Happy March 1st 🍀
Beloved Yoga & Wellness Community!
How are you? What's been on your mind and heart?
As we move into the sunset of the year's first quarter, thoughts on our ability to taste and smell have been taking space in my awareness. Over the course of the lockdown, hearing that one of the symptoms of COVID 19 could be lost or impairment of one's taste and smell has highlighted the beauty, efficiency and healing potential connected to the human senses.
A few months back, a neighbor shared a loaf of sourdough bread with me she had just baked. Ahhhh! I love the way sourdough bread smells and taste. What's something you enjoy tasting and smelling?
Whether you are recovering from COVID, supporting someone who is, or simply practicing to keep your immune system and mind healthy & happy... let's ALL cultivate a sense of gratitude for the gift of taste and smell.
Be Well,
Victoria a.k.a Ria Rivers
Gluten Free Sourdough Bread Recipe
Breath Of Joy!
Raise your hand if you could use some JOY right about NOW. 🙋
Well joy seekers, I have an awesome breathing exercise just for you! And it’s called. . .drum roll please 🥁 . . . Breath Of Joy!
As the name suggests, The Breath of Joy is a pranayam (yogic breathing practice) designed to uplift your mood, energize your body and cleanse away toxins. What I love about this particular breath practice, is that it combines body movements with each inhale and exhale, which invigorates your whole system. This practice is great for adults, children and could be a fun family time activity.
If you are needing a spark of motivation first thing in the morning or maybe a pick-me-up in the afternoon, especially after hours on your computer, or there’s a cantankerous kiddo in your home needing a mood boost - try doing a few rounds of Breath Of Joy. I find that it doesn’t take much of BOJ to recharge your batteries and awaken vitality!
Click here for a Breath of Joy instructional video by yours truly & enJOY!
Be Well,
~RR
Cannabidiol for Stress Relief
This blog explores the whats and whys of CBD. The story shares information of how CBD has helped to ease feelings of anxiety.
My heart was aching.
My dogs died. Two months apart. A year and a half ago. I had them both as pups, mother and daughter. Over a decade, they’d been by my side - riding in the back of my Volvo wagon, through raising 2 kids, PTA meetings, hurricanes, long hikes and a divorce.
Four days after my second dog died, I got sick with a hellish ear and sinus infection that took 3 rounds of antibiotics to get under control. To add to my distress, the side effects of the 5 weeks of numerous medications I was taking also took a toll on my body.
As a yoga and wellness professional, I've always prided myself (cough cough ego) on being in tip-top health. Challenges to my health rocked and confused me. Also, for the first time, I realized the special role my dogs had played as part of my emotional support system. This “aha!” moment made the gravity of their absence weigh heavy on my heart.
I needed stress relief!
Yoga, meditation and my other self-care practices were definitely helping me to stay grounded, especially my daily breathing exercises (thank the heavens), but I needed a little something more. Therapy was an option, but an option that would take a while to put in place.
A close friend suggested that I try CBD (Cannabidiol). She explained that it would give me the relaxing benefits of marijuana without feeling high. CBD is totally legal and absent of THC the compound in MJ that gives you the psychoactive in-the-clouds-feeling.
So off I went to my local magic shop. I browsed through the colorful array of gemstones, racks of incenses, spell potions, metaphysical books and chakra candles until I came across the CBD section. There in front of me were cbd teas, oils, bath bombs, e-pens, candy gummies and prerolled joints. The attendant suggested I try the prerolls due to their more immediate effect. I went home, had a Falafel for dinner, smoked some CBD preroll and slept the night away. Ever since, I've been sold on the benefits of CBD!
You can easily find great places that sell cbd who offers online purchasing or curbside pick-up. Luckily, I came across a hemp store that buys from organic growers in our area. I love all the swagger names for the different strains . Like Tarantula for relaxation. Wifey for focus. OG Purple for insomnia. Sweetgrass for nausea. Through experimenting, I discovered that I can use CBD during the day to ease tension and still feel awake, aware, present - highly functional. As well as partake in CBD at bed time for extra support in getting a great night’s sleep!
If your interested in trying CBD, I suggest you do a bit of homework on the various strains or just go for it and experiment with what works best for you. Please, keep in mind that CBD does not replace mental health therapy and that my story is based on my experience. I am not a medical doctor or hemp professional, I simply enjoy sharing the self-care practices that work for me in the hopes that my experiences may help others on their wellness journey.
Be well,
~RR
Too Much Yoga?
It all begins with an idea.
A long drive through the country the other day was the perfect breath of fresh air I’ve been needing for a long while now. Trees, rain, lakes, farms, cows and baby goats were delightful sensory inputs. Just like long hot showers, for me, car drives deliver the perfect opportunity to relax and Zen out. I was taking this gift of a drive for a contact-less Joint and Muscle Balm pickup. I had came across the maker of this fabulous ointment a couple years ago while on a Farm Tour. The special blend of cayenne, ginger, and cinnamon does this yoga teacher’s body good.
As the country side filtered my mind, a thought occurred to me: Is there such a thing as too much yoga? I’ve been teaching yoga and movement for the past 7 years. There’s been weeks here and there that I’ve probably clocked almost 30 hours of yoga teaching - not including my daily personal yoga practice. There’s been days where not only my muscles needed a balm but so did my psyche. Keep in mind that yoga is a processing practice - body, mind and Spirit! Yes yoga is a soothing balm on its own but yoga also roots out the pains in your body and heart. Yoga makes space for needed information to bubble up, pokes it’s head out of the rabbit hole and see the light. Repetitive injuries is a common concern for athletes and fitness coaches. What about repetitive internal processing for yoga instructors? As a lover of self-awareness and self-reflection, there are times that the inner work seems a bit too much and I need a break from processing my stuff. I have found myself needing to do mundane things like shopping for make-up, playing bubble poke on my phone or immersing myself in the making of a naughty second cup of coffee after hours of teaching yoga because I needed to turn off all the mental and spiritual inner processing I’ve done teaching yoga. Whew!
Could that old saying, too much of any good thing, is not good. . . also apply to the beautiful and powerful practice of yoga?
Be Well Y’all.
~RR