, but I've not been meditating very regularly. Today I did my typical meditation practice, 11 minutes with the Insight Timer app (using the timer with background sounds since DH has the TV on). Sometimes I do guided meditation or chanting but most often it's 11 minutes mindfulness meditation, either silent or with music.

I planned a yin yoga class via Zoom this evening, but there's a sub (for the in-studio class) who doesn't know how to do Zoom, so it's cancelled. I like Zoom for this class because it's at 7 pm and the studio is half an hour away - it's nice not to have to drive. And tonight it's near-zero and snowing. I usually also take two or three studio classes a week, but my main teacher is on vacation and I'm planning to practice more at home; I like YogaCandi on YouTube, and also have lots of DVDs etc. I'm not committing to daily asana, but will report on my asana practices here since y'all are yogis and may be interested.

[JustSandra]

Hello again!

Day 1/40: Session 1 -- Flexibility and Relaxation, from Jessica Smith's Gentle Yoga Stretch.

All you folks in the deep freeze stay warm!