The Importance of Taking a Time Out

My oh my -- has it been a week since my last post? It goes to show that a regular ole yogini like me (who has years of practice under her fold-over yoga pants) can lose track of time and...well, lose her presence. One minute you think you're here, now and then poof -- you're off in la-la land far away from true presence. I find myself doing what I would do during meditation -- acknowledging my absence and coming back.

Yet I realize that I'm a little slow in the acknowledgment this time around. Or perhaps it's the acceptance rather than the acknowledgment. I was well aware of my lack of presence last week but I was resisting it a bit. And as we all know -- resisting gets you more or what you're not wanting. So resistance coupled with a void in the presence department has me feeling a bit "off."

I could take a lesson from some of my yoga teachings, yet I find that my lesson this week comes from a 2.5 year old (yes, sometimes sages come in small packages). Yesterday I watched as a little cutie get upset over not getting her way (sound familiar?). The situation escalated as someone tried to force the toddler to do something. It looked as though a meltdown (complete with kicking, screaming, and lots of tears) was imminent. Magically, the situation was diffused when I literally called a halt to the situation, took a breath, and gave us all a time-out from our previous situation. Yes, folks, time-outs aren't just for the toddler set. We could all use a time-out, especially when things start escalating into panic, anxiety, negative self-talk, etc.

So my simple toddler-inspired yogic advice for you when time seems to be slipping on by and you're feeling like you're along for the ride rather than being present:

• Hold up! (yes, literally say that to yourself)
• Take a deep inhale and a deep, slow, smooth exhale. Repeat 5-6 more times.
• Ask yourself what's happening now?
• Say "thanks for sharing."
• Give yourself a healthy dose of compassion and acceptance for where you are right now (even if you want to change it)

Viola! Simple, yet effective. Right now I'm working on the compassion and acceptance part. I'm here even though I want to be "there." That's the way it is. No big deal. I won't always be here. But for right now, I'm here. And I'm going to indulge myself in a little time-out. I hope that you allow yourself the same luxury.

Before I sign off, I want to share a few cool links with you that I think you'll enjoy:

• There's a lot of talk about bone loss in the media, and you may feel well-informed. But do you know the very cool bone basics? Check out this NY Times article to learn a little something about bones that I bet you didn't know before. 
• WomensHealthMag.com is launching a yoga channel. The new channel offers detailed yoga workouts, stress-management solutions, weight-loss advice, slideshows, how-to videos, and a rich library of poses, descriptions, and instructions. Click here to learn more. 
• Are you hankering for a little feel-good music? A friend sent me a link to the wonderful, inspiring music of "renaissance goddess" Amy Steinberg. A few minutes of listening and you're guaranteed a smile. Click here to listen. 
• Are you a victim of brain fog? If so, I highly recommend Mark Hyman's new book, The UltraMind Solution. Dr. Hyman offers an easy to-follow plan for physical and mental health and lots of wonderful information about how our environment affects our health. Just recently Dr. Hyman launched an online store offering supplements mentioned in the book. If you're interested in staving off aging and improving your overall health and quality of life, you'll definitely want to check it out. 
• Intrigued by the chakras? If so, click here to get a free 7-day chakra workout along with a host of other chakra resources. And since we're on the topic of chakras, I highly recommend the lovely jewelry from the folks over at ChakraVibe. I'm wearing the Warrior necklace right now and I absolutely love it. The customer service is excellent, the prices are more than resonable, the pieces are lovely, and the packaging is environmentally-friendly. What more could you ask for? If you're looking for a lovely gift for someone or you'd like to treat yourself to a lovely piece of jewelry, check out ChakraVibe.

That's it for today. Here's to staying present and to having compassion for ourselves for those times when we're not.

Namaste!

Comments

[Liz]

I have a G2 fitness mat that I love to use, especially when I travel. I got it from g2fit.com and its great because it has the poses right on the mat

[Diane Cesa]

Love it Sylvia! I've already received quite a few compliments on it. Thank you!

[Sylvia]

Thank you for the mention and comment in your blog. I am very happy to hear that you are enjoying your Warrior necklace.
Namaste from Chakravibe

[Diane Cesa]

You're welcome Kim! So glad that these words resonated with you!

[Kim Belanger-Mills]

I love this "I find myself doing what I would do during meditation -- acknowledging my absence and coming back." I never thought of it that way, so thanks!