Sutra 1.1

Yoga is an ancient practice rooted in Eastern spirituality.  The history of yoga is vast and rich with ancient texts, personalities, and disciplines.  One of the foundational historic text on yoga is known as the Yoga Sutras.  "Sutra" is defined in Sanskrit as a set of rules or aphorisms on a specific subject. Patanjali was a sage in ancient India credited with writing the Yoga Sutras, 195 aphorisms (words of wisdom, direction, and inspiration) that teach how to live a meaningful, fulfilling life. Despite being written over 1,700 years ago, the Yoga Sutras remain as relevant to the modern yogi as their ancient counterpart. There have been hundreds of translations from this age-old Sanskrit text.  Over the next several months to a year, I am going to discuss a few of the sutras considered most relevant to today's yogi and share them with you on our blog. 

One translation of Sutra 1.1: "With humility, we embrace the sacred study of Yoga." Let's break this statement down.

With humility... the dictionary describes humility as "a modest or low view of one's own importance; humbleness." A few synonyms of the word humility are: shyness, demureness, docility, nonresistance, and unpretentiousness. When I examine these words what comes to mind is childlike and pure. In other words, we could begin the first statement as: "With childlike purity" or "With an open mind and heart"...

We embrace... the dictionary describes embrace as "an act of accepting or supporting something willingly or enthusiastically."  A few synonyms of the word embrace are: cultivate, follow, affirm, take on and act upon. Let's translate this as: "cultivate"...

Sacred...the dictionary describes sacred as "considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion."  A few synonyms of the word sacred are: cherished, divine, and revered.  Let's translate this as: "divine"...

Study... the dictionary describes study as "a state of contemplation." A few synonyms of the word study are: deliberation, consideration, commitment, and reflection. Let's translate this one as: "commitment"...

Of yoga...the dictionary describes yoga as "a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India."  A few synonyms of the word yoga are: harmony, equilibrium, union or unity. Let's use the translation "unity"...

And so, putting all of it together we now have our story for this month...

"With an open mind and heart, we cultivate a divine commitment to unity."

Our sassy seniors joyfully wave colorful scares in celebration of our divine commitment to practice in unity. We open our hearts to understanding unity of the body, mind, and spirit. Our hearts blossom to the realization that we are all one. 

You may say I'm a dreamer

but I'm not the only one.

I hope someday you'll join us

and the world will be as one.

- John Lennon

MM

Joyful Gratitude

We've often heard that happiness contributes to well-being. That's what we all want right, to be happy and well? Happiness is not something found outside of you. Happiness is already inside you, waiting to be discovered. Yoga can help us discover the joy that lives within us. How does it do this? By reducing our stress. Yoga increases our resilience to stress and awakens a sense of joyful gratitude. Most of our stress is caused by thoughts of something that has happened in the past or might happen in the future. Yoga helps us come into the present moment. As we move the body and become aware of the breath we let go of stress. 

This month we tune into the joy of being alive, grateful for the ability to move the body. We focus on the movements of the in-breath, opening the heart and lifting the arms, these movements cultivate a feeling of joy and gratitude. Our story; I am filled with joyful gratitude. 

We open with Breath of Joy pranayama. Breath of Joy energizes, uplifts and cleanses. It is a breathing practice that awakens your whole system. It increases oxygen levels in the bloodstream, circulates energy and detoxifies the body. It strengthens the arms and shoulders and makes you smile. 

A word of caution...you may become lightheaded. Find your rhythm. Breath of Joy is not recommended for anyone with untreated high blood pressure or any injuries of the head. 

Breath of Joy: Stand with feet hip distance apart and parallel, knees slightly bent. Inhale one-third of your lung capacity and swing your arms up in front of the body, bringing them parallel to each other at shoulder level, with the palms facing up. Continue to inhale to two-thirds of your capacity and stretch your arms out to the side at shoulder level. Inhale to full capacity and swing your arms parallel and overhead, palms face each other. Exhale completely with an open mouth audible "ha", bending the knees more deeply as you forward fold swinging your arms down and back behind you. Slowly and gently return to standing. Repeat several times and SMILE!

We invite you to take a moment to be grateful for your practice. Be grateful for whatever you may be experiencing. Be grateful for all you have accomplished and all who have helped along the way. Be grateful for where you are on your joy-filled journey. 

Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu...May all beings be happy, free and JOYOUS!

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Available now on Amazon!

The Impossible Dream; a Yoga Storytelling Adventure, our kid's yoga story book has successfully launched.  We are so excited...may The Impossible Dream travel far and wide and may children everywhere realize that, "Nothing is Impossible!"

The Impossible Dream is available for purchase here on our blog, just click on the Amazon link. If you go to Amazon directly use the entire title for the search, The Impossible Dream; a Yoga Storytelling Adventure. The book is also available on our website www.moving-tale.com, we would love for you to visit.

If you purchase a copy for yourself please leave a review at Amazon. Remember, Christmas is just around the corner and The Impossible Dream would make a great gift! If you purchase the book as a gift we would welcome a review from the recipient too. Thanks in advance for the complimentary reviews. We are forever grateful.

p.s. The book will soon be available for schools and libraries to purchase through Ingram/Baker and Taylor. Woohoo!

Please "like" and "share."

Kathe Hudson and Melanie Moyer
Yoga Teachers, Storytellers, Authors

Coming Soon! Our Book!

The Impossible Dream

A Yoga Storytelling Adventure

Kids Yoga Story

Here's a sneak peek at the cover...

Annabel Jones is our amazing illustrator. She is a sweetheart; we couldn't have found a more perfect fit, a fellow librarian who conducts Storytime!

and a sneak peek at the back cover promo...

     Once upon a time...deep in the swamplands, a young man embarks on an extraordinary adventure. Night after night he has the same strange dream until he can no longer ignore it. Find out what he discovers on his daring journey.

     The Impossible Dream encourages kids to express themselves through story and yoga. This book intended for ages 5 to 10 includes a full description of yoga poses. Make the story come alive as you go on a yoga storytelling adventure!

and a sneak peek at what the professionals are saying...

"As a parent in a bilingual family, reading The Impossible Dream with its beautiful message to my children helped reinforce our French language skills. As a library director in a bilingual province, I'll be sure to carry The Impossible Dream on my shelves. As a yoga teacher, I'm very pleased to have this valuable resource available to teachers and parents to encourage children to develop their physical literacy skills while learning about Acadian history."

Jenn Carson, Director of the LP Fisher Public Library

creator of www.yogainthelibrary.com, author of Physical Literacy:Movement-Based Library Programs

"When you flex the mind and the body, everything is possible."

Johnette Downing, Louisiana Roots Music and Books for Children 

"Keeyaw WOW! Nothing is impossible! Educators and former librarians Kathe Hudson and Melanie Moyer awaken the power of storytelling with a Cajun retelling of a classic folktale. Learning becomes effortless play in this lively tale written in rich language. The body comes along too combining story with yoga to inspire us to follow our dreams on a joyous journey of self-discovery. HOORAY for The Impossible Dream!"

Sydney Solis, founder of Storytime Yoga®

"The authors of this delightful story have captured an old tale and wrapped it into a Cajun version that will entertain, for true. They certainly won my Cajun heart."

Cheryl Floyd

Speaker-Storyteller

Heal Your Life® Teacher/Coach

a sneak peek at our intention...

Through the magic of story and the wisdom of yoga it is our sincere hope that children everywhere will remember, "Nothing is Impossible!"

For more information visit us at www.moving-tale.com

Please "like" and "share"!

Mahalo, we serve.

Body Appreciation

We often complain or criticize our bodies when in fact our bodies are amazing creations. Your body produces 25 million new cells each second. Every 13 seconds, you produce more cells than there are people in the United States. If you stretched out the 300,000,000 capillaries in your lungs end to end, the line would extend from Seattle to San Diego or about 1,300 miles. With the 60,000 miles of blood vessels inside the average human body, you could circumnavigate earth two and a half times. Our muscles are actually incredibly more powerful than they appear to be. Human strength is limited to protect our tendons and muscles from harming themselves. This limitation can be removed during an adrenaline rush, during which some people have lifted boulders or even cars off themselves. 

"I am in awe of my body." - Henry David Thoreau

Your relationships with other people through out your lifetime - with your parents, spouses, children, friends, and teachers - will shift as time passes and situations change. As long as you are alive, however your body is always with you. You body is designed to guide you, keep you safe, and bring you full vitality. It has seen you through love and loss, pleasure and pain, challenge and growth. It is the vehicle through which you create and manifest your thoughts and dreams into reality. Your body deserves to be appreciated for every experience it has given you, and every way it has supported you. 

Our story this month is "I appreciate my body." We encourage you to ask, "How do I feel?" rather than "How do I look?" when practicing yoga. 

MM

Give these two Warrior poses a try, they are a gift to your body.

Warrior I: from mountain pose, take a big step back with the left foot; turn the back foot to a 45 degree angle. Square the shoulders and hips to the front of the mat. Inhale and lift the arms overhead, lengthening the spine. Soften the shoulders down. Exhale and bend the right knee. Make sure your knee is directly over your ankle not in front of the ankle; you should be able to see your toes. Come out of the pose by lowering the arms and straightening the front leg. Step back up into mountain and repeat on the opposite side. 

Warrior II: from mountain pose, step back with the left foot. Turn your back foot to a 90 degree angle by picking up the toes and pivoting on the heel. The shoulders and hips are square to the side of the mat. Inhale and lift the arms to shoulder height lengthening the spine, palms facing down reach out through the fingertips, exhale and bend the right knee, knee over the ankle. Gaze out over the fingertips of the right hand. Come out of the pose by lowering the arms and straightening the front leg. Step back up into mountain and repeat on the opposite side. 

Pranayama; Energy of the Breath

Pranayamas are yogic breathing exercises. Ancient yogis observed the power of the breath and its ability to increase one's life force. They developed these breathing techniques to increase life energy and maintain health as well as create a calm, clear state of mind. 

The word "prana" refers to energy and "yama" means regulation or control. Pranayama is often considered breath control. Prana is the breath yet more than the breath. It is the energy or life force that keeps us alive. Practiced correctly, pranayama brings health to body, mind and spirit. Here are a few of the many benefits to the practice of pranayama. 

• Calms and rejuvenates the body and mind
• Improves focus and concentration
• Increases energy
• Boosts the immune system and the nervous system
• Slows down the aging process

As we age we often become shallow breathers. Therefore, we always practice deep breathing with our Sassy Seniors. This month we took deep breaths in and deep breaths out as we blew on bright, sunny pinwheels...our story; Breath is Energy. 

Fifi and Mel

In order to breathe properly you need to breathe deeply into your abdomen, not just your chest. Breathing exercises should be deep, slow, rhythmic and through the nose. In yoga there are many forms of breath control. Here are a few yogic breath techniques to try and you won't even need a pinwheel!

Equal Breathing; this is just what it sounds like...a steady even breath where the inhale is equal to the exhale in duration. The breath is slow and steady. Begin regulating your breaths to three to four seconds in and three to four seconds out. Equal breathing calms the mind and brings a sense of balance to the body. 

Ujjayi; this is a form of breath control that is commonly practiced in yoga. Ujjayi is an audible breath. It is often called "ocean breath." Breathe in and out through the nose as you slightly constrict the throat. Again the breath is slow and steady, three to four seconds in, and three to four seconds out. Ujjayi tones the immune and nervous systems, improving focus and so much more. 

Alternate Nostril Breathing; this form of pranayama looks and feels funny but it has many benefits. Use your right hand to alternate closing off the nostrils. Lightly press the thumb on the outside of the right nostril, the index and middle fingers rest on your third eye, inhale through the left nostril only. Now close off the left nostril with your ring finger, release the thumb and exhale through the right nostril. Repeat the process inhaling through the right and exhaling through the left. This makes one round. Remember...slow and steady. Begin with three rounds and increase as you get comfortable with the practice. Alternate nostril breathing brings balance to the body and the mind; it lowers the heart rate and relieves stress. 

Happy Breathing!

Transformation

The practice of yoga is a deeply transformative experience that can change our life. If we decide to embark on the journey of yoga as a way of life, not simply as an exercise, transformation will materialize. Transformation can sometimes be difficult but the reward is unsurpassed. Yes we can transform our bodies by regular asana practice, but we can transform our entire life when we practice yoga off the mat every day. We can transform any limited belief about ourselves into awareness of our divine potential. By diligent awareness we can stay kind even in unpleasant situations, we can be considerate even when we feel harassed, and we can be truthful even when it hurts. This is living our yoga!

Transformation is not always difficult. Transformation can be a joy and a pleasure as natural as turning flour into mouthwatering bread or cake, raw vegetables in to a flavorful soup or turning dried tea leaves into an aromatic brew. 

Shirley stirs up a cake!

This month our Sassy Seniors transformed flour and sugar into cake. We sang as we stirred, "If I knew you were coming I'd have baked you a cake." I continue to learn a lot from these seniors. Every day is a new day for seniors with memory problems. Every moment is a new moment for them. While most of us struggle to stay "in the now" they quickly let go of the past. While some of us have a hard time forgiving they never seem to hold on to a grudge. While we may sometimes forget to be grateful they often smile and say thank you. - MM