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The post The Greatest Gift appeared first on Breeze Yoga Studio Red Deer .
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Today was ‘that day’. It was rough but beautiful. In the morning, I had a gal challenge my compassion and patience. Then there were some technical glitches at the studio, followed by a very long meeting.
After the meeting, I went to get my allergy shot like I do every month. This month I was starting a new vial since my old one had expired. Shortly after the shot, my throat started to itch… ears burn and hives began to cover my body. A few short minutes later, my whole body is on fire and I’m wheezing. I went back to see the doctor; and they took me in immediately. I had taken two Benadryl and my inhaler by the time she prescribed a steroid to take away the reaction. At this point, I can’t really breathe – most of my usual calming techniques use the breath – which in this moment gives me anxiety. Yes, I am in a safe place with medicine and medical professionals to take care of me. However, if I wasn’t, I would be looking death in the eyes right now, negotiating.
Eventually, the steroid came through! I was dizzy for the rest of the night, but that is a small price to pay. In those moments when I couldn’t breathe and it hurt my throat to breathe, I realized something. Your life isn’t truly yours. No one or deity owes you anything. Your life is a gift. My belief is that it is a gift from God; each and every day. It is a gift to you and a gift to the people in your life. It can be taken in a blink of an eye. I’m thankful for my asthma, allergies, and eczema because it keeps me humble and thankful.
A man is talking to an acquaintance. He can see the pain on her face. When he passes her her purse, he notices something odd — It’s heavy. Later, he finds a gun and pulls it out. The man is grieving a dear friend at the time. With aggression, he says to her “Your life is not yours to take. It is for everyone in your life. So keep your hands off of it.” The man throws the gun into a river where it sinks. Recognize this story? Watch Sherlock Holmes, season four, episode three.
Sometimes people take their own life; some die of illness, accidents, and old age. One thing is certain, it will reach all of us on this earth one day. So until then be humble, be thankful, be joyous. “But how Breanna?!” Well, perhaps you have heard of this concept of heaven on earth. You can see it. Even through my rough day, I can see it. That challenging gal is making me stronger and forcing me to grow. That technical difficulty is improving the way Breeze operates. The long meeting is actually a really exciting Opportunity that feels like a dream right now. The attack? Well, it brought me back to the present moment where tonight I sit and rest with the fireplace on and my boyfriend playing guitar – my dog on my lap. Now that is heaven on earth: mesmerizing fire dancing for me, music that fills my heart with joy and my head with inspiration, unconditional love from my dog. How is that not heaven on earth?! These moments exist in your life – where for a second there is peace; for a second there is joy. Hold on to those moments no matter how small. The more you think of them, the more often they will happen. One moment at a time, you got this!
“Time is never time at all
You can never ever leave
without leaving a piece of youth
and our lives are forever changed
We will never be the same”
-Tonight by smashing pumpkins
Cherish the great gift of life. Make it the best you can. Love the struggle and love the joy.
Now go take on the day!
Namaste,
Breanna
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The post Dear New Yoga Student appeared first on Breeze Yoga Studio Red Deer .
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100, 230 Lake St.
Red Deer County, AB, T4E1B9
403.340.2771
October 20, 2016
New Yoga student
4321 First Street
Any town, AP(any province) postal code
Dear New Yoga Student,
Welcome to Breeze Yoga! We are really excited to have you in our ‘home’ we hope that with some time it will become your home too. Our family (staff) is here to help you. If there is anything you might need please don’t hesitate to ask. If you have any questions we are here for you.
What to expect from your fist class
Take a moment to think. What do you want to get out of coming to yoga? Stress relief? Increased strength? General health? Meditation? Some quality ‘me’ time? If you have the moment give us a call, shoot us a email or Facebook message, we are happy to guide you towards a class that is suitable for your needs. You can also see our class descriptions here . Otherwise pick a time that works for you and just come on into the studio. Attending a studio for the first time you will come in, fill out a waiver and receive a tour. Take some time to get some tea or water and place your things in a locker. When you are ready you can head into the studio and choose a empty Breeze Yoga mat to lay your mat over top of. Help yourself to any props in the closet. The teacher may have some props on his or her mat as a signal that you will need those props during class. Now breathe. You made it!! That’s the hardest part. Get comfy and start to relax. Our teachers are here to guide you, listen to your body if something doesn’t feel right then don’t do it! Our studio doesn’t have mirrors so we encourage our students to listen mindfully to the cue’s given and begin to feel your body. Our instructors will come around and give a guiding hand to get you into alignment or allow you to find a different depth. They are doing this out of love. In our minds you are a human being with a body. That is all. You are not labeled as good or bad, we let go of judgement and expectations. As a yoga teacher I encourage you to let go of judgement on yourself as well as to let go of your expectations on yourself, just be. Enjoy the journey and the experience of the class. Towards the end of your class your teacher will come around and offer a aromatherapy service accompanied by a adjustment. This usually occurs during savasana(final resting posture). If you prefer not to have this service just let your teacher know when he or she gets to you.
Our facility
During select times of the day we offer child minding for your little ones just down the hall from the studio! We are a family friendly studio who knows just how important it is to have your kids in a positive, clean, and loving environment.
We have instant hot and cold filtered water for your pleasure, grab some David’s Tea before or after class and snag a spot on the couch with some of our other members. Breeze Yoga is about community. Welcome each other. Ask their names. Making a new friend at Breeze is just as easy as it was in kindergarten! We have free lockers for you to use and have some piece of mind, we ask that all cell phones and personal belongings go in there. In the bathrooms you will find hair elastics, Bobbi pins, mouth wash and more. Please take and use what you need.
Towards the end of your practice the instructor will come around with a warm or hot lavender cloth for your comfort, there is a laundry basket for them in the hall way after class. At the end of your class we ask all students to spray and wipe down their mats and put away your props.
Our promise to you
We promise you that you will have a enjoyable experience in our ‘home’. If that is not the case speak to Breanna directly [email protected] and I will give you a refund!
Know your options
You can see all of our pricing options here and purchase them here . We highly recommend trying out our intro offer, two weeks of unlimited yoga for $50! This gives you a opportunity
to try a variety of different classes and times that may work for you, in addition once your two weeks is up you are eligible for 10% off your first month on any of our memberships.
We are ecstatic to meet you and welcome you into our home! See you soon.
Sincerely yours,
Breanna and the Breeze Family
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The post Why do a 30 Day Yoga Challenge? appeared first on Breeze Yoga Studio Red Deer .
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Yoga is a practice, each time we lay our our mat it is a new experience. In some cases its new postures. We each have had a new day! With slightly different emotions, activities, and experiences. Our mat brings us to a space where we can let go. Each class has a portion of it dedicated to guided relaxation, breath work, and physical postures.dedicating your self to a 30 day challenge is dedicating your self to self improvement for 30 days. Giving you stress relief and better sleep. Most of us are constantly living in our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) this is a huge reason for lack of sleep. The more often you put your self into a relaxed parasympathetic state the quicker your body learns transition into the relaxed state. Allowing you to sleep better. A dedicated practice will improve your over all flexibility, fitness, and balance. For most of us taking care of your body will boost your energy levels.
Over the course of 30 days you will have the opportunity to take a variety of classes with a variety of teachers. This gives you the opportunity to find out what you enjoy and maybe what you don’t. As well as what you need. Along the way you will recognize familiar faces in your classes and really find a strong sense of community.
Yoga teaches us gratitude and to let go of judgement. Over the 30 days you will start to see your mental and emotional state transform, your mood will improve little by little. All of a sudden we are truly stopping to smell the roses. We are also falling in love with how incredible our bodies are, no matter the shape or size. Yoga over all brings a sense of joy into your life again.
What if 30 day is not realistic for you? Well 30 days may not be but 20 days or 15 is. Sign up anyways and set your own realistic goals for your life. At Breeze we suggest you come on average five days a week to yoga(during a challenge), if everyday is not attainable and a minimum of 3 to see the benefits come alive in your life.
We are on this wild and crazy journey of life together, so join our community for 30 days see what this yoga thing is truly about first hand. If you are interested in a 30 day yoga challenge at Breeze Yoga. Purchase Here, and see event info Here
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The post Healing Triangle appeared first on Breeze Yoga Studio Red Deer .
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There is not a single one of us who hasn’t felt emotional mental pain. It is 100% apart of life. This pain comes in many different forms and varying degrees. So often I have found my self asking “Now what?” as a yoga teacher I frequently have people talk to me about their life and their pain. I can see it in their eyes, sometimes people will even say it. “I don’t know what to do.” Or “I don’t want to feel this way anymore.” Sometimes letting go, or healing takes work. It starts with a choice, the journey takes dedication to your self, at the finish line there is hope.
I had this idea explained to me not that long ago, it was of course during another yoga teacher training. The idea of the healing triangle comes from the Yoga Sutra’s(2.1). Along one side of the triangle is ishvara pranidhana, we are going to focus on the pranidhana portion which in short and sweet means surrender. Side two is swadhyaya, self-study. Side three is tapas, fire.
Pranidhana, surrender. Surrender is intertwined through out. Learning to let go in order to be able to self study is important. Just surrendering to the moment. Have you ever been caught in a storm? I was walking in Europe while back packing with a friend. We had a ways to go before reaching our final destination, it began to pour on us. We looked at each other in a “F**K it, let’s just experience this.” Sort of way. Experience the rain drip down your face and a drop sit on your eye lash. Experience the sensation of damp clothing. The rain was not about to stop, we had absolutely no control over it, so we surrendered to the moment. Surrender is letting go of control, and giving your self permission to just be and to feel. Experience emotion swell up, the body and breath will change. Surrender to it.
Self-Study. This is not easy. To be able to come to you’re mat or even through out your day and let go of the monkey mind. The busy thoughts, worries, to do list, and daydreams. To just observe your self, body, mind, and breath with out judgement. Yes I said with out judgement. Notice when you catch your self saying in your head “HEY! You’re supposed to let go, stop thinking!” this is a form of judgement… Let go of all expectations for your self. Just be. Know that this takes a lot of practice for most people. I always tell my yogi’s that yoga is not for the flexible, it is for the patient. Observe your body, mind and breath from a place of curiosity and love. It’ll amaze you what you learn about your self and the way that you work.
Tapas. Inner fire. We all have a sense of inner fire. Some times it is disguised as emotion or determination. There are two parts of tapas that are needed in your healing triangle. The fire that burns up all of the old emotion and the fire that fuel’s you to keep putting in the work. Energy/Emotions/Thoughts all just need to be acknowledged so that they too may pass. Our society some times has a negative stigmatism attached to anger or tears, the reality is that it is natural and normal to feel emotions even multiple at the same time. It is not the emotion that is bad but sometimes what we do with it.
In yoga we want to release our pain, surrender to it, feel it, watch it, and let our inner fire burn it up to make room in our lives and in our hearts for something new.
Some of my best meditations have been in a float tank or sensory deprivation tank. If you are not familiar with them they are tanks that are filled with body temperature water, anywhere between 8-18 inches and 10 thousand pounds of Epson salts so that you float in the dark and begin to loose all sensation. This is a beautiful place to practice surrender and self-study. Specifically at the Float Shack . One particular time I was going through a rough time, my heart was a little bit broken. More often then not I lean on the side of fighting for what I want in life then just letting it go and hoping it comes my way. In the tank I began to come to a place of awareness, for the first little while my eczema stung, Then the thoughts began to flood in. I allowed my self the space to simply just watch with out any judgement on my self. It was because of this that I eventually came to a place of surrendering to what was going on in my world, a place of acceptance. That is not all, I also began to realize why I was hurting, and what I truly needed to heal. It was my fire and determination for change that kept me dedicated to my healing process.
I have used this method as well as prayer in many different storms in my life. I hope that what ever you are battling that you find peace.
Start your healing process with a yoga class, for our schedule click Here .
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You may have heard your instructor say it a time or two before.
What you are doing on your mat, is what you are doing in your life.
I want to start out by telling you a little story about me. My whole life I have always been working towards the next goal, the next stage in life, the next anything. In high school, I couldn’t wait to get out into the ‘real world’. Once out, I couldn’t wait to get married and start a family. Near the finish line of a goal (like getting my teacher training), I’m already thinking and planning what’s next. Throughout my life, when I am struggling with what is next or when my heart feels like it is breaking, I have a tendency to run, run until my emotions are finished running wild.
It took me a long time to see this in my practice. It’s challenging to take the blinders off and truly watch yourself honestly without judgement. During my phase two teacher training, I pressed up to my final wheel (wheel was new in my practice) and felt tightness in my chest, throat and shoulders. I wanted down. NOW. I don’t remember the exact words out of my teacher’s mouth that made me stay. I then began to cry in wheel. I had accomplished my goal of wheel and now I want out of it. I felt it get difficult and getting out was me running. I remember looking at him still in my wheel. He looked me right in my tear filled eyes and loudly said “Find your peace. Settle. Find your peace.” There were 40-50 other people in the room and he did not let a single one of them down until I let go of the tension in my body, until I breathed, and I found my center. I found my peace. It was one of the first moments I had ever truly been in the moment. No thoughts of the past or the future. Truly experiencing the present moment. Right then and there it clicked.
The next time you practice take a few moments. Begin to truly let go of the emotional attachment you have to any expectations or pre-conceived ideas you have about yourself. Take the time to let go of the idea’s you attached to your identity. Maybe you are strong, maybe you are nervous of your belly or don’t like the way your voice sounds. Maybe you have decided that you are courageous and kind. Take an hour to let all of it go to not hold onto a single idea. Give yourself permission to be, just as you are. Allow yourself the space to just observe.
Notice if you carry extra tension. Notice where your mind wonders to. Notice how you breathe. Find the space between your movements, the space between your thoughts, and the space between each breath. Then, for a moment, see if you can experience the stillness within that brief space. Experience the moment.
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At the studio, we offer plenty of family and kid options. One of my absolute favorite classes to teach is our kids age 4-7.
To protect the privacy of our clients I am going to call rename the young girl in my story Mia. Not long ago, Mia came to class with a friend. I knew a little about her from before. I knew that her family was going through some changes and I had noticed that she craved a lot of attention that day. During most of our activities that particular day, Mia was my little helper. The poor girl was often discouraged if she fell out of a balancing posture. We would get up and do it again. Until one time she sat down and started to cry. I got on the floor and held her. I could see the look in the other kid’s faces, so confused, so concerned. The wheels were turning in their minds. Mia says to me “I got an owie”. The seconds felt like hours. I just held her. Even I didn’t really know what to say or what to do. Then another little girl comes up and says “Look Mia, I have one too!” and suddenly all of the kids are showing her their paper cuts, bruises, and scuffs. We all sat together, they started to tell their ‘war’ stories on how they got their owie. For Mia, knowing that she wasn’t the only one who hurt was enough to stop the tears, and the support from her fellow yogi’s was more than enough for her to bring her beautiful smile back. Soon enough, we were back to our yoga class.
The truth is sometimes we get aggravated when a cashier or waitress isn’t friendly or our spouse is snappy. It’s usually not the superficial paper cut that is getting to us but the heart ache. Everyone’s heart hurts in their own way. That’s the beauty in yoga class. We are all there, we are all letting go of our day, of our ‘owie’s’, and breathing as a community.
Practicing power yoga has always been an effective way for me to let go and to feel the love and support in the room – even though it is often with complete strangers. Ujjayi breathe is incredibly powerful and it is more often than not, the breath practiced during a power yoga class. The ujjayi breath internally heats the body as well as soothes the nervous system. It is an audible breath. During a yoga class the breath is beautiful way to share the love in the room. Many times I have been in a posture that has pushed me beyond my edge and I have forgotten to breath. The people around me were there to bring me back to my breath by staying true to their own.
Know that when you have an ‘owie’ that you are not the only one. Get on your mat, and practice. The Breeze family is waiting to welcome you! Sign Up for your next power yoga class at Breeze!
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When I was a little girl, my favorite thing was having my dad brush my hair. For Lina, this was not the case. Lina is 3 and a half. She attends the odd yoga class with her big brother Drew. Lina’s mom was telling me that on the weekend, Lina’s dad was brushing her hair. Lina cried and cried. Drew is a sensitive little guy, so when he saw his sister crying, he ran over. “Lina, Lina, Lina! Do your *OM breath!!” the whole family sat together and breathed as Lina’s hair was brushed, her tears quickly dried up and a smile appeared.
Yoga teaches kids tools on how to live life. They learn how to cope with pain such as brushing Lina’s hair. Other kids have learned to be kind to others and show them love. A two year old little girl named Jill watches me teach yoga to her mom and her two to three times a week. She even joins in the odd time. One day, when she was at home showing her grandpa her yoga book, he laid down for savassana. She came over to him and gave him a neck massage with her pretend lotion. This is something she noticed I do for her mom each class.
Kids are always watching and absorbing. Yoga allows them to build confidence. There is not a wrong way to do yoga, as long as you breathe. For young kids, introducing them to meditation at a young age will improve their focus and attention span. It also sets them up for success in school later on. Many sports teams use meditation and visualization as an important tool before a game.
Yoga teaches kids about their emotions, as well as body awareness. This is important growing up, learning how to take charge of your emotions. So when you’re mad, you can do a couple dragon breaths to help you let it all out. Or how to balance your body, like bending your right knee in warrior one but not your left. Yoga creates a wonderful baseline for body/mind awareness and future sports.
FUN! Who doesn’t want to do something fun? Yoga is a blast. Some of my favorite games for young kids is Yoga, Yoga, Pose! It is just like Duck, Duck, Goose, but instead of simply running to the other persons spot, you run in Downward Dog, Tree, or Frog pose. It’s excellent for learning the names of the postures as well as burning some energy. For the older kids, a great one is Pose Charades. Kids are in groups of two or three. One kid gets to pick a yoga pose to go into and, not only do his partners have to guess which postures he is, but in they get to give him adjustments.
*OM Breath- Big inhale and slow long exhale with the sound O, as the air runs out allow the lips to close for the MMM this will create a gentle vibration. Lengthening the exhale as well as the vibration from the lips are bother incredibly soothing to the central nervous system.
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