How Does Yoga Support Marathon Training?

How Does Yoga Support Marathon Training? 

This is one of the many questions I get asked from my social media peers quite often. If you have been following my fitness journey, you know by now it is pretty much my life! It is my job and it plays a role in my playtime too. Yoga plays so much of a role in my life, that, you pretty much cannot take me anywhere: without me thinking about yoga, jumping-bending-twisting into some kind of yoga pose for the camera, or talking about something yoga related. If you do not believe me, just ask my family...Here is Nick's number 808-just kidding, but seriously, ask my family!!!

But, how does yoga support me while training for marathons? Wherever you are in this very moment, get down on the floor on all fours. With your shoulders over your elbows over your hands and your hips over you knees. Begin flexing and extending your spinal column in what we yogis refer to as cat & cow. Do this for 1-3 minutes breathing evenly, breathing and moving slowly. When you finish relax your hips back towards your heels in what we yogis call child's pose (choose any comfortable variation). Breathe in child's pose for 3-5 minutes, close your eyes, and calm your mind. Relax every muscle in your body. Get back to reading when you have done these two exercises/postures and not a word more before....................................................................................

How do you feel? (Write 3 things down you felt while practicing).
1.
2.
3.


Here is how I felt: ( I wrote 3 things down too!)
1. My spine feels lengthened & more flexible.
2. I feel centered/balanced.
3. My breath was calm & relaxed.
4. That bit of tension in my upper shoulders is not really there anymore! Yeah I know I wrote 4!!!

When I run, I want to feel the same as I do on my yoga mat or within my practice. I want to feel as though nothing in the world around me has control over my mind or body. When I am on my mat, I am on my mat and breathing towards staying centered. I don't want my mind to wander away and take me to these dark depressing places that the mind can often do. I don't want to think about the bills I have to pay, or the to do list that I know will still be there waiting for me later to do. As a runner who practices yoga, I run listening to my breathing (unless of course I am chatting with a my running buddies). I run listening the sound of my feet landing on the pavement or ground whatever beneath me. I run paying attention to how my body feels. Are my shoulders relaxed, my chest relaxed, am I breathing mostly nostrils expanding my lungs, and the body check continues as so do the miles.

I enjoy being in the moment when I'm running. If you have ever "Hit The Wall" in running a marathon, most likely your mind gave out first long before your body truly ever did. If you disagree with me, I ask that you revisit your race mentally and see when you began to shut down. I have run those marathons where I  thought that I was tired and ready to quit. Inside I battled what in the world was I doing running 26.2. In reality, it was always my mind talking me down. I have allowed my mind to control a couple of my marathon races before. I have since learned and learned to listen to not my minds mind, but my BODIES mind. I have learned to listen to my bodies body. And when I am weak, which happened not too long ago, my mind once again controlled my running and led me to a mental breakdown. I did finish the race, but I was in a struggle to move beyond my mind. Needless to say, it took me a really long time to find my finish.

Each and every time I show up to my mat, I practice breathing through these struggles I have. I learn to release and let go. In running, I try to incorporate the release and let go technique as well. I release myself of expectations and perfection. I let go of needing to impress myself, the community, the social media crowd.

I take on this yogic approach to running. I run not to compete against other runners, but to run for thy self. Each marathon is like stepping onto my yoga mat. I come to my mat to learn and develop into something far greater than I was the day before. I show up to my mat to practice for thy self. When I show up to the start of a marathon, I show up willingly. I show up with an intention to run because I love running. Over and over, again and again I breathe. On my mat over and over, again and again I breathe. I show up to my mat to practice willingly. Yoga and running cannot be about forcing the body to do something the mind wants it to do. The body has to be willing to put in the effort, the time, the commitment. Sure your mind can say "Hey lets train for a marathon, lets go run 26.2", but if the body does not show up and commit to the miles, to the training, the marathon is most likely not going to happen. Or it might happen but be kind of ugly. You know what I mean by ugly...

I know that running is mental. I do not disagree with you on this, but it is so very physical. The body can and will keep going if the mind is willing to keep going. If the mind is telling the body to stop even though the body is saying it doesn't feel like it needs to stop, the fight has already begun. This is where the calming of the mind, the breathing, the detachment of the thoughts helps a runner continue running. If you know you trained and have successfully put in the effort to run your marathon, you know there is no injury that is lingering, nothing that really could prevent you from finishing. Then what? You run your race and have one hell of day hopefully, right?

We have to learn to train our minds just like we do our bodies. For me, yoga takes care of all the thousands of details. Yoga creates strength, flexibility, mindfulness, calmness, love, practicing at a mental level, practicing at a physical level, and the list, you guys, could seriously go on for pages.

So you ask me, How Does Yoga Support Marathon Training? Yoga supports my body and my mind to balance one another out. They learn to work together, rather than creating a struggle for one another. Sure I show up and some days things do not go as planned even though I practice yoga and I run, but life doesn't always come with a guarantee and absolute. All I know is that I am a much stronger runner because of my yoga practice. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand from the few years of pushing my son in his jogging stroller. I have come so far in my training. I learned to love running, rather than force running. I don't wake up dreading getting out of bed to lace up and show up on those 5am run mornings. Most of the time I look forward to putting on my shoes and for those off kind of days when my body is asking me not today not to run, I listen. Just because my training plan says go run or because you tell me I need to be running X amount of miles a week, doesn't mean I am going to go run if my body is saying Not Today. That is what yoga has done for me: yoga has taught me to listen to my body first, not my mind.Yoga has taught me to breathe. Yoga keeps my body healthy and happy. Healthy and happy is what a runner wants. We all want our bodies to keep moving for us, so we can keep running.

I know that every body is different and has its own mental and physical needs. We all have different needs. Maybe yoga is not your thing, not what you require. For me, I know I need the time on my mat. I need to stretch out my muscles after running and I need to quiet my mind, so it will not distract me negatively while running. Oh my goodness I need yoga for so may reasons really, but I might take up days of your time if I continue writing.

Yoga supports my marathon training. It's as simple as that!

Beginner Yoga Flow - 5 minutes that sets the tone...

For more information, yoga poses, run information, and the whole fitness shebang follow ME socially:

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As I always say ~ Just Breathe

Brooke Myers

Flying With Love.

Music Inspires me. Does music Inspire you?

I had put my headphones on as I gazed out the tiny window from the exit row seat. I began making playlists for my yoga classes back home. I must have already been missing my students, so I thought to myself quietly. With 5 hours to spare in the sky, I had time to listen, time to think, and time to create.

I often prepare my music in a way that moves me from one song to the next. Occasionally a song will slip in the playlist that throws my teaching off rhythm, but as a teacher I have learned to adapt in order to keep the attention of my students.

Music is inspiring and motivating. So I closed my eyes as I listen to the different songs playing loudly in my ears and I began to feel the music. I questioned each and every song. I questioned its ability to move me. Could the music I was listening to make me feel alive? Could each and every song in the playlist make me feel alive?

As I arranged the different songs in some kind of order, I realized the title of the songs were speaking to me. One after the next, these words kept POPPING out at me LOUDLY!!! They are telling my story. These songs described the story of my life, my life as a bulimic. Immediately, I reached for my notebook and pen to write. I didn't stop writing until each song in my playlist described my story on paper.

I listened to each song in my playlist and wrote the only words that came out at that exact moment. I didn't have a pencil to erase or piece of paper after piece of paper to throw away. It was as if this story had been sitting inside of me and was waiting for the right moment to pour out. Sitting high in the sky on an airplane must have been the right moment.

And so here is my playlist (click the Link to connect to Spotify):
Flying With Love

And here is my story, my Playlist Story of my life: Written on my way from Kona traveling to San Fransisco. "I dedicate this Playlist to all of those who have or still continue to struggle with an Eating Disorder. May you find a path that creates healing in you, your life. May you find the love in your heart that will conquer the Eating Disorder. You are beautiful and deserve to live with love for yourself."


Flying With Love         November 6, 2015

We all begin with a CRAZY HEART that needs AWAKENING. We've carried this bucket. We CARRY WATER filled with our FLAWS. We have carried this bucket THE WAY THROUGH life. THE FLOW is filled with painful moments that we're learning to let go of. After days, months, years of PATIENTLY WAITING we begin to develop our practice. It has been A LONG TIME in the making, but we are here now: Present. Rather than waiting to receive love, we learn to GIVE LOVE and start LIVING! We didn't get here by chance, we got here by CHOICE. Through this choice we made, we learn to RISE ABOVE. We reach our hands to the sky. Our hearts wide opened. We open our eyes because there is LOVE IN MY HEART. A mantra that resonates so clearly with us now. A word revealed, a divine sound. For love will continue to be TOMORROW'S SONG and today's CLOSING MEDITATION.

Namaste ~






If you are in the Kailua Kona, Hi area please come practice with me. I would LOVE to have you..
Class Schedule listed Yoga With Brooke Myers



Just Breathe ~

Brooke Myers 

One day my Mind will be my GREATEST STREGNTH...

"My mind has always been my greatest weakness. But one of these days I'm going to lock myself inside my head until I come out knowing how incredible I actually am. Lock myself inside my head, until I come out knowing how Strong and Beautiful I am. One day my MIND will be my GREATEST STRENGTH"... 

Rather than waiting for that one day to come, I am making a very real commitment right now. I Brooke Myers am making a commitment to making my mind MY GREATEST STRENGTH. 

 

 For years and years and years I have made a commitment to working out, running, yoga, and pushing myself beyond my physical limitations. But, I have never truly made a commitment to my mind. I've tapped in from time to time, but end up leaving the very same as I went in. 

 

 As a bulimic, I thought I was head strong because I could push and push myself to the point of pure HEll. In reality I was so damn weak and fragile. If I couldn't purge like the girls I knew, I was weak. If I couldn't run another mile because I was too tired or often times hungry, I was weak. If I couldn't starve myself like an anorexic, I was even weaker! My mind has never been strong enough to walk away on its own. It took my getting pregnant with my son to finally wake the shit up and do something about my Eating Disorder. I changed in that moment for the life of my son. Yes, that is a sign of strength, but I would not have chosen to give up the bulimic lifestyle had I not gotten pregnant. Truth!!!

As a runner, I learn everyday to push myself. I push myself to become a faster marathoner and a stronger runner. Running truly is mental and I fully am aware. I am also aware that I am not always mentally there. I know my body is strong and can endure miles of running. But my body is also weak at times too. My mind is weak. When my body is feeling weak I need my mind to pick up the lacking pieces of my body, but I am not always able to do that. Sometimes I just completely give in. I gave in this year running the Kona Marathon if you remember, I walked the majority of the race. I was not there mentally. 

 

As a yoga practitioner / yoga teacher, I have learned that the mind is to be still. Yoga is a time in my life where I am not supposed to be thinking about how my body looks, what I ate yesterday and the day before that. Yoga is teaching me that I need to come to mat and dedicate my whole self to the practice. Yoga is the one time where I should be able to get completely out of my head and into my soul. When I close my eyes I do not have to see all that I see in the mirror. When I close my eyes on my mat, I draw my attention inwards and go by feel.

 

So, as I sit here writing, I say to myself " what Brooke have you done to dedicate time to your minds healing?" Yes the fitness in all aspects, my son, my yoga life and so fourth plays an incredibly beautiful role in the healing of my mind, but I do not spend enough time in stillness. I do not dedicate time to meditate like I know I should be. When I practice I know how much better I feel, so why would I neglect spending time to meditate or sit quietly or fill myself with positive language? If I can spend countless minutes staring at myself picking myself apart, why can I not spend minutes in front of the mirror talking to myself beautifully? 

 

The most truthful answer I can give myself and give to you, is that I have never really wanted to change the way I think. I just say I do, but I never do anything about it. I say I want to look in the mirror and see myself the way I should see myself, but the very next moment there I go again criticizing.  

 

Do you understand where I am going with this? Can you relate at all?  

 

The mind is seriously the strongest tool we have, but rarely does it get the attention it should or in my case that it should. My mind has been neglected for so long. Now is the only time I've got to start taking care of my mind and making it become MY GREATEST STRENGTH.  

Just as I make time for my practice, family, running, and everything else in my life, I am going to make time for my mind too. I have to do this, there is no more putting it off or working around it. I have to start RIGHT NOW!!!

 

Sorry not sorry, for my ramble, but I just had to write it out. I need the world to hear me make this commitment, I needed to hear me make this commitment to my mind! And so here it goes................... You know that "struggle you're in today, makes you stronger tomorrow" quote, yes I love that quote but I'm tell you I don't want to be in today's struggle anymore. I want to be stronger today and everyday!

 

 

 

~Just Breathe

Brooke Myers

What is a Virtual Race anyway?

One day I was navigating online, when I stumbled across the words "Virtual Race" I assumed it had something to do with the television show The Amazing Race. 

I clicked on it and found out it had nothing to do with the television show and everything to do with running. Well running and walking. Apparently there are all kinds of virtual races people can sign up for and share their results with other runners all over the world. You can do this style of racing whenever & wherever you want. You have the freedom to choose where you want to run You become your very own race director. You design the course, the date, the time, etc...

OR
 

For example: Running On The Wall

With Running On The Wall you have the ability to take part in a race against yourself or and why not share the result with the Facebook group (everyone is social media savvy these days.) "This has become a very popular event with people who are interested in taking part in racing events, but cannot do so owing to pre-commitments or lack of opportunities." I myself love participating in races with other people. I love the excitement that comes along with racing and of course the challenges too, but unfortunately I cannot afford to participate in as many races as I would like. Not only are race prices increasing, so is the cost to travel to these races. Like myself and many others we tend to stick to as many local races as we can. I'm not complaining by any means, let me reassure you because I am thankful for all the races I do get to participate in here on the Big Island, but I'm human and yes I wish I could travel to race even more.

Running On The Wall was created by two runners themselves. They know how hard we train and with that they like to offer little bits of inspiration to go along with our training. 

Click the Link above to read more About Melianna and Alex (The two behind the scenes at Running On The Wall) you'll like them. You will like what they have to offer to you yourself if you are the runner or maybe someone else. Whatever it may be, just check out Running On The Wall and see for yourself all they have to offer.

I only recently joined as one of their Running On the Wall Athletes. My first race with them will be this Month of October (I know it's closely coming to an end) I will get it done don't you worry and I will live to tell about it too!

I love catchy little phrases that motivate me to keep going and some running swag is always nice too. I also have found that I enjoy talking with other runners via social media. There are so many runners out there that have experiences similar to yours or so completely different that you would have never imagined. I find myself becoming friends with some of these runners that I meet in these running groups. We support each other and cheer each other on. We motivate and Inspire one another!

At the end of the day I love to run and so do these other people in the groups. Regardless of a race or not, I am going to train. 

Right now I am training for Honolulu Marathon 2015 (Not a Virtual race). I know it's important to train speed and train long and take rest days too. This year I feel slightly far from the speed I need to accomplish the Marathon Race I am chasing. I figure that if I sign up with Running On The Wall Facebook group I will find that bit of extra motivation I need to get a little bit faster.

I signed up to run a Virtual 10k. It's a great distance to run, to check in on my speed and yet not too long that it's going to put me out before my Marathon in December. And so here it is, the fun run swag to go along with my Virtual Race
"If it doesn't Challenge you, it doesn't Change you" this will be my mantra as I run my first official Virtual 10k.
( You can order a variety of race kits by heading over to Runningonthewall.com )

The distance is set and now all I have to do is commit to running my 10k. No problem I tend to get it done this week...

And for those of you who do enjoy running and have only thought about running a race,but never actually signed up for a race, this might be exactly what you need. Maybe you don't want to spend all kinds of money and don't really want to run with all kinds of people, but you do want all kinds of swag (Of COURSE YOU DO). You can also go online and pick a distance that will suit you best and purchase the race kit to go with it. I am confident that you will not regret signing up for your Virtual Race. And remember you can keep it a secret if you want to, but you probably won't be able to...

So I will get to running my 10k this week (Planning Wednesday if you want to run with me) and I will get back to all of you to let you know how it went. I will give you all the details (where I run, my pace, my mindset, how my body feels, etc. etc. etc. blah blah blah.)

Running On The Wall go check them out - what are you waiting for?

Happy Running or Walking my friends,

Brooke Myers

 

(Sole) Insert Here!

Insert Here ⬆

Injuries are so much fun, said NO ONE EVER!!!

Most athletes have experienced some kind of uncomfortable feeling, at some point or another. Trying not to freak out, is the key. Getting to the root of the problem is the key that unlocks the door to Recovery/Healing/Running.

Whenever I feel something, I think I'm not supposed to be feeling, immediately my head goes nutzo 😁
Lately, it's my feet, unfortunately.
I've been feeling similar effects of what may be described as Plantar Fasciitis. (You probably just read this and said to yourself, "ooohhh I have that too", or "I've had that", or something like "that's what I think I have.") Plantar Fasciitis is particularly common in runners.

I've always been a runner that will roll my feet, stretch my feet, roll my legs, stretch my legs and all the other recommended things a runner should do to stay healthy physically. I feel I do a pretty good job at listening to my body. I practice yoga, I take warm Epsom Salt baths, use Deep Blue essential oil for my muscles, I take BioAstin. What more do I need to do to keep going? I know there is always more I can do. So, I have started icing my feet after each run and focusing more on stretching my calves (its helping!)

This week, I stopped into the Big Island Running Company here on the Big Island and got myself a pair of inserts or Footbeds to try ( One thing, up to this point I had not tried yet). This is a first for my feet.

Sole

I highly recommend going into a local store you feel comfortable talking to and know you can trust. Luckily, I know the owners of the shop well enough that I don't feel embarrassed talking about my nutzo thoughts I have. After trying a couple different pair of inserts or footbeds, I decided to go with SOLE. I had one brand in my left shoe and SOLE in my right shoe. Immediately, my right foot felt the comfort of the footbed. We switched out the left for SOLE too and both feet seemed to be quite happy.

(I'll be honest I never thought I would need to use inserts or footbeds, but sometimes we do not have control over our bodies needs. My feet have been wanting more attention and before it was too late, I listened.)

The following day, I had a light & easy run scheduled, so I decided to give these bad boys a go!
A little nervous because of what I might feel, yes I was.
I started off slow and easy to begin the molding of my foot to the footbed. Kind of Instantly, they became friends. Cheesy I know!
I ran 7 miles on the Queen K Highway testing out my new feel. I never had to stop, no complaints, feet a little warmer than usual (but this could have been the time of day I was running and the new pair of socks. Lol)

I got done with my run and everything seemed to feel great. My feet recovered well from those 7 miles. The bit of pain or tension I was experiencing prior to wearing my new SOLE footbeds seemed to be decreasing already. YAHOOOOOOOOOOOO! Right runners, we want to feel our best all the time and when injured or out of running for even a day or two, we feel so excited about bouncing back.

Today, I headed out on the road just before 5am and at first I had not planned to wear the footbeds for my long run just in case something were to go wrong. But, my feet had felt so good from my 7 miler the other day, that I took a chance and went out for 18 miles (Either way I had nothing to lose. My feet were wither going to hurt or not hurt with support or no support.)
I did stop two different times during this mornings run to tighten and loosen my laces (with the inserts/footbeds, I notice my right heel was slipping out of my shoe a little, very little.) Once I finally got my laces where I needed them to be comfort wise, I continued running with no complaints. And here I am hours later and feeling really good actually...
I'm quite happy with my overall experience thus far in my new SOLE footbeds.

Feels SOLE Good.

Have you had to run with Plantar Fasciitis? Talk to me... tell me your secrets to recovery and feeling better during and after running. I would appreciate your knowledge. Maybe I'm doing something wrong here that has nothing to do with running. Just saying!!!!

Just Breathe

Brooke Myers

Follow my Fitness Lifestyle @breathebrooke via Twitter & Instagram 

Thanks for reading - 

and thank you for the Support that has me Running:

*SOLE

*Mizuno

*Big Island Running Company

*BioAstin

*Vega Sport

*Bonkbreaker

Balance is More than Just Standing on one Foot.

Balance is more than just standing on one leg. To me, balance is finding that peace mentally and physically in my life.That sense of peace that says "Brooke, it's okay to have a some ice cream or maybe drink a beer without feeling guilty." Balance is being comfortable in my own skin, my own thoughts, my own body. It has not always been easy for me to find a sense of balance mentally (this is where I have a lot of work to do, where I struggle the most) and I am okay with working hard to find mental balance in my life every damn day. The physical balance is the easy part for me, but if my mind travels in the wrong direction, more than likely so will my physical balance...

Balance is Key!!!

Being that Balance is what we are talking about, as we take on the SweatPink/Fitapproach  
#BOSUStrong challenge, I will start off this Monday with some Motivation...and Monday's Mad-Lib.

To be quite Honest, I do not incorporate the use of the Bosu nearly enough in my fitness life. Why? I don't have an answer to that. I just don't. It's not to say I don't like the Bosu, because I very much so do... and probably you will to, if you don't already...

It just so happens I forgot to join in last week with my fellow and non fellow sweatpinker's in the #BOSUStrong challenge No Worries! If you forgot too, We can join in this week as it’s all about the balance! We’re standing on one leg, lunging, and BOSU squatting our way through the week.

But balance means more than just being able to stand on one leg, it also means being able to do what you love while making healthy choices at the same time. It means putting in the work and still finding time for An occasional night out with my loved ones. Or eating the extra slice of pizza but balancing it out with an extra serving of my favorite (broccoli) the following day. Or maybe run an extra mile or two (workout) and (HIIT) the garage hard with Intervals (workout) at home when you can’t make it to the gym.

Here are the 6 ways I stay balanced - what are yours?

I make time for myself by Making sure I go take a regular yoga class once a week for me.

My favorite me time is on my yoga mat, practicing handstands, running early mornings.

My rule when it comes to a balanced diet is No dieting, no starving myself, and try to find moderation in everything. I continue to remind myself that I am not like anyone else, so I do not think that what someone else may be doing will necessarily work for me.

I make fitness a priority because it literally is my job and for me I truly enjoy fitness. I enjoy motivating others to enjoy fitness on some level too.

When I get stressed or overwhelmed, my go to is yoga & meditation.

I do try to make healthy choices overall and at the same time, I try not force my family to be as actively involved in fitness as I am. I let my family make choices for themselves which will help my family stay balanced.

Bonus:

Here are my fave 6 (It's Challenging to narrow it down to 6, I have so many) moves to help improve your balance:

1.  Tadasana (mountain pose)
2.  Handstand Practice
3.  Sitting still in cross legged or Lotus (meditation)
4.  Legs up the wall!
5.  Tree pose on the Bosu (teaches balance and stability and growth)
6.  Single leg squats with kettle bell in hand.

 

And So, I along with my fellow SweatPink'ers want to know - are you #BOSUStrong? Copy and paste the above, fill it in and make it your own and then tag me in it and share with your friends! Let’s all be #BOSUSTRONG.

The daily prompts are below. You can also follow along HERE.

DAILY PROMPTS!

Monday, 9/21: Happy Monday sweaties, this week we’re all about that balance. Let’s see you stand on one leg - ready, set, GO! #BosuStrong #SweatPink #FitFamily @Bosu_Fitness @FitApproach #ad

Bonus: Y’all know we love to #jumpjoymonday! Show us your BEST jump shot and tag @BOSU_Fitness @FitApproach #BOSUStrong #FitFamily #SweatPink #ad

Tuesday, 9/22: We want to see you #dropitlikeasquat...on your BOSU or perhaps one leg? #BosuStrong #SweatPink #FitFamily @Bosu_Fitness @FitApproach #ad

Bonus: It’s time for #treetuesday! Show us your best tree pose. @BOSU_Fitness @FitApproach #BOSUStrong #FitFamily #SweatPink #ad

Wednesday, 9/23: Let’s lunge it out sweaties! #BosuStrong #SweatPink #FitFamily @Bosu_Fitness @FitApproach #ad

Bonus: #workitwednesday, show us how you’re workin’ it this Wednesday and tag #BOSUstrong #FitFamily #SweatPink @Bosu_Fitness @FitApproach #ad

Thursday, 9/24: It’s #totalbodythursday. Show us your favorite total body balance  move! #BOSUstrong #FitFamily #SweatPink @Bosu_Fitness @FitApproach #ad

Bonus: Give us a #tbt of a time when you really challenged your balance (feel free to get creative!) #BOSUstrong #FitFamily #SweatPink @Bosu_Fitness @FitApproach #ad

Friday, 9/25: #FreeFriday. Show us your favorite way to get your cardio on! #BOSUstrong #FitFamily #SweatPink @Bosu_Fitness @FitApproach #ad

Bonus: Happy #forearmfriday. Let’s forearm plank it out y’all! #BOSUstrong #FitFamily #SweatPink @Bosu_Fitness @FitApproach #ad






Have a great Week!

Just breathe,
Brooke 

National Yoga Month!

     

I do believe I am strong enough to live this life I have been given

    September is National Yoga Month! What does this even mean? National Yoga Month is a national observance designated by the Department of Health and Human Services designed to educate people about the health benefits of yoga and to inspire a healthy lifestyle. 
   
     If you have been practicing yoga for quite some time, by now you have come to understand that yoga is more than just these fun poses and awesome patterned stretchy pants. Yoga is your own lifestyle, It does NOT discriminate!

Just a few of my favorite leggings come from (Alo yoga, Prana, Lululemon, American Eagle Outfitters, With Love from Paradise).

    I was first introduced to yoga back in college. We had a Bikram Yoga Studio on our street, I lived on at that time. My roommates and myself decided to try it out, knowing very little about this particular style of yoga. I was only going to get my fitness on anyways, or so I thought.
We walked into the studio, signed ourselves in and headed into the room. It was dark, quiet, hot, full of yoga mats throughout, hot, and people breathing, people laying backside down, and did I mention HOT!!!
I was overly dressed and I think my roommates most likely were too. The class began and if you have been into a true Bikram Inspired class you know exactly what happens for the next 90 minutes. By the time we walked out of there, we were covered in sweat from head to toe and I absolutely loved it. But, being in college with little money, I only went back once or twice more. I wished I could have kept going back because it probably could have helped me heal my Eating Disorder a whole lot sooner, but life had a different plan which would come later...

It wouldn't be until a few years later, when I moved to the Big Island of Hawaii that I walked into another yoga class. This time yoga was different. I walked in with an Eating Disorder and lots and lots of Mental stress, so for me yoga started once again, as something I could use to help me to lose weight.
This time, I immediately felt different! I felt for the very first time I could breathe, like this large rock was finally lifted off of my chest and I could breathe. And if you have been following me for sometime, you know where this story is going and some of the many details in between. I won't go into depth repeating myself, but I do have to say that instantly I was drawn to yoga. I wanted to walk into a yoga class every opportunity I could. I didn't care that I didn't have all the expensive yoga apparel or a really nice yoga mat at the time. I wanted to get lost on my mat and out of my head as quickly as I could. I wanted to be free from the long lasting battle with bulimia, I wanted to be free.

So, my story, of how I started yoga began with an intention of losing weight and working out even though it was supposed to be something fun for my roommates and I to do together that was different. My story, of how I started yoga continues on the daily trying to live this life I have been given the best I know how, as strong as I can. My story, of how I started yoga grows every single day. Each time I step onto my mat, I feel is a brand new opportunity to begin again. So for me, I have a new start everyday. I learn something different each time I read through my yoga books, each time I practice with a new teacher, talk to another yogi, or lay down my mat.I don't always know exactly what I have learned in the moment, but it usually reveals itself to me at some point or another.

What are your favorite Yoga Books to Read?

I am beyond inspired by all of you (friends, family, yoga teachers, social media yogi's, students, etc, etc!) I love hearing the stories of other yogis and how their practice began. I am incredibly inspired by my students. Each time they (you who are reading this) show up to class, I am full of gratitude for what this life has offered me, by having all of you as my students. Really you are more than just students to me, you are my teachers because I am constantly learning from all of you.You have become my friends, my inspiration.

If I had a picture to insert of each and everyone of you, I would place it here for the world to see! Instead I will leave you with this ~

“True yoga is not about the shape of your body, but the shape of your life. Yoga is not to be performed; yoga is to be lived. Yoga doesn’t care about what you have been; yoga cares about the person you are becoming. Yoga is designed for a vast and profound purpose, and for it to be truly called yoga, its essence must be embodied.” — Aadil Palkhivala

     

~ Just Breathe

Love,
Brooke Myers


Do you practice Yoga? I would love to hear your story, your thoughts. Please be inspired to share!