A Supermoon, the month of February, & Fibromyalgia walk into a bar…….

If you are looking for an uplifting I am sorry this is not one of them. As we reached the end of January my emotions go all places that are associated with sadness and anything that could make me happy doesn’t….I just tend to go through the motions and hope for the best. So, if you have made it this far and want to continue…sit back relax and figure out how the fuck I make it through everyday without killing everything.

On the last day of Jan 2018 the universe decided to have a supermoon/redmoon/bluemoon/lunarEclipse which sent me into the biggest, most intense, most painful flare up of my fibromyalgia I had ever experienced. I didn’t know my body could revolt this much causing myself and my stressed out mother to contemplate going to the ER. For those who know me personally understand that my pain tolerance is high, higher than most due to the chronic pain I have experienced in and through the passed 3-4 years. But, I have always been able to work through it. This was different. It was a constant burning, aching sensation in my back, chest, and shoulders. My hands were numb and it hurt to move. My mother tried to console me to try and not raise my blood pressure more, but nothing would help. It got to the point it hurt to inhale and exhale. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but finally after 5 hours of this, I fell asleep and woke up 75% of the way better…..and as I finish this post I’m right back on track to being 150% better. But, it was scary. I have never and don’t want to be in that position again. I am 26 years old and should be able to take on the world and the reality is I can’t and I have to come to terms with this.

One of the biggest reasons that I despise the month of February is the passing of my older brother. Three years ago on the 21st of February my older brother Johan unexpectedly passed away. For those who don’t know my older brother struggled with depression, anxiety, and addiction for close to 10 years. He was and will forever be my best friend, the nicest man I know, and the best older brother I could have ever asked for. He was gentle, kind, caring, and just a teddy bear. I was beyond lucky to have him for 23 years of my life and I miss him every moment of every day. The pain of loosing someone doesn’t leave, it doesn’t get easier, time allows us to adapt to the grief and learn what the new normal is. He is fantastic in life and in death. And for everyone that asks if I miss him, here is my response: of fucking course I miss him, I’m a human with feelings (damn this is nice to say).

So, now you know during February when you see me just know I’m trying my best. I’m trying my best to keep it together and moving forward and maintaining some sense of sanity (even though mine is not around anymore). I am trying my best. I am trying to survive each day. And I am just trying to be a normal human (this is forever impossible). Just know I’m putting whatever I have into each day to deal with my life.

I am forever grateful for my jobs, for my life, and for who I am as a person. I wouldn’t change anything even though some days seem impossible. Thank you for reading, know that you are a special human, and we are all just trying to make it this existence.

Until next time, stay bendy.

Leah

A much needed break…

When working at so many places putting in 10-14 hour days and feeling like life has hit you in the face and leaves you wanting to crawl into a hole and slowly whither away…and let me tell you it finally did me in. I was exhausted , overworked, and not making hardly any money after paying bills. So, I had to re evaluate some aspects of my life. What was working, what wasn’t working, and what needed to change so I could be living a more successful life. So, what did I do? I quick one job and got hired at another place, decided to beef up my yoga schedule to try and get more reliable income (still working on that), and decided to just pay off two credit cards in full draining my back accounts. Some things were done in the spur of the moment, others were done with a lot of thought and consideration. I have also had to shift how I think and feel about certain aspects of my life. How I do thinks? Can I do them better? How can I take care of myself better? And the best part is…I still don’t have any answers to any questions, I’m still lost in this crazy thing called life and I have a feeling this is going to be a permanent state of mind for a while. Do I enjoy being in this confusing state, no absolutely not. But, I know that it is necessary for me to be here; even though I may not enjoy any part of it. But, with this weird state, I am in and with myself just working my life into the grave, I know that good things are on the horizon. That if I can hold out for just a bit longer, things will be happier and healthier in my life. I’ll quote journey for a second, “don’t stop believing,” and that is just what I intend to do. Until next time everyone. Light, love, & Namaste.

Leah

COME TO A YOGA LIVE STREAM!

Hello Everyone! I hope you are all having a wonderful day! I am inviting you all to join me for my live stream TODAY MAY 2nd through PowHow.com at 9am CST. The live stream will be an all levels, beginner friendly, and all sizes and ages yoga class! AND THE BEST PART IS IT IS ONLY $4! If you are interested Click HERE to register.

CAN’T MAKE IT TO THE LIVE STREAM? NO PROBLEM PURCHASE THE VIDEO BY CLICKING HERE

Hope to see you on your yoga mat…..literally! Thanks for being awesome!

The Curvy Yogini

GET YOUR ZEN ON!!!

Namaste Yogis and Yoginis,

Come ZEN and BEND it out tonight at the Sugar Grove Park District in the Prairie Building from 7pm-8pm for Zen Yoga!!! This is a restorative type yoga class that focuses on breathing and getting rid of stress in the body, by stretching and relaxing.

Hope to see you in class!!! And may the 4th be with you!!!

The Curvy Yogini ❤️

The Week Of Sickness = Corpse Pose for Seven Days Straight

Hello Everyone, I hope you are having a lovely, relaxing, and HEALTHY weekend….a huge emphasis on the healthy part, because I have been sick for about the last five days straight. No, it isn’t Ebola or the Measles or Strep Throat….it’s just a nasty head cold virus that has to work its way out. I’m at the stage of the cold where I don’t have a voice and I’m hacking up a bunch of stuff (I won’t go into detail about that…..that’s a bit to much TMI). But, I am also at the stage where I feel the need to disinfect everything……I feel gross….therefore everything I touch feels really gross…..lets just say I had my mom (yes I live with my mom….you don’t go into the yoga teaching profession if you want to be rich) get Clorox Disinfecting Wipes and Other various cleaning products. I have had to cancel a ton of classes this week because of this head cold and I have been watching youtube videos and playing my favorite video games (yes I am a nerdy yoga teacher that likes video games and documentaries). But, since I have had to cancel classes this week I thought I would post a couple yoga sequences, with music according to each style, and references for each yoga pose….so you can still get your yoga at home. Namaste.

See you on your Mat!!

The Curvy Yogini

Vinyasa Yoga Mini Sun A and Sun B Series

Start in an easy cross legged seated position, hands on the tops of your knees, eyes closed. Stay here for 10 breaths (in through the nose out through the month)

(after the ten breaths) Inhale the arms up over your head, exhale drop the right hand down to your yoga mat, inhale up through the left arm (still over your head), and exhale reach the left arm up and over your head and gently rest your left hand on your right shoulder as your twist your chest to the ceiling (hold for 3 breaths) Repeat on the other side and hold for three breaths

Inhale both hands over your head and exhale transition into a table top position and do five sets of cat cows (inhale cow & exhale for cat). Table Top, Cow Pose, and Cat Pose reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqnua4rHVVA

Inhale back to a table top position and slowly all the way down to your stomach. Keeping the hands underneath the shoulders, inhale cobra pose hold for 3 breaths. Cobra Pose reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgvolE4NAH0

Exhale lower down to your stomach, inhale press up to a table top position, and exhale tuck the toes, press into the mat, and come into downward facing dog. Downward Facing Dog reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayRU3ecmPbI

Sun Saluation A

Starting in Downward Dog, inhale look between your hands, exhale walk your feet between your hands, hinge at your hips, hands down to the mat, and stay here in forward fold for 2 breaths. Forward Fold reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrp6Q_QyDkc

Inhale Mountain pose w/arms up over your head (not shown in the video), reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATLU-XX_lro Exhale forward fold, inhale half way lift reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbMtkw5-qlQ exhale high plank reference video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMR5ikcgWaI

Take a deep inhale and as you exhale lower all the way down to your stomach, inhale cobra pose, exhale lower down to your stomach, inhale press up into high plank, and exhale down dog.

REPEAT SUN SALUTATION A 3 TIMES!!!

Sun Salutation B

Starting in Down Dog, inhale look between your hands, exhale travel your feel between, and come into a forward fold. Inhale half way lift and exhale forward fold (this stabilizes out your back and spine)

Inhale Chair Pose (bring legs together to touch, arms up over your head (biceps right by your ears), and sink your tailbone low (like you’re doing a wall sit). Chair Pose reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWsUHtwRGvI stay here for 2 breaths, than exhale into a forward fold, inhale immediately into a halfway lift, exhale high plank, inhale and exhale lower down to your stomach, inhale cobra, exhale lower down to your stomach, inhale high plank, and exhale downward facing dog.

Inhale your right leg high, reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2yYLDg4tR0, and exhale low lunge (plant your lifted foot between your hands). Inhale Warrior 2, reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbIrd6onJwQ, exhale extended side angle, reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPbp3o6jD7s, inhale reverse warrior, reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx3Tn3tGJfY, and exhale cartwheel your hands down to the mat, inhale high plank, and exhale downward facing dog. Repeat on the left side

REPEAT SUN SALUTATION B 3 TIMES

Music you can use for this mini series (upbeat techno): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lptp0pG-80

Restorative/Yin Yoga Mini Series

Start laying on your back, eyes close, take 10 breaths (inhale through your nose and exhale out through your mouth)

Each Pose will be held for 3 minutes

Supine Twist on the left (hold for three) and on the right (hold for three) reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elI403TmzZY

Reclined Butterfly Pose reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4guzdc7EiQs

Waterfall Pose reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EznG1cH5A4Q

Seated forward fold reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyiFhjwWXkw

Wide legged seated forward fold reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT5Cfzw4Jqw

Than bring the legs back together and lay all the way down on your back and come into Reclined Butterfly Pose one more time (hold for at least three mins)

After the three mins are up hug both knees into your chest hold for 4 breaths and then exhale into your final resting pose which can be anything and stay there for as long as your need.

Music for this series (nature/relaxing music): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOEvKulq2sY

With Each Exhale Let Any Unwanted Thoughts Melt Off Your Body.

Stress, stress, & more stress…..Every person deals with stress….it’s a daily part of life….but for people like me or people who have medical issues it can be hell on earth. Stress makes my body swell up, my joints tighten, and my sanity leave completely. It becomes extremely hard to control and my body feels like the it is revolting and killing itself. Violent? Yes, all the violence….but unfortunately it’s my life. But, there are some ways that I can counter attack the stress. YOGA is my number one destresser. My body feels like it can do no wrong, I can work all of my muslces, and the low impact of yoga makes my joints happy. Another HUGE destresser is Reiki. If you do not know what Reiki is….Reiki is a Japanese practice of using energy to heal the body. I am a certified level 2 Reiki Practitionor. I do reiki on myself most of the time, but my favorite is when I go get a reiki session done. It helps promote healing and destresses me. Massage and acupunture are amazing…..but my favorite thing to do to release stress is SLEEP. I’m a narcolep so sleep is my best friend. If I don’t get enough sleep I get really sick. So all of these techniques combined help me destress, get through life, and continue being me. I will wrap up todays post with a small bit of advice…..Don’t overthink things & smile.
Have a wonderful weekend & I will see you on your mat!

The Curvy Yogini

Restore Your Mind, Body, & Soul

When you (yes I am talking to you) think of yoga, what comes to your mind? Workout, zent out, bending, relaxation, or another word? People go to yoga classes for different reasons, whether it be emotional, physical, or a combination of both. Personally I got into yoga for strictly stress management. I was just starting college, working, and was in a long term relationship at the time. So I felt like I was being pulled in about 30 different directions and my health started to decline at a slow steady rate. I would always go to the gym and just do strictly cardio. It was either the eliptical or stairmaster….and with bad ankles (from 6 years of soccer) it was very painful. It would only cut my stress in half on a good workout and I would go home in more pain that when I left. So, I saw my gym offered yoga classes and I decided to go to one. I went to a Yin Yoga Class and the instructors name was Kim. I loved the class, the instructor was fine, and I decided to make this a weekly type of thing. And just with replacing one of my workouts with a Yin Yoga Class I saw my stress level slowly be cut in half. To this day I love teaching my restorative yoga class. I call it a nap in a yoga class, because yes my students stretch and get into the muscle fashia and connective tissue, but I add a more relaxing vibe to the class. I also incorporate my Reiki Training into the class as well. Granted do I have a Restorative Certificate….no…no I don’t. But, I have taken workshops, I practice restorative yoga on a daily basis, and I do a lot of research in the yin/restorative arena of yoga. So, I am qualified to teach it, I just haven’t spent the money to get a piece of paper saying I know restorative yoga. People (even in yoga) get so worked up over not having specific certifications. I understand being a certified yoga teacher is important, I understand that, I am that..but, just becuase I don’t have a restorative certificate…just because I didn’t want to spend $400 to get it…..because I don’t have $400. People think I don’t know what I am talking about…makes me sad sometimes. So, I leave you with….don’t judge a book by its cover and be informed before you speak.
I hope you all can take a Restorative Yoga Class this week , it may change your opinions on some things.

See you on your mat,

The Curvy Yogini