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Background Perspective taking, defined as the aptitude to understand the cognitive, affective, and visual point of view of others, represents a fundamental social ability for the development of socio‐cognitive and affective skills. Aims The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possibility of promoting perspective taking in typically developmental preschoolers ... |
New anatomic structure in the ankle joint described by a team of researchers could explain why many ankle injuries produce chronic pain.
From Obese, Diabetic and Suicidal to National Fitness Champion Lakewood, WA – Two days after her 45th birthday, the news that Lori Yates had...
The post From Obese, Diabetic and Suicidal to National Fitness Champion: The Stunning Transformation of Lori Yates appeared first on Anytime Fitness Blog.
Enjoy this crisp and refreshing salad for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
The post Watermelon Salad with Feta & Mint appeared first on Under Armour.
Fermented dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, quark, kefir, and sour milk can protect you from heart disease. So, include more fermented dairy products to your diet and prevent heart attack.
Analysis of the US death rate in a new study shows that young men are more likely to die in the summer while older people in winter, regardless of the regional climate.
It’s gourd season! Butternut squash, spaghetti squash, pumpkins, and acorn squash are filling the grocery store aisles with rich fall colors. These gourds are heavy, both physically and nutritionally. They are filled with fiber and antioxidants, and they work as a beautiful canvas to sweet and savory flavors alike. With this recipe, we jumped on the […]
The post CSA Haul Recipe of the Week: Stuffed Acorn Squash with Couscous appeared first on Johnson Fitness.
How often have you heard that “magic happens outside the comfort zone”? Well, maybe not that exact line, per se, but there seems to be various reiterations of that sentiment. They say to not let fear stand in our way. To rise above. To not let fear of falling bring us down (I think that was actually a song lyric from my college graduation montage.)
In any case, the self-help psychology market often urges us to transcend our fears and to conquer what’s in front of us.
For the most part, that’s not bad advice. (And I’ve read plenty of personal development blogs over the years, too.) If we have certain desires, and fears and anxieties interfere, then logically speaking, we absolutely can work to resolve these emotional issues.
However, it’s not always black-and-white.
Sometimes, there’s a line. A line between overcoming what we are afraid of and abstaining from what generates fear. That line is what brings me to writing this very blog post.
I tend to think that, at times, fear can be our body’s way of communicating a problem and it’s only natural for us to listen to our body and avoid said problem. Fear can easily be an emotional message that tells us to stay away from red-flagged situations, from situations outside our comfort zone that are not conducive to our emotional well-being, let alone feel “magical.”
And that’s okay.
I don’t think we lose points for not daring ourselves to be uncomfortable. Sometimes, being comfortable trumps the alternative, and it’s at these junctures that I want to listen to my body’s form of communication. It’s during these moments that I want to follow the instinct that says, “Hey Lauren, I know it’s cool that you’re leaving your comfort zone and trying something new and challenging yourself, but maybe you’re taking it too far here. Maybe it’s not really worth the fear and anxiety that you’re feeling due to the discomfort.”
In such circumstances, fear can be our friend. Fear is a warning signal that is instructing us to tread carefully, to avoid something that might be emotionally problematic. Fear is trying to help us navigate situations that can be overwhelming — and for good reason. Fear is not always a feeling that needs to be thwarted and transcended.
I’ve come across writing by Lissa Rankin, M.D., a NY Times bestselling author, wellness agent, and physician who talks about the beneficial aspects of fear.
She discusses how fear is certainly essential to our survival. Just how our ancestors needed to flee in dangerous situations, we too listen to fear when we come face-to-face with a deadly dilemma. Rankin labels this, “true fear.”
When true fear manifests, we don’t even contemplate how to take action, we just instinctively listen to the fear and make sure we are out of harm’s way. That being said, we don’t exactly find ourselves being chased by wild animals often, nor are we on the edge of a literal cliff frequently (At least I’d hope not.)
“True fear can also be subtle,” Rankin says. “True fear may show up as an intuitive knowing that says, ‘I’m not letting my child spend the night at that person’s house.’ It can show up as a dream, an inner voice, or a gut feeling that something bad is about to happen.”
In scenarios that do not reflect true fear, Rankin explains that this brand of fear, while not rooted in immediate danger, can still alert us to problems that we may want to pay attention to; in this kind of situation, fear can become our teacher.
This is what I hope this blog post can convey. Fear that arises in our lives is not always meant to be overcome. It’s not always the enemy, meant to be stopped in its tracks. It’s not alway meant to be associated with the self-help psychology that dares us to challenge ourselves. (Rise above!)
On the contrary, fear can teach us how to move forward and how to rein in distress. Fear can be an inner voice, an inner voice that is hoping to communicate an important message when the comfort zone line becomes rather blurry.
Fear can be an inner voice that can ultimately help us.
Continue reading "The Best New Music for Yoga: October 2018 Edition" on Yoga Basics.com
Wouldn’t you love to feel more empowered to release your chronic stress and tension? Don’t you wish stress management were as simple as a breathing exercise or meditation technique?
We all carry stress around as we move through our busy, pressured lives. But stress management actually can be simple! There are some simple breathing exercises and vocalization practices you can try at home that are easy and effective.
Even just a few minutes a day can help reset your energy and nervous system so that you can feel more relaxed and balanced.
Here are five simple techniques you can use to help relieve stress and tension. These include breathing exercises and vocalization practices that have been used for millennia to create health and balance. With healing voice practices, you use your own voice power to bring healing vibrations to your system.
As you try these practices, bring an intention to not only release stress and tension, but also to increase your awareness of what’s going on for you on a physical and emotional level. Awareness is the beginning and the key to all healing.
The more you become aware of the subtle tensions and traumas that are present for you, the more empowered you’ll be to begin healing them.
There are many powerful breathing practices. But, here is one very simple and effective breathing exercise that you can try to start with.
To practice: First, take a few deep, conscious, healing breaths into your belly to bring yourself to the here and now, finding total presence. Notice any sensations or emotions that are present for you, and just let them be there.
Take a conscious breath into your crown at the top of your head. As you exhale, imagine healing energy flowing down your body as if it’s pure golden liquid. Feel it move down through your head, neck, and torso and then into your hips, down your legs, and out your feet.
Awareness is the beginning and the key to all healing.
Now, take another breath from deep down in the earth and draw it up into your feet, grounding and settling you. Feel your feet on the floor, and feel the floor supporting you as you let go of tension.
Take one more breath into your crown, allowing healing energy and even wisdom to flow down your body and, again, out your feet. As you do this, imagine all of the tension you’ve been carrying around draining out of you.
Next, try a humming practice. You may occasionally find yourself humming a song you like or that you got stuck in your head. It turns out this can be a therapeutic form of stress management!
When you hum, you keep the sound and the vibration inside you, bringing resonance and healing to you from deep inside. With this practice, we hum long tones.
To practice: Just bring your lips together, push them out slightly, and begin humming on a pitch that feels comfortable. As you do this, notice where you feel the vibration in your body. You may also choose to direct your humming sound to a particular place in your body that feels tense.
Stress management actually can be simple!
Try varying your pitch higher and lower. You may feel a vibration higher up in your body as you hum higher pitches and vice versa.
Feel free to play and experiment. You can also imagine the sound flowing up and down the center of your spine as the healing sound spreads through your body. Try doing this practice for five to 10 minutes a day for a couple of weeks, and notice how you start to feel more grounded and balanced throughout your day.
AH is such a basic sound that we all make at different times, and for good reason. It can express so much – no matter what you’re feeling. It’s powerful for opening your heart area and your voice as well.
To practice: Just take a deep breath into your belly, focus on your heart, and begin sounding “AH.” Imagine a rainbow light emanating from your heart and expanding outward to heal the world around you. You may also set an intention to allow stress and tension to be “sounded” out of you.
OM is said to be the primordial sound of the universe – the sound that’s always been present. It’s a very healing and centering sound that balances your system on every level.
To practice: Again, just take a deep breath and begin making the sound “OM.”
OM and AH are basic healing sounds that you can chant daily. The longer you practice them, the more you’ll notice a difference in your sense of groundedness, peace, and balance.
With any of these sounding practices, don’t worry about whether or not you have a “good voice” or whether it sounds pretty. The idea is to bring healing vibrations to your system. Vocalizing is healing and empowering for all of us!
After these practices, you may want to move into meditation. If you haven’t meditated before, here is a simple practice you can try.
To practice: Just try mindfully following your breath for several minutes as you sit in stillness. If you find your attention wandering, gently bring it back to your breath.
Still need more stress management? Try Yoga For Stress Relief: De-Stress With This 30-Minute Yoga Sequence
There are so many powerful stress-releasing and balancing practices in addition to these. Feel free to experiment with these (or others!) to see what works best for you.
The more you work with them, the more comfortable you’ll become, and the more you’ll notice a healing effect.
You may eventually feel as if your body, emotions, and nervous system are healing and re-setting so that you’re more balanced and peaceful in your daily life.
The post Stressed Out? Use These 5 Simple Exercises for Seriously Effective Stress Management appeared first on YogiApproved™.
Take your yoga practice to a new level by increasing your flexibility with the help of the Total Gym. If you practice yoga regularly or are just getting into a yoga practice, there is always something to work on and improve.
In order to gain flexibility, you have to train the muscles to be flexible in all range of motion. Stretching is just as important as working out. Lengthening your muscles prevents injury, helps your body move more efficiently, and it helps your muscles recover.
So, I will say, flexibility is the key to enhanced movement success.
Yoga is a beautiful thing. It can be done at any age, at any physical level, and can be sustained for a lifetime. Honoring your body’s strengths and limitations will allow for growth to occur each time you practice.
That being said, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Recognizing what your body needs will help improve your overall skills and wellbeing. For instance, if you are naturally strong, you may need to work on improving your flexibility by lengthening the muscles and relaxing into a pose. However, if you are blessed with flexibility, then strength training is needed to compliment your ‘bendiness’ for muscular strength and joint stability.
The Total Gym is known for its versatility for strength training, but it’s also the perfect equipment to enhance your flexibility. Depending on the incline level, you can achieve stretches that may be difficult performing from the floor. Here are a few benefits you can expect from stretching on your Total Gym.
Let’s take your yoga practice to the next level by enhancing your flexibility with a series of stretches on your Total Gym.
Check out the video to see how these stretches are performed on your Total Gym.
Utilizing the Total Gym for stretching techniques will improve your flexibility skills and enhance your yoga practice. Flexibility is the key to longevity!
Namaste,
Maria
The post Total Gym Stretches to Enhance Your Yoga Practice appeared first on Total Gym Pulse.
Opioid addicted pregnant women are giving more births in rural hospitals, where both maternity care and substance use treatment are limited.
