Frequency > duration (and yoga for leg day!)

As yoga and meditation teacher, I love helping people not just learn the tools but figuring out how to set up a regular practice. When talking with people about getting a practice going, I always make sure to mention that frequency is more important than duration. These mind-body practices involve focusing on the present moment in different ways: breath, sensations in the body, linking the breath with movement, etc. That in and of itself - practicing that focus on the present moment with various focal anchor points and coming back to the focal point when the mind wanders - is helping to rewire the brain. The more often we engage in these practices, the stronger those neural pathways become, and the easier it is to a) catch ourselves when the mind wanders, and b) have agency in deciding where our focus should be.

With yoga helping us to focus on the body and its plethora of sensations, each yoga practice helps us to notice what is going on in our body and adjust accordingly (relaxing muscles, engaging muscles, shifting posture, etc). Yoga is a form of mindful movement wherein your focus is on the body and breath as you move - xi qigong is another type of mindful movement (and one of my faves) as well as tai chi. My mindful movement practice (yoga and qigong) practice has helped me to become so much more embodied - aware of what is happening in my body and having agency in choosing how to modify what I am feeling and how I am using my body. I can tune in and discern what is needed....a snack? A nap? A stretch break? One big change I have noticed is I actually pee when I have to pee! I can't tell you how many times I would be lost in a task, or a book or show, and then pause to get up and be like "WTF I have to pee so bad!" 😮 Not any more!! So, practice a little yoga every day to help you hone your ability to tune into what your body needs too.☺️

The purpose of this newsletter and the practices I share on YouTube is to offer a variety of tools to try out so that y'all can try stuff on and set up a regular practice. So I share yoga as one potential avenue, as well as self-regulation (so far breathwork exercises) and guided meditations so you have a variety of entry points to choose from. That way you can find something you like and actually enjoy to start practicing. Then boom- you are rewiring your brain to be able to focus your mind on what you decide rather than it running amok like horse whose rider has lost the reins. You get the reins back! And, each time you try out a practice, you're shifting your physiological state and helping out your nervous system. Learning how to modulate our nervous system state is a fundamental part of self-regulation, and self-regulation is a super power!!

So practice away friends, and remember, frequency > duration when it comes to the lasting benefits of rewiring the brain. That goes for just about any new habit too, by the way! As one of my favorite Buddhist meditation teachers, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche says, "short time for many times." I think that's a much more fun way to say it 🤣 Check out some of his foundation's guided meditation videos and his (very fun and accessible) teachings here.

Leg Day Yoga

Since it has been a while since I posted a yoga practice video while I focused on some self-regulation practices, I thought it would be most helpful to include a nice lower body flow that could serve a bunch of different functions. I thought of leg day back when I was a regular weightlifter (not part of my life currently) and the stretches that really helped me- either pre/post on leg day actual, or as part of a recovery day practice. From whence came this video 😊 It will also make a fantastic practice to do after a long day of sitting - at your desk, or after a travel day. The other time a leg-focused practice can be beneficial is when you are feeling a little spacey or ungrounded. All those big muscles = lots of sensation and blood pumping so a lower-body practice can really help bring you back into your body when you need to.

I hope you enjoy it! Also learning as I go with the video filming process - please excuse the strange audio change as I move to forward fold- never again will I wear a pullover sweatshirt if I am doing a forward fold- too awkward of a mic position! 🤪

In deepest appreciation,

Carly

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter!! If you know anyone who would benefit, I would be delighted if you shared the love and passed it along 🙏

I greatly appreciate any feedback, comments, or requests for practices/info. I've got a lot of knowledge and skills to share with people, so tell me what ya need and we'll see what I can do!! Simply respond to this email to send me your thoughts 😊