I often find myself reflecting on teachings or insights. Sometimes, I record my musings as sample guided meditations. Here are a couple that are examples of Perspective Coaching meditations, utilizing the Four Perspective way. They are unrehearsed and unedited, but hopefully insightful. Please send me comments!
Fusion of Functional Strength Training and Power Yoga: A 45-Minute Practice
This is a basic 45-minute practice for the working adult who wants to maintain functional strength and body mobility as a supplement to, or in between, regular strength training or power yoga practices. This sequence emphasizes postures or exercises which enhance function of lower body and core, and with attention to postural alignment of spine. Some upper body work is included, but specifically for people looking for some (overhead and rowing) pulling training work… and a few push-ups for horizontal pushing work. (The video is raw footage without edit… and is intended to be used by personal coaching clients who are at home during the holidays.) As always, I include some time for mindfulness.
Finding Balance from the Center of Four Perspectives
This is a graphic from a workshop I presented at Heart of the Village Yoga Studio on the Four Directions. We went into the woods, walked by streams and ponds, and paused to reflect on what we were experiencing together. We discussed finding balance in our lives when we see from the center of our consciousness and look at four aspects of our being, integrity (virtue - respecting purity of life) and kindness (compassion - loving all of life), truth (being true to life purpose) and contentment (being open to life learning).
A Beginning Sequence to Develop Core Awareness
As a yoga teacher, I’m often using postures at the beginning of class to assess each student’s body-awareness and to determine appropriate postures for the rest of class and appropriate modifications. Many of my classes are focused on activating the body’s core so that postures can be performed more effectively to promote spine health and reduce back pain. I like to think of the core area as our power center, our center of balance, our energy center from which we have the courage to express our true nature. An unstable power center manifests itself at all aspects of one’s being.
This 20-minute video explains some of the preliminary movements that I usually include in classes as a means to assess physical bodies from a strength / flexibility perspective as well as from a pure awareness perspective. I usually include these postures (or movements) into a class before performing Sun Salutations, certainly before performing low planks, upward-facing dog, downward-facing dog or even forward bends.
I made this video for the benefit of some of my clients (and I narrated it as I did it, so it is somewhat rough around the edges), but others of you might find it beneficial as you work towards understanding your own movements (and areas of body physical strength or weakness).
Remember to utilize your breath as a tool to enhance your physical awareness, your focus, and your present power!
A 35 Minute Basic Core-Focused Practice for Athletes
Here is a video of a short practice focusing on core, hips, and lower back. It is intended for athletes who are just beginning a yoga practice. In the video, I attempted to make breathing practice audible (there is no music), as a reminder to work towards keeping ujjaya breathing active throughout practice. That is, breathe deeply through the noise, keeping pelvic floor lifted, lower abdominal muscles lifted up and in, and work towards maintaining a neutral spine (in most postures) through the engagement of a stable trunk. In this video, I also emphasize some hip hinging movements to activate glutes and hamstrings.
A basic yoga sequence focusing on core strength and stability, hip mobility, focused breathing, and postures intended to ease potential lower back pain (for athletes new to yoga practice).