Good day, Steemians! 

I’ve emerged from some terrible darkness
in this lifetime, for which I give thanks!
I’m grateful to be on this side of depression,
but I engrained some unhelpful habits during those dark days.  
I’m blessed to live with powerful beings
who are constant reminders to the profound miracle of life,
yet I still forget my true nature
and fall into old, sadistic patterns from time to time.
While I am practicing, I have not fully mastered myself yet.
I’m closer than I was, but it hasn’t yet taken firm root.
Sometimes I get real caught up in frivolous stress;
my brains go haywire and I get downright hateful
which makes me judge myself,
which does nothing at all except lower my vibe further.
On days when I recognize I’m in that useless cycle of negativity,
I realize it’s time for some serious, hardcore, balls-to-the-wall  
YOGA.
Somedays, just remembering I have options
out of my self-created mental abuse is a victory in itself.
Peace and self-love are little seedlings I attend daily;
they need constant attention and nurturing to thrive.
I love yoga with all my heart because
it has saved my petty ass on more than one occasion.
One of my greatest pleasures in life is sharing
the escape hatches I found out of hell
so others can experience the majestic glory  
of conquering their demons too.
With deepest hopes and wishes for your health and wellness,  
I present yoga:

This is Pyramid Pose 

AKA Parsvottanasana
(parsva = side/flank, ut = intense, tan = stretch, asana = pose/posture)

Pyramid pose is all about balance.

This pose takes quite a bit of coordination,
which centers and calms the mind.
It requires intense focus to maintain stability here--
there’s really no time to get caught up
in anything but the present moment.

When your mind is chaotic and you just
can’t calm down, this is a legit
way to move your body
to knock yourself out of the stress groove
and into something more beneficial.  

When the monkey mind runs amok,
and no amount of thinking can harness it,
try using the body to reign it in.
Overthinking can make stress worse,
so it’s valuable to have another tool
to yield desirable results  
rather than spinning the wheels endlessly.   

Training the mind yields better concentration,
inner strength, patience, tolerance, ease and grace.  
Tranquility promotes physical health too.

Physically, pyramid pose is
a big stretch in the spine, hamstrings,
shoulders, chest, and hips; it’s
a real tasty treat, especially for those times
when the mind plays tricks that everything sucks.  
The forward fold is healthy for the guts and organs,
improving digestion and stimulating metabolism.

Intentional movements improve the health of the body,
which improves the health of the mind,  
which improves the health of the spirit,
which improves the health of the mind,
which improves the health of the body.

Yoga is a positive feedback loop,  
with immense repercussions in multiple dimensions.
You just have to remember to do it!

How to PYRAMID POSE:  

• From mountain pose, turn to the side as you step/jump the feet apart 3-4 feet.
• Right toes point to top of the mat.
• Left toes point to top of the mat, or turned out slightly at 45 ish degree angle.
• Torso and hips turn to face top of the mat with the feet firmly rooted and weight distributed evenly between them. 
• Hands come behind the back. Either grasp the elbows with opposite hands or bring them to prayer position.
• Inhale and extend through the crown, bringing length to the spine and upper body.
• Exhale and fold forward from the hips. Can bring the body parallel to the ground, or can bring the nose to the front shin.
• Maintain an open chest and the length in the spine, drawing the shoulders back.
• Crown extends while tailbone reaches back. 
• Ground through the back heel.
• Gaze at the front big toe (point of focus is called a drishti point).
• For a variation, hands can come to the mat framing the front foot.

Breathe in calm, breathe out stress.  

 

💛  Sara!
Thank you @everlove for the photography!
We can make custom Steemit gear fit for a queen!

>:<>:<>:<

Did you get your ticket for STEEMFEST yet? Reserve your spot in Yoga! 

Thank you @quinneaker & @roelandp for making my dream to teach at STEEMFEST a reality!
Dear Steemians, please help @everlove realize her STEEMFEST dreams too!!