10 Handlungen um dich in schwierigen Zeiten bei Laune zu halten

  1. Erstelle eine Playlist mit deinen „Lieblings-Happy-Songs”, um zwischendurch deine Laune anzuheben.
  2. Bewege deinen Körper vor 10 Uhr morgens. Tanze vor dem Frühstück 15 Minuten lang zu lauter und belebender Musik. Das ist gut für deinen Kreislauf und unterstützt die Serotoninproduktion (das Glückshormon).
  3. Lass die Dinge weiterfließen. Das Leben muss nicht ganz aufhören. Sage nach Möglichkeit deine Termine nicht ab, sondern verschiebe den Termin auf einen späteren Zeitpunkt.
  4. Bleibe flexibel. Jetzt ist die Zeit, anpassungsfähig zu sein und um die Ecke zu denken. Halte deinen Geist offen, um kreative Lösungen und Alternativen zu finden.
  5. „Every cloud has a silver lining“ … Obwohl es viele Dinge gibt, die wir im Moment nicht begrüßen, suche nach dem Guten. Schreibe eine Liste all der Dinge, die in dieser unerwarteten Situation „gut” für dich sind. (In meinem Fall freue ich mich darauf, die englische Version meines Buches zu bearbeiten, da mein Unterricht für den ganzen April abgesagt wurde. Außerdem kann ich durch die Zeit, die ich zu Hause verbringe, jeden Tag mehr Zeit für meine Meditations- und Yoga-Praxis aufwenden)
  6. Nimm dir die Zeit, dich jeden Tage bei deinen liebsten Menschen meldest. Teile den anderen mit, wie du dich fühlst. Höre aufmerksam zu, was andere erleben und versuche sogar gemeinsam zu lachen. Wer sind die Menschen, mit denen du lange nicht gesprochen hast? – Rufe sie an!
  7. Überlege dir, welche Qualitäten du im Moment am meisten benötigst. Verkörpere diese bewusst in deiner täglichen Yoga- und Meditationspraxis. Gehe online und entdecke alle derzeit verfügbaren Yoga- und Meditationsklassen.Du findest meine Online-Klassen mit Tint und Yogaeasy auf meiner Website. Zusätzlich werde ich auch donnerstags eine wöchentliche Klasse für Patrick Broome Yoga anbieten.
  8. Gehe früh zu Bett und stehe früh auf. Die stärkste Zeit für die Aktivität des Immunsystems liegt zwischen 20 – 22 Uhr – aber nur, wenn wir zu dieser Zeit im Tiefschlaf sind. Ruhe dich aus und mache außerdem täglich 20 bis 30 Minuten sanfte Yogaübungen. Vermeide dabei eine hohe Intensität.
  9. Sorge gut für dein Verdauungssystem – dort sitzt auch dein Immunsystem. Beginne den Tag mit einer Tasse heißem Wasser – entweder mit etwas frischer Zitrone oder einem Tropfen ätherischem Zitronenöl. Bleibe gut mit Flüssigkeit versorgt. Fülle eine Thermoskanne mit heißem Wasser, um es über ganzen Tag verteilt zu trinken.
  10. Nimm dir täglich Zeit, um Yoga Nidra zu praktizieren (finde einige Audio-Aufnahmen im Netz). Alternativ kannst du am Nachmittag ein 20-minütiges Savasana mit beruhigender Musik machen, um dein Nervensystem wieder aufzuladen.

Komme gesund durch diese Zeit!

Wir stecken alle gemeinsam in dieser Situation

Liebe Freunde,

dies ist eine Zeit der Unsicherheit für so viele von uns. Ich hoffe, dass du in deiner Yoga- und Meditationspraxis etwas Trost finden kannst. Mehr denn je bin ich dankbar für meine Freunde, meine Familie und meine Yoga-Community.

Mit diesem Brief möchte ich die Hand ausstrecken und dir sagen, dass, was immer du bewältigen, erleben oder durchmachen musst, jemand anderes genau weiß, wie du dich fühlst und was das bedeutet.

Wir stecken alle gemeinsam in dieser Situation. We are all in this together!

Dies ist einer jener Momente, in denen uns das Leben dazu auffordert, unsere inneren Ressourcen zu nutzen, die wir mit unserer spirituellen Praxis kultiviert haben. Jetzt hast du die Gelegenheit, nicht nur zu üben präsent, mutig, freundlich und friedlich zu sein, sondern tatsächlich ein Vorbild für Präsenz, Mut, Freundlichkeit und Frieden zu sein.

Die äußeren Umstände zwingen uns dazu, uns in uns selbst zurückzuziehen. Indem wir uns von sozialem Engagement entfernen und in einen introvertierteren Raum eintreten, haben wir die Möglichkeit, Antworten von innen heraus zu finden, um viele unserer persönlichen Probleme zu behandeln und – was vielleicht noch wichtiger ist – wir werden auch eine neue Perspektive auf einige unserer gemeinsamen, universellen Themen finden.

Ich glaube fest daran, dass wir uns in einem Prozess der kollektiven Transformation befinden. Das wird harte Arbeit sein, ist aber auch sehr spannend. Ich stelle mir vor, dass wir in 10 Jahren zurückblicken und erkennen werden, dass während dieser Krise die Saat für positive Veränderungen für die Menschheit und unseren Planeten gesät wurde.

Vielleicht kannst du, so wie ich, diese Verlangsamung des Alltags und das Zuhause bleiben begrüßen. Gleichzeitig spüre ich die Einsamkeit der Isolation, weil sie von außen erzwungen wird. Der Mangel an Freiheit ist zwar vorübergehend, aber nicht nur physisch einschränkend, sondern auch psychisch bedrückend. Was können wir also tun?

Zunächst einmal: Gesund bleiben und Gutes für unser Immunsystem tun. Befolge alle Empfehlungen seitens der Regierung. Sie sind leicht zu handhaben und wenn wir uns alle daran halten, können wir unser Leben früher als später wieder in den Griff bekommen.

Bitte lese dazu meine Empfehlungen weiter : 10 Handlungen um in schwierigen Zeiten bei Laune zu bleiben.”

Wenn du ein Yogalehrer bist, wirst du feststellen, dass du jetzt mehr Zeit hast, um Zuhause zu sein und zu lernen. Aber vielleicht möchtest du nicht allein studieren? Ich lade dich ein, mehr über mein Mentoring-Programm zu erfahren. Wir beginnen am 1. April und ich biete jetzt 3 Plätze mit einem speziellen Zahlungsplan an, um diejenigen Lehrer zu unterstützen, die gerne mit mir zusammen lernen würden, aber aufgrund der derzeitigen Einkommensunsicherheit mehr Flexibilität benötigen. Bewirb dich noch heute, wenn du einsteigen und dich unserer kleinen Gruppe anschließen möchtest!

Much Love,
Barbra

We are all in this together

This is one of those moments when life calls on us strongly to make use of the inner resources we have cultivated with our spiritual practice. Now you have the opportunity not only to practise being present, courageous, kind and peaceful but actually to BE a model of presence, courage, kindness and peace.

External circumstances are forcing us to withdraw inside ourselves. By moving away from social engagement and entering a more introverted space, we have the opportunity to find answers from within to address many of our personal issues and, perhaps more importantly, we will also find a new perspective on some of our shared, universal issues.

I strongly believe that we are in a process of collective transformation. This is going to be hard work but is also very exciting. I envision that in 10 years we will look back and recognise that during this crisis the seeds were sewn for positive changes for humanity and our planet.

Perhaps like me, you are able to welcome slowing down and staying home. At the same time because it is enforced, I sense the loneliness of isolation. The lack of freedom, though temporary, is not only physically restrictive but also psychologically oppressive. So what can we do?!

First of all: stay healthy and do good things for your immune system. Follow all the cautionary recommendations. They are easy to manage and if we all comply, we can get back on track with our lives sooner than later.

Please see my recommendations 10 actions to keep your spirits up in challenging times.

If you are a yoga teacher, you may find that you now have more time to be at home and study. But perhaps you don’t want to study alone. I invite you to read about my Mentoring Program. We start on the 1st of April and I am now offering 3 spots with a special payment plan to support those teachers who would love to join us but due to the current uncertainty of income need more flexibility. Apply today if you would like to jump in and join us!

Much Love,
Barbra

10 actions to keep your spirits up in challenging times

  1. Create a playlist of your favourite “happy songs” to play throughout the day.
  2. Move your body before 10 AM. Dance for 15 minutes before breakfast to loud and invigorating music. This is good for your circulation and supports serotonin production (the happy hormone).
  3. Keep things flowing. Life doesn’t have to stop completely. Where possible don’t cancel, but rather postpone or reschedule.
  4. Be flexible. This is the time to be adaptable and think outside the box. Keep your mind open to finding creative solutions and alternatives.
  5. Every cloud has a silver lining. Although there are many things we do not welcome right now, look for the silver lining. Write a list of all the things that are “good” about this unexpected situation. (In my case, because my teaching for the whole of April has been cancelled, I am looking forward to editing the English version of my book. In addition, spending time at home means I can spend more time on meditation and yoga sessions every single day!)
  6. Make sure you reach out to speak to someone every day. Share how you are feeling, listen to what others are experiencing and even try to laugh together. Who are those people you have not spoken to in a long time – call them!
  7. Consider the qualities you need most right now. Consciously embody them in your daily yoga and meditation practice. Go online and discover all the classes currently available. You will find my online classes Tint in English and Yogaeasy in German on my website and I will also be streaming a weekly class on Thursdays for Patrick Broome Yoga
  8. Go to bed early, get up early. The most powerful time for immune system activity is between 8 – 10 PM – but only if we are in deep sleep at that time. Get plenty of rest and also do 20 – 30 minutes of gentle exercise each day. Avoid intensity.
  9. Take care of your digestive system and stay hydrated. Start the day with a cup of hot water with either some fresh lemon or a drop of lemon essential oil. Fill a flask with hot water to sip throughout the day.
  10. Take some time to practice Yoga Nidra (find some audio recordings). Alternatively, do a simple 20 minute Savasana accompanied by soothing music in the afternoon to recharge your nervous system.

Perseverance and Progress

One of the great truths about life is: There is going to be some pain and suffering. There is going to be some joy and happiness.

Skilful living is being able to navigate between those two polarities of the human experience with ever increasing acceptance, and ever decreasing drama.

When we find ourselves in the “pain and suffering” spectrum, we long to feel joy and happiness again. Generally, we are willing to do what it takes to get back there. But when we are in the “joy and happiness” end of the spectrum, we never yearn for pain and suffering.

Let me share with you my recent journey from pain and suffering back to joy and happiness.

“The body tells the story of your life”.

My body tells the story of 20 years of professional training as a dancer and several injuries. It also tells the story of 20 years of intense yoga practice, including 18 years of teaching and demonstrating…and a couple more injuries. For the past 10 years I have travelled 50-60 times per year. My body has done a lot of movement and travel.

I am someone who enjoys amazing health. Blessed with a strong immune system, I am rarely sick, and if I am it passes in a few days. But last year my body broke down. I was in so much pain. Back pain, nerve pain, hip pain, leg pain, neck pain, shoulder pain. All the soft tissue in my body felt tight, dry and brittle. Everything ached every time I moved.

Can you imagine how absurd it feels to be a well-known yoga teacher, travelling throughout the world telling other people how great yoga is, yet hardly able to move herself?! I would have laughed if it hadn’t hurt so much. Psychologically I was at a low ebb.

I decided to completely re-evaluate my lifestyle. I chose to let go of any expectation that I had to be a perfect example of health and vitality. I reaffirmed that being an exemplary yoga practitioner was not about how fit and athletic I am, but how I handle my life when I am in emotional and physical pain.

Being a yoga practitioner means that we develop the emotional resilience and focused determination to work hard from a place of pain and suffering to get ourselves back on track.

When I consider where I was one year ago, and where I am now with my physical well-being, professional life, relationships and partnerships – I see so much learning, progress, transformation and a return to more joy.

So what did I do?

I renewed my commitment to my physical, mental and emotional well-being, and set to work. Self-Care became my new hobby. I got serious about nutritional supplements. I did several rounds of osteopathy, acupuncture, abhyanga (Ayurvedic medicinal oil treatments). I took Chinese medicinal herbs and I took a two week break from emails while spending time with family (which did wonders!). Thanks to my husband I received regular ThaiVedic bodywork at home which has a wonderfully healing effect on the nervous system. I made my own oil blends and oiled my body twice daily. I re-established my meditation practice and focused my asana practice on simple, soothing yet strength-building sequences. I added some short cardio workouts to increase the strength in my legs and core and get my heart pumping. I started rolling on a fascia roller and occasionally danced to fun music. I closed the computer more often and spent more time with people I love.

This past year I made a lot of progress. I will continue to learn and share my insights in my teaching. I planned a schedule for next year that requires half the amount of travel than I usually do. I will continue taking good care of myself as I do this great work that I love.

Let yoga be the practice of perseverance and dedication to your personal progress, well-being and joy.

May you be well, healthy and happy!

With Love,
Barbra

Embrace Reality

Hey this social media thing has changed yoga teachers into celebrities and teaching yoga into a popularity contest. This is so opposite to what yoga is about, so I have my doubts and discomfort with it at times.

Having established my career before social media, I find that sm is an add-on that I don’t always welcome. It is complex, time consuming and sometimes annoying to navigate. Seriously, we (older generation yoga teachers) did not have to consider how to project ourselves into the internet back then. So many of us are still trying to figure it out.

But these are the times we now live in. A tantric approach would be to embrace reality, get to know it well, and through those insights understand how to have a life-affirming relationship with it.

I highly value the “instantaneous” connection and communication made so available to us through this medium. So I will continue to develop my relationship to social media. What do you appreciate about our possibility to be connected here?

So if I am to embrace these times, this new reality, how can I join in, contribute and use my voice to share ideas that are helpful, inspiring, informative or motivating?

How can I share my thoughts and ideas without appearing narcissistic and overly-obsessed with my own importance?

How can I post photos and videos that “look good” without creating pressure for students and colleagues that we all have to look and perform in a certain way or be high performance athletes. Then there is the whole subject of body image and worthiness that can come up (which is why I feel strongly that especially yoga teachers should be mindful when it comes to semi-naked, sexy shots – there is something to be said for maintaining a little modesty – or does that make me sound like a prude?!).

I highly value the “instantaneous” connection and communication made so available to us through this medium. So I will continue to develop my relationship to social media. What do you appreciate about our possibility to be connected here?

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Follow this link bit.ly/BNYnew or go to my website to sign up www.barbranohyoga.com.

Thank you @yongsubi for this beautiful shot at @woerthersee_yoga last year.