13 April Ray Child April 13, 2012 Me, Myself, and the Mirror Hot Yoga accept your body, confidence, dallas hot yoga, mirrors, visual change 0 Comment You walk into the dark, quiet yoga room hoping to relax--to check your worries at the door and not have to deal with things for a period of time. The lights gradually turn on; you hear your teacher’s voice. You stand up and BAM! there you are--reflected in the mirror, staring at yourself. The question is: Are you re-thinking what you had for lunch, or are you calmly meeting your own eye gaze, preparing for the class to come? From time to time we get questions about the mirrors in our studios from folks who are slightly suspicious of them. We believe mirrors are integral to building awareness in your own body (which is why they are on three walls of every Sunstone Yoga studio). We have mirrors not to make you self-conscious or criticizing but because we want you to actually see what your body is doing. Mirrors encourage us to study our bodies and to build a relationship with it, which can be uncomfortable if you have spent your day avoiding yourself. As you watch yourself, you will understand what your body is capable of, and less concerned with other students’ abilities. You’ll come to know what “normal” is for you in each posture. Then the mirror allows you to visually acknowledge the changes you’ve created in your body over time. If you’re skeptical, you’re not alone. Take baby steps. Try to simply look into our own eyes throughout class. Then build confidence in your body’s ability by listening to the posture cues and watching yourself adjust your alignment. As you continue to practice, your body awareness will develop and the mirrors will become a means through which you can find focus and guidance rather than judgment. Let the mirrors empower you and your practice! Related Articles How to Really Advance Your Practice As yoga teachers, we sometimes hear students categorize themselves and others as “beginner” or “advanced.” It is interesting to hear people talk this way because they usually base the label on the number of classes attended, length of time they’ve practiced, or whether they can do certain postures. The fact is that everyone is advancing--it just looks different for each individual. How to Be a Good Student Dear Student, It is an honor and privilege to guide you through your practice each day you’re in my class. Teachers do not exist without students. It is through you that I am able to refine my craft. My hope is that every time you leave the studio you feel fulfilled, in a different mindset than you entered and empowered with more knowledge about yourself and your practice. Personal Transformation Through Yoga I lived with depression, anxiety and poor health throughout my teenage and most of my adult life. Even through all of that I knew that I needed to make positive changes in my life but I did not know what, where or how to begin to make those changes. Yet this unexplainable feeling deep within me knew that I needed to start this journey as soon as possible. I was guided to a lady who practiced yoga and meditation and she shared with me the benefits that she had gained from years of practice. So I began to research both subjects What to Wear for Hot Yoga You have decided you’re going to practice hot yoga. Good for you! Be Engaged Throughout Your Class Last week, we introduced Sunstone’s vision as well as the Five Teaching Principles that guide our teachers in helping our students cultivate their very best selves. These principles are our core values, the foundation on which we've built our studios. They are equally valuable for you, our students. They create the landscape for what your experience with us can be like. Whether you're in your second class, or well on your way to building a body, mind, and life practice, these words describe behaviors that can turn what seems to be the simple action of taking a yoga class into something truly life-changing. Be Kind & Grateful Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. Be kind. Be grateful. Wow. Are we really going to tell you to be kind, love everyone and yourself, create world peace, and sing Kumbaya day and night? Not exactly :) Comments are closed.