Challenge Day 4 -- Yoga and My Family

My Children

Rune (6), Avyn (9mths), Rand (7)

My family is the MOST important thing to me!  My family supports me and it makes ALL the difference : ) When I began making changes in my habits, health, and fitness, it wasn't just for me, but for my family.  Yoga allows me time to decompress so that I can be a better mother, fiance, employee, friend.  I was concerned about whether I could afford yoga, but my fiance has supported me in this and even told me today that he was happy for me and proud of me : )

So today I left for my Traditional Hot Yoga class  that I had been looking forward to ALL day!  I got to class, got warmed up, stretched and then.......

.......received that call that my fiance was feeling very ill (vomiting) and I needed to come back home because he couldn't watch our daughter.  I was so disappointed, but FAMILY IS FIRST!

Now, the baby is down, my fiance is down, and I have time to blog.

Since I wasn't able to go to class, I decided I would practice some stretches at home, so I will share with you what I worked on for my flexibility.

1. Cobbler Pose

When I started yoga, my back and shoulders were so tight I could barely round my back.  Tonight I got my nose 3 inches from my big toes : )

2.  Child's pose

When I began, I could NOT rest my forehead on the floor while keeping my butt to my heels.

  Today, I could!

3. 1/2 Pigeon Pose

I don't make it look this easy, but I can get down onto my forearms.  This really stretches in my hips and backs of my lengthened leg.  It gives me a warm tingly feeling when I hold it.

4. Camel Pose

I LOVE the camel pose!  This pose gives me a new sensation every time I do it.  Sometimes I feel tingles, warmth rush though my body like a release and a gathering all at the same time.  I have felt emotional after this pose, intense...tear jerking joy.  It is such an odd pose to have such intense feelings from, but I love doing it just to see what I will feel each day.

I have started to add yoga stretches to my daily routine.  When I feel tight at home, I take a minute to stretch, to breath, to focus...even if my 9 month old is trying to crawl across me when I am doing it : )  It helps to take just those few seconds so I can be better for me and my family!

I am hoping and looking forward to Gentle Yoga and Pole Fitness tomorrow night!

Missing my yoga friends tonight,

Charmaine

aka Puddles