#opentograce

[kericyoga]

#WeAreAnusara - Day 1 - #FirstPrinciple #SetTheFoundationAndOpenToGrace #OpenToGrace ... It might seem like the First Principle is actually two principles, but it is not. “Set The Foundation” AND “Open To Grace” are two sides of the same coin. You cannot have heads without tails. You cannot have a one-sided coin. “Set The Foundation” creates the physical context for a yoga pose and “Open To Grace” creates a spiritual context. You can substitute other words for “Grace” if you’d like. Some of my favorites are “Spirit,” “The One,” “The Universe,” “Divine Energy,” or simply “something bigger than ourselves.” We open to something bigger in the yoga practice in a number of different ways; taking a deep breath, softening our hearts, remembering our intentions, closing our eyes, imagining possibilities, clearing our minds, taking our awareness inside, listening to the Universe, etc. I chose #childspose to represent “Open to Grace” because it is a humble pose in which I imagine myself bowing before the awesome power of the Universe and inviting her to dance with me in my practice. ... #yogaday #yogaguy #yogafit #yogafun #yogaplay #yogachallenge #yogainspiration #yogalife #yogalove #yogabody #yogapose #yogaeveryday #yogafam #yogadaily #yogacommunity #instayoga (at Los Angeles, California)

[giannichavez]

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|Dance with your own breath| La vida es movimiento, es fluidez, es transformación La vida es ir hacia adentro, es reencontrarte, es amarte. La vida es y solo es. Hoy clase 20:45 en @anugrahaestudio, Valentin Gomez 3377, 1er Piso - CABA. #makeshifthappen #anusarayoga #anusara #opentograce #yoga #flow #movement #buenosaires #caba #bayres #argentina #yogaargentina #almagro #giannichavez #cocreate (at Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires)

[cbryant1707]

Words Matter... The other day I asked the question on Facebook-“What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear or see the word “cobalt”?” In response 75 people to date have answered the question with answers from the colour blue, to guns, boats, cars, grandma’s China, remembrances of specific friends, cars, motorcycles, cancer treatment, mining, wars, cell phones, tools, paint, metal, periodic tables, beer, glass, Noxzema....the list goes on. The point is, words have so much power. They remind us of where we have been, things we’ve seen, experienced, felt...they create. In Sanskrit the word “word” is translated as Matrika Shakti, which literally means “little mother’s who create”. Words are powerful creators. If one seemingly benign word like “cobalt” can create so many stories and emotions (yes, some of the responses actually made me cry from this one little word!) how much more do our sentences create? What about the words we only speak to ourselves, the ones in our heads? Would we say these words to anyone we love? Why would we create in ourselves what we wouldn’t wish on another? What about the flippant remarks we make? What about the words we type behind screens or the stories we tell to “just that one person”? Our words have the power to create. Are we using words to create intentionally? Do we like what we are creating? The beautiful thing is we can always choose to use our words wisely. We can choose an intention and re remember each time we forget. Just for today may we be in awe and respect of the power of our words. May we guard our words, use them, honour them and wield them like the magical and powerful tool they are. May we be intentional. You matter so much more than you think. You are powerful, my love! Sparkle on! #matrikashakti #words #power #intentional #yogaoffthemat #setyourintention #opentograce #alignment #attitude #action #create #createyourlife #youmatter #wordsmatter #wordscreate #magic (at Bayfront, Sarasota) https://www.instagram.com/p/B80GH4pnPEf/?igshid=1cez8qdv7x4ut

[m-a-e-x]

If a friend shows you a weak spot. And you put a finger in it. #fear - #trust #trustissues - #soft #softness #opentograce - #life #keepshowingup #for #your #growth #bepresent https://www.instagram.com/p/B7S1GyTI4zy/?igshid=kr87ty2psj5i

[yifenn]

She’s got a friend ! #ceramics #sculpture #handbuiltpottery #opentograce #dancerinspired #yifennart #yifennstrickland #wilmingtonnc #lelandart #kurebeach #ncpottery https://www.instagram.com/p/BykTTuMhjrI/?igshid=gkmnbmmg97hh

[repertoire-art-design]

National Yoga Month!

Spread the love during the National Yoga Month celebration of the practice of yoga and its healing properties during the month of September. And wow, do we ever need it! The challenges in our lives and communities may seem never-ending and overwhelming right now. What better time to delve deeper into your current practice or begin one of you haven’t taken the plunge? But honestly, if you follow my blog, you may already be asking what National Yoga Month and the visual arts have in common? My answer: both inspire, connect and speak to our minds, bodies and souls. Yoga and Visual Art are both a huge part of my RAD Fresh Creative Journey and RAD Fresh Yoga Journey. National Yoga Month is just another opportunity to share inspiration with all of you. My yoga story is probably a lot like yours and not at all unusual, but its connection to the visual arts is one I think you will connect with too. 

Most of us begin the journey of a yoga practice somewhat by accident. There is a class at your gym —may as well try it. A friend suggested you try it with her —so you go. Your doctor suggested it for your back issues—sure, why not. It looked like fun. A family member said you needed to learn to relax. And so on and so on. However the magic of discovering yoga does not lie only in beginning or enjoying the physical practice (although that is awesome as well).

Just like in the book by Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic “creativity lies in the relationship between a human being and the mysteries of inspiration.” I believe that place in the heart, the place where the mind and the soul come together to form a bond that leads us to a personal place of grace is where I grow most in yoga. It will take more than one call, one studio or one teacher to hook you. But if you keep practicing, you can find your magic too!

Spread the Love

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The RAD Fresh Yoga Journey

Asanas: the lifeblood of yoga

Hope, gratitude, healing…

Looking for balance?

Visual journaling and yoga journaling

Beginner’s Mind

History

I have been practicing yoga for well over 23 years now. The first few years were mostly about the physical benefits. I was lucky that my gym, The Women’s Club in Missoula, Montana offered yoga classes as part of their membership. The teachers were awesome, offering multiple levels of classes from Gentle Yoga to Advanced classes. During my first year of practicing, I began to realize that I wanted to know more about the entire practice of yoga —mind, body and soul.

The yoga journey has a beginning, but no end.

After my mom and I attended a yoga retreat with my favorite teacher from the club, I was inspired to grow my practice as I began to feel more deeply connected to myself. It was the beginning of my understanding that the practice of yoga, and the practice of creating art is connected for me. Just like two sides of a coin. One the shiny side of the other. Over time, the two became an integral part of my blog as well. 

Off the mat

The practice of yoga has helped me feel more confident off the mat as well. My growing yoga practice has helped me connect more honestly to myself and my art. Off the mat, I have learned to deal more calmly with personal and professional challenges. I have made lasting connections to my yoga community. Nurturing connections through yoga and art, I have found them to be forever intertwined in my work and personal growth. Yoga is more than a workout of course, it is a lifestyle. Over the years, I have developed a home practice to bridge the gaps between classes and my own schedule. The benefits of being able to “take it with me” when I traveled or to practice on my own when studio classes weren’t available was a given. 

Community

Built-in friends come with the yoga community. We meet truly inspiring people who are supportive and understanding and legitimately interested in each other as human beings. You can also take your friends with you to yoga and grow within those friendships that already exist. No matter where you are, there are yoga classes to be experienced – even online. You don’t have to know a soul to attend. There is also a universal language of yoga, and I don’t just mean Sanskrit. I mean that when you take your seat, and chant OM with those around you, a sense of unity happens. The room becomes a welcoming place, quietly supporting and holding you in its warmth and grace. The support of fellow yogis and your teacher can become a springboard for more.

For me, yoga began to grow as part of my creative endeavors, inspiring me, helping me to connect with my imagination. For you, it might provide connections for parenting clubs, dinner parties or further education in common interests. The possibilities are endless! So go out there and build a community through your yoga class. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. 

A more purposeful practice

I have written on this blog many times about yoga. As I expand my own knowledge and practice within yoga, I am beginning to recognize a broader purpose for myself and my blog. By expanding my knowledge and yoga practices through the RAD Fresh Yoga Journey I am growing a following and a deeper understanding of the entire experience. I continue to practice at a local studio, Montana Om, with my friends and our teacher Bonnie Kiser.

paddle board yoga on the water with friends

She has encouraged all of us to reach for more; get out of our comfort zones, and some to even prepare to substitute teach classes. Recently, I was asked to teach SUP yoga! I did and it was so much fun! It was nice to know that my paddle board obsession and my 20+ years of yoga worked together to form an opportunity. Who knew all those years ago that SUP yoga would be a thing?

There’s always more

To gain a sense of “more,” I dedicate myself to a home practice, including journaling. Because I spend lots of hours researching articles and references for the yoga journaling prompts, reading yoga articles has become a favorite online pastime. I am enjoying this process immensely as I expand my yoga knowledge and writing experiences. Adding to my knowledge through additional online class offerings has been fun and easy too. Even if you think that online classes aren’t up your alley – give them a try. Yoga teachers have gotten onboard with the online process and it is SO much better now than ever before. 

I guide the yoga journaling practice through weekly prompts. Although still in its infancy, the process is beginning to give me an expanded sense of the possibilities of a more well-rounded practice for myself and others. Researching, journaling and connecting my actual practice to learning and growing within yoga has led me to a range of new experiences and possibilities. I really think that yoga journaling is just the beginning of the next chapter of my yoga journey. Although MORE isn’t always better, MORE is always available. My yoga teacher laughingly reminds us all the time that there is always more. Through her, I have learned that yoga has an eternal flame that is forever growing and changing, morphing into what we need personally. We just have to be open to grace to find it.

National Yoga Month

The benefits of yoga 

As we roll into Fall, and we spend more time inside again, I will be adding a lot MORE to my yoga practice and you can too! Try applying what you learn on the mat more consciously to your daily lives. I hope you will consider joining me for yoga journaling to continue to grow your yoga practice in new and inspiring ways. Maybe with a little extra training, reading and researching new opportunities, you can discover MORE too. Check out the health benefits of yoga here in this pdf or read more about the general physical benefits.  There are many ways to celebrate National Yoga Month (or begin yoga) if you haven’t already gotten started. Check out a class in studio or online, read up on the benefits of yoga to your mind, body and soul, or join me for a guided yoga journaling practice to round out your practice.

We are only a third of the way through the month, and so I know you have lots of yoga practices still to be enjoyed. In the meantime, check out the links above and consider inspiring yourself to a happier, healthier, more mindful life through yoga and journaling!

Namaste,

Cindi

Spread the Love National Yoga Month! Spread the love during the National Yoga Month celebration of the practice of yoga and its healing properties during the month of September.

[sheisraging]

I just wanted to THANK YOU, from the bottom of my TZP/RWRB-mushed heart, for all your time and efforts in making your amazing GIFs. Truly! 😍 I've watched the movie 4 times so far, but when I need a little pick-me-up throughout the day, I have your GIFs to warm my heart and make me smile. You've brought me so much joy! ♥️ Thank you!

Thank you so much! <3

[giannichavez]

- Hoy - • Descubrir[TE]: El Arte del Conocerte "El Poder de la Vulnerabilidad" • Acompáñame en esta charla donde exploraremos el concepto de Vulnerabilidad, sus matices, y también el potencial que existe en ella. • En esta charla vas a aprender a relacionarte de manera diferente contigo y a reconocer como muchas veces existen paradigmas que nos condicionan de manera inconsciente especialmente cuando nos sentimos vulnerables. • Te dejo el link de registro y nos vemos mas tarde: 20:00 Argentina 19:00 Canada/Chile 18:00 Ecuador/Peru/Colombia/Mexico/USA • Para registros envíame un DM . . #opentograce #anusara #cocreatecoaching #coaching #love #vulnerability (en The Universe) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCvycsEj0UR/?igshid=7m1hd7u3sl71

[cbryant1707]

Today I set out to see love, magic, healing and kindness. I went looking for happiness, joy, miracles and celebrations. Today I went about taking risks, accepting imperfections (mine and others), being vulnerable and being open to grace. Guess what I found today? Guess what I saw? Guess what I felt? Every single thing I searched for, and extra love. You matter more than you know. Sparkle on and look for them. Intentions matter. #youllseewhatyoulookfor #weseewhatwewant #setyourfoundation #opentograce (at Sarasota, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz8wghPhUOh/?igshid=gftik8gdilv8

[repertoire-art-design]

Those who inspire us...

Those who inspire us…

I could make a very long list of people who inspire me. I am sure that you can to. Some daily, some from afar, and some all my life. If I did make an actuallist, it would include of course parents, and siblings, my own children, friends, extended family, colleagues, writers, artists, people still with us, and people already gone, who have graced this world with a presence that will live on in our…

[giannichavez]

Una de mis prácticas diarias es mantenerme abierto a la vida. . Darse la oportunidad de contemplarse, cuestionarse, y ser capaz de cambiar perspectivas o simplemente ser capaz de aceptar perspectivas diferentes a las de uno genera crecimiento. . Dentro de mi práctica física, incluir pararme de manos representa en muchas ocasiones esa intención; ser capaz de ampliar perspectivas y explorar nuevos espacios internos. . . 120 días y seguimos contando - el trabajo interno no cesa, afrontar miedos propios es necesario, cuestionarme y ampliar perspectivas me da la oportunidad de escuchar más, estar presente y vivir en calma. . . - Que prácticas realizas en tu día? - Que has aprendido de ti en estos últimos meses? - Que nuevas conversaciones estás teniendo contigo? . . Si leíste hasta acá... no solo dejes un like, te pido que respondas a las preguntas y te animes a comentar. . . Con cariño . Gi . #anusara #handstand #yoga #mipractica #anusarayoga #shri #opentograce #love (en Izhcayluma, Vilcabamba, Ecuador) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCYge3aDxm2/?igshid=zctzjqztr6z0

[giannichavez]

Amor - Amor . Si hay algo que más me llena es la conexión que que se crea a través de la humanidad (la propia humanidad) . . Hoy terminamos el Módulo 2 de la Formación de @anusaraschoolofhathayoga con @karinasauro . . Agradecido con todo el grupo por animarse a vivir estar experiencia desde la virtualidad de los tiempos, por su entrega, compromiso y sobre todo excelencia. . . Agradecido por ese sostén que existe en la Comunidad (Kula) que transciende las barreras físicas. . Me siento agradecido, contento y lleno de amor . . Gracias Karina por ser esa compañera de aventuras, por ser inspiración y por co-crear juntos . . La primera foto refleja la realidad de hoy, la segunda foto refleja los anhelos de mi corazón de Reunirme nuevamente en grupo con cada uno de ustedes. . . . Gracias @studyingyoga y @sbyogashala por hacer esto posible . . Que cada día sea una oportunidad para recordar la Gracia y que cada momento sea una invitación para Celebrar la posibilidades de ese día. . . #anusara #anusarayoga #yoga #opentograce #love (en Heart) https://www.instagram.com/p/CA3jfsCDpMF/?igshid=piy10mfek7yy

[giannichavez]

-La Jaula- . . Darme cuenta de que por mucho tiempo aquello que me hacía sentir prisionero o que causaba sufrimiento eran mis propias creencias, mis propias interpretaciones y el “concepto” que tenía sobre la vida, sobre lo correcto o lo incorrecto me tomo algo de tiempo. . . Abrir “la jaula”, “la caja de Pandora” era escalofriante y aterrador, soltar estructuras, salir de lo conocido y más que todo cuestionarme fue un proceso intenso, de navegaciones profundas hacia lugares que no quería visitar y también fue un proceso de descubrimiento, un proceso de Amor. . . Aprender a hacer las preguntas correctas es clave y aprender a estar QUIETO y contemplar el “sabor” de lo que se está presentado no fue sencillo, la mente está entrenada para ir a lo cómodo y no “ver o atender” lo esencial. . . Lo esencial soy YO (lo esencial eres TÚ) y la relación que tengo conmigo (y la relación que tienes contigo). . . Cuestiona tu mundo y abre tu Jaula - atrévete realmente a vivir desde tus anhelos, desde lo que te da satisfacción, desde lo que te mueve, desde lo que se siente bien para ti, desde lo que te Inspira (inspira viene de es espíritu) . . Si YO (y tu) estoy bien el resto del mundo va a estar bien - Si yo estoy en Amor (conmigo - al igual que tu) el resto va a estar en resonancia, todo lo que se despliega es una manifestación de tu interior. . . Y que si el único limitante a vivir la vida que quieres eres tú mismo? . . Ph: @light.of.yoga @silvanap28 . . #quotes #opentograce #coaching #medellin #comuna13 #giannichavez #descubrirte https://www.instagram.com/p/CAnaxhrDDO5/?igshid=g4jlq86frvqr

[giannichavez]

#anusaraassemble final challenge . . Creo que no tengo una postura favorita - sin embargo Parada de Manos (Adho Mukha Vrksasana) es de mis posturas favoritas. . . Recuerdo que cuando empecé a practicar yoga (circa 2009) ni siquiera cruzaba por mi cabeza pararme de manos, había un miedo tremendo a caerme hacia atrás, ese miedo me frenaba, me limitaba e incluso me paralizaba muchas veces, con práctica, dedicación y especialmente con los principios universales de alineamiento y la filosofía de Anusara yoga fui descubriendo la “Parada de Manos” . . Para mi pararme de manos representa ser capaz de ver la vida con una perspectiva diferente, entregarme al misterio de la vida y confiar que algo más grande me sostiene. . Aún me da miedo caerme hacia atrás sin embargo ahora ese miedo no me paraliza al contrario me motiva a hacerlo, me invita a confiar. . . . Anusara Yoga es una práctica transformadora, es una invitación a reconocer nuestra verdadera esencia y a vivir desde nuestro interior. . . . #anusara #anusarayoga #opentograce #ekahastaadhomukhavrksasana #adhomukhavrksasana #handstand #handstands #hanstandsanonymous (en En Casa) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_2cKsgDVD9/?igshid=1g5v9p344dm1a

[giannichavez]

#anusaraassemble challenge 7 . Por qué enseño Anusara Yoga? . Esta práctica poderosa transformó mi vida de muchas maneras, me invitó a “ver” nuevas perspectivas sobre la vida y sobre quién soy. . Me ayudó a recordar aquella esencia única que pulsa a través de mi y a celebrar esa expresión auténtica que soy. . Enseño Anusara porque es método que se basa en una filosofía que afirma la vida, porque sus enseñanzas son universales transcienden lo físico y pueden ser aplicadas en la vida diaria. . . Actualización de foto de perfil en la Página de Anusara Yoga ✔️ . . Ph: @light.of.yoga @silvanap28 . . #anusara #anusarayoga #weareanusara #opentograce #hugthemidline #roottorise (en En Mi Casa) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_luIGhDe_A/?igshid=i5vda85hmmju

[giannichavez]

#anusaraassemble . Abrirse a la Gracia . Para mi Abrirse a la Gracia es cultivar ese espacio de receptividad, de curiosidad y misterio. Es mantener mente de principiante y abrazar la vida ta tal como es. . . Pongo esta foto porque la tome un día caminando por San Telmo, me acuerdo que estaba lloviendo y me sentía un poco melancólico, vi el graffiti y algo resonó en mi. . Sonreí, aprecie la lluvia que estaba sucediendo, y agradecí porque La Gracia tiene formas maravillosas de manifestarse para regresarnos al Ser (como un graffiti) . . Agradecido por estas enseñanzas maravillosas que transforman mi vida momento a momento . . #anusara #anusarayoga #yoga #sonriesiempre #weareanusara #opentograce https://www.instagram.com/p/B_YzVBBjdR6/?igshid=we5ipihds3xf