In 2010 I saw an advertisement that Georgian College in Orangeville was offering Yoga Teacher’s Training. I fell in love with yoga at a young age, during the time where I could only go to a yoga class through my VHS system. I moved to Calgary in 2008 to complete my Masters of Social Work degree and it was during this time that I was introduced to yoga - opening my eyes to the power of collective action and a community where we were able to hold space and energy for one another. When I saw the opportunity to become a yoga teacher, I jumped! Again, this was a time in our community where there were no yoga studios and the concept of yoga and meditation was still “weird”. Now that I have my own children and a busy work life, I no longer teach yoga, but I can confidently say that my foundation of a therapist came from yoga and mediation. For me, being mindful means inviting a curiosity about your body, mind and environment, allowing for acceptance of the moment and non-judgement for difficult thoughts, emotions, behaviour and body sensations. Mindfulness allows us for a pause in often our busy life, and allows for breathing on purpose, noticing the body and mind sensations that go along with your breath. It is a POWERFUL thing! Mindfulness meditation can help with stress, emotional regulation, and psychological flexibility. Mindfulness does not mean you have to sit cross legged, clearing your mind. You can be mindful while going for a walk, knitting, creating art, listening to music or listening to a mediation script.
Comments