As we approach the month of March, this is typically the point in the year when most of us start to let go of the changes we made as the new year started. I know each year when I was teaching at Gotta Yoga, we would usually have some sort of challenge and theme for March in order to encourage attendance to at least remain stable- Having something fun to look forward to often boosted the morale of the students and teachers! Most teachers would participate along with the students, which was good for our community as a whole.☺
I think it's very important to encourage others (Hence, this post.), but why do we need a bright and shiny sticker board to do so? Or the word, "challenge" to create some sort of competition? And, if you're truly living a Yogic lifestyle, on and off the mat, isn't it about releasing the ego and this competitiveness with others and within yourself?? We are all in this thing called "life" together! Also, why do we need these things in order to bring our own wellbeing to the forefront? Your wellbeing should be your number 1 priority, always! If you're a more whole you, the better to then reach out and help others along their path when needed- I find this is now more important than ever for me as Scarlett's mama. I propose this: Rather than making a resolution only as January approaches to take care of yourself, why not cultivate the intention to do this year-round and throughout your whole life? This can be little things like sitting in your favorite chair and reading a book, enjoying a walk among the flowers ❀ (A friend and I did this yesterday with Scarlett in tow!), using essential oils, or listening to your favorite song. Again, sometimes we need some help from the outside- Talking to someone (a professional, or a friend) when your head isn't quite in the best place, getting a massage, going to your choice of exercise class, etc. are all great ways to do this! I am truly grateful for those whole help me care for me and am honored to be one of those people for many of you! Cheers to a community of strong, healthy, beautiful, sweet individuals through doing these practices on a more regular basis!! May you all be Happy, Healthy, and Whole. And may you all know great peace ♥ So much Love & Light, Christina Hello everyone!
Happy Sunday, friends! About 3 weeks ago, while updating my homepage, I offered the Buddhist teaching of Metta. I also promised a blog post in order to explain further about this beautiful practice- It's a little bit later than planned because Mom Life takes precedence, but here it is. If you're familiar with Yoga, the Sanskrit name for this practice is Maitrī- Whether you use this word or Metta, both mean loving-kindness or benevolence. It is most commonly practiced by Buddhist monks for it being a secular (non-religious) meditation. How this is practiced can vary between traditions, but all have the sole purpose of cultivating compassion and good will towards all beings by means of silently repeating a loving-kindness affirmation for each and every one. Some traditions will just have you simply intend this affirmation towards different beings, while others go a little bit further and have you also envision the physical appearance of each being. I will explain this further in a blog post to follow and share with you the tradition I practice and teach- Stay tuned-in this next week or so (again, Mom Life is unpredictable!) for an audio or video message regarding this topic and a special guided Metta meditation. So much Love, Christina I have been awake since nursing my daughter at 2:45am, so I figured what better to do with this awake energy but write a blog post... One of the many thoughts plaguing my mind in the wee hours of this Tuesday morning is the ignorance when it comes to this "holiday"- I put quotes around this word because when I think of the word "holiday", I think of something joyous and well, Memorial Day just is not that for me.
On social media, I often avoid being too opinionated about certain topics as I have clients and students on my Facebook friends list or who follow me on Instagram. I find a balance and do my best to maintain my integrity and honor my beliefs. I, however, am now going to climb up on my soapbox: I am an advocate for grief- I feel all too often, in our society that bereavement is very much dismissed. In the past, I have been guilty of saying, "Sorry for your loss" as if the grieving individual got beat out on the soccer field, or wishing people a "Happy Memorial Day". Over the last few years, especially, I have been mindful to really take in to account the weight and truth of my word. A number of years ago, a peer who is also a veteran wrote a post on Facebook about how he didn't appreciate people wishing him "Happy Memorial Day" or thanking him on this particular day for his service, and proceeded to note the difference between it and Veteran's Day. I took his post to heart and it woke me up to realize I had done this in years past with those who had served and even those who hadn't. As someone who has had a lot of grief in her life, I can see where my peer was coming from this day- Wishing someone "Happy Memorial Day" is like wishing someone a happy anniversary of their beloved family member's death. Now, don't get me wrong. I am of the philosophy that we should have gratitude every day for our veterans and fallen soldiers, however, a day out of the year is really just a moment and so let this day be held as a "moment of silence" for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. It's alright to share times of remembrance with a heavy heart and distinguish those which are otherwise. I'll close with this: My grandfather is one of my very favorite human beings! He is a WWII vet who could've died after being shot in the head while serving our country, but luckily he didn't. We honor the life he continues to live- Many of his comrades weren't so lucky and to lump it all together at all times is to, in a way, dismiss his grief. If you love someone, you let them feel how they need to, whether those are moments of utter bliss or tragic loss, and hold space for them whether those emotions last for a brief second or for a lifetime. I am grateful to those souls who paved the way for my freedom to be able to sit here, have an opinion and a voice all my own, and to be able to write to you. Today, and always they are cherished and respected in my heart! Whether you celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, Solstice, or just time with your loved ones, Happy Decmeber and Holiday Season to all!!
This is a time of year that I hold near and dear to my heart. Growing up, my family didn't have a lot and so my mom wasn't always able to provide gifts in the sense that most people associate with Christmas time. Our local church, however, was able to provide us with things we need, and even some things we could enjoy. I am forever grateful for such community! Now, as an adult, I get to be part of the giving and pay-it-forward :) Tomorrow evening at Scholar Athletics (4348 A Triple Crown Drive Concord, NC 28027) 6:30-9pm, my friend and colleague, Kim Zegil is hosting our annual Night of Giving for Love the Little Ones. It all started a few years ago at Gotta Yoga in Charlotte and has grown into this extraordinary Love event!! There will be 2 of us giving chair massage (Yes, I am one of the Therapists!), a donation based Yoga class, and an out-loud charity auction featuring goods, artwork, gift certificates, and other things donated by local businesses and our community to bid on. ALL proceeds from this event go to our local organization of Love the Little Ones! Ticket to enter the event is monetary donation, or gift for a child. To learn more about this cause, and how you can help check out Love the Little Ones And, check out tomorrow night's Event Page on Facebook I have also noted on my Homepage ways that you can donate via massage service or through me. The sisters, Jaime and Jennifer that are the Love behind this awesome organization are friends of mine and I plan to continue donating to them throughout the Holiday Season with your help. This community, especially the children appreciate the help and we are all so grateful!! Namaste, Christina Here in North Carolina, our Spring Season is in full effect! Baby animals are hopping and walking about, butterflies flying through the air, and the flowers and trees are blossoming, sharing their pollen with us all...on our cars, walkways, and in our sinus and nasal passages.
If you're an allergy sufferer, like me, although Spring is visually appealing, physically it can be very unappealing! Many of my students and clients are sniffling, have runny eyes and noses, and sound congested. I wake up in a similar way, but there are practices I maintain to help reduce the impact the seasonal change has on my body. You can adopt some of the below holistic practices and Spring just might become your favorite season once again ;) Neti Pot or Saline Spray- Either method clears the sinus cavity of built-up mucus due to cold, flu, sinusitis, etc. and allows for the fluid to flow better. Massage Therapy- Monthly massages are wonderful at reducing any kind of stress, including that which our body goes through with the change of the seasons. A professional therapist can incorporate massage specifically for your sinuses and lymph system to aid in better movement of fluids throughout your body, thus making it easier on your body as you transition into the stuffy Kapha season. Aromatherapy- Essential oils such as Eucalyptus and Peppermint are good for clearing up sinus congestion. These and any other kind of mint oil are also very cooling, making their use quite appropriate as we move toward the warmer months. Local Honey- The more local, the better. By ingesting just a teaspoon daily, it helps build your immunity to the pollen that's swarming in the air around you as it is made from similar flowers that bloom in your area. I enjoy it in my morning herbal tea...another a holistic remedy for allergy sufferers. I mentioned "Kapha season" above... In Ayurveda, the Indian medical system, a natural, holistic-based system, it's how they primarily refer to the Spring season. Kapha is made up of the elements Earth and Water...We have excess of this during Spring as it is needed for everything to grow and blossom, but too much of those things together can create mud and muck, putting a stop to fluidity. This translates to our bodies when we have a buildup of mucus. The above practices are just some of the many holistic methods you can do in order to aid in reducing a buildup of muck in your body. Want to know more? I'm offering a workshop at Lotus Living Arts Studio on Saturday, April 23rd, 1-3pm. Cost is $10 preregistration, $15 at the door. There will be a Yoga Practice, journaling exercise, and Ayurvedic discussion to help educate on balancing your body through this change of the season. Maybe you'll come out of the "Winter cave" once and for all? ;) You can sign-up for my workshop here: Spring Seasonal Flow Look forward to seeing you there!! Be well and thanks for reading :) Om shanti, Christina When teaching a Yoga class, there is typically a rest pose offered toward the end of class. Many of us teachers use the Sanskrit term, "savasana", instead of using the English name of "corpse pose". You shuddered there, didn't you? What is it about death that is so overwhelming and scary for so many of us? In this case, the idea of the pose is to take on the quality of a corpse- letting go of the dead parts of our being, those things that no longer serve our higher good.
We live in a culture where we are shown to fear death, and when it does come, we are taught to dismiss it and move on. Crying and grieving are expected to be brief. People you know (and maybe even some you really don't) tell you that everything will be alright and encourage you that it's best just to move on with your life. They offer to be there "for" you if you need anything, instead of with you as you cry and maybe lose your shit. The truth is, when a loved one passes from this physical realm to the heavenly one (or however you believe), it is never easy! The physical death of a loved one deserves more respect from your friends and family than simply being dismissed as if you had a bad headache happen to you. Grief does not only occur when we have a loved one pass, but for the sake of this article, that is where I will stop. Over the last few years, I have gotten to know Jaime and Jennifer Allison. They are 2 sisters that give to our community through their nonprofit, Love the Little Ones. They throw birthday parties and give donated clothing and other items to the children's home in Concord, NC. I met the sisters during a donation event for Love the Little Ones we held at a Yoga studio where I taught. These women have such lovely, giving spirits. It was time for them to receive some care and love in return. 4 years ago, Jaime and Jennifer's mother, Sandra was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The last few months had been her most physically challenging as the cancer moved into her abdominal organs. In December 2015, Jennifer reached out to me to buy Christmas gift certificates for her family. One of them happened to be for her mother. As Sandra got more sick, what was originally meant to be a 30 minute massage turned into a customized Reiki and gentle massage session with the intention of bringing peace and healing towards her. I started to see Sandra for these sessions on a weekly basis. Jennifer asked me for a miracle for her mother to get better. While I can understand why Jennifer would ask such a thing, I responded in truth: Reiki brings light and peace and healing and freedom from suffering, whatever the recipient's karmic path is. As hard as it is, I have to do my best to become unattached and let God's will take place, whatever that means. Since becoming a Reiki Practitioner almost 8 years ago, this was the most difficult and yet the most beautiful work I have been part of. Jennifer asked me to share her mother's Reiki journey with you all. One of Sandra's first sessions, she saw her daughters' faces. She smiled as she told me and seemed to be so at peace, even through her physical discomforts. That same day, Jennifer saw her mother's face in the clouds. During Sandra's sessions, Divine symbols continued to present themselves. I would see doves; representing God and peace, and butterflies; representing transformation. The color yellow also came through, once more, representing transformation, as well as strength. And that was some of the beauty...as sick as Sandra was physically feeling, courage and grace never left her. She physically seemed smaller each week I would visit, but her heart grew bigger & brighter each time! When I shared with Jennifer that I had seen white doves flying through her mom's heart and spirit, she was hopeful that her mother was feeling that instead of the pain of the cancer. The last session I spent with Sandra, only 5 days ago, I saw a beautiful white lotus flower blossoming from her heart through her crown. If you don't know the story of the lotus, they blossom from underneath muddy waters to reach the sunlight. Sandra was being called Home. I also felt a strong calling to sing to her, "Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu", meaning “May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all. So be it!" She let me sing this wonderful mantra to her and she received it with a huge smile. It was such an honor to offer Reiki and healing to Sandra over these last few months. If you know Jaime and Jennifer or any of their family, or even if you don't know them, just send them love and light. And if you see them crying, just hug them and don't say a word. Let them just be held. Grief needs to be felt and respected. Om Shanti, Christina |
Author-Christina is a Bodywork Therapist and Yoga Teacher in the Charlotte, NC area with a passion for writing. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this blog!! Archives
August 2019
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