I love doing yoga with my son. He is at that age where it’s still cool to hang out with mom and sometimes we like to break out the mats and do a little stretching together. It’s one of those fun things that strengthens our relationship but also gives us something special between us. Don’t get me wrong we are not professional yogis at all just a mom and her boy goofing around a bit in the living room usually.
The International Day of Yoga is among the myriad of international and national days of something. We particularly like the National Day of Tacos and the one for cookies here at our house. I’m not quite how but our son seems to say those days occur more than one time a year. Sometimes I humor him and we have our own home day of tacos and cookies. When it comes to Yoga Day however, I have some interesting thoughts that I think are worth all of us pausing and considering – a deep seated yoga poise not required.
Why We Have Yoga Day
The International Day of Yoga started back in 2015 and is held on the Summer Equinox calendar day June 21. It was suggested we have this day based on the recommendations made by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.
Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help in well being. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day.— Narendra Modi, UN General Assembly
I love his thoughts around yoga and how it is truly an activity all of us can do in some way to stretch, reflect and improve our well-being. This is a beautiful idea that does truly support something we all need to take time to do in our lives regularly. However, like most things marketing has truly taken over this beautiful thought and we sometimes lose that ability to see the true purpose of why we have this day.
What is Your Yoga?
The beauty of the original thought behind Yoga Day was the invitation and opportunity for each of us to do what is right and what feels good in supporting our well-being physically, mentally and spiritually. Sometimes that can mean actually rolling out a mat and going through a series of poises to move the body. Other times it may mean just sitting or laying on that mat in silence. The point is we all need different things and yoga can provide the tool for fulfilling those needs.
While I love a good yoga class that is not stacked mat-to-mat and has a focus on stretching and relaxation that is not necessarily my favorite way to do yoga. After a class like that I want to be quiet, move slowly and let that experience carry me in deep thought for a while and you usually can’t do that as you leave class. There are always people to see and talk to or just the noise of people putting away their things and leaving can interrupt that space we have just opened to be with our own being.
My favorite way to yoga is to be in the backyard in early evening when all is quiet and it’s just starting to get dark. I like to be by myself and in a calm mood where I want to move yet do so in a flow and in grace. I love feeling the still warm grass on my bare feet and hear the water flowing around in our pool. There is an owl that hangs near our home and I hear him often calling out. Sometimes I think he is talking to me and while I don’t speak owl I will say something back. I like to take that nice long deep breathe of summer heat air and high humidity and let it fill me. It’s the smells, environment and space that calms and grounds me.
For me, yoga is more than just moving my body for the sake of physical exercise. It is an experience that gives me that deep breath of pause. If you can find that brief moment where you just are where you are and not pursuing the next thing on a checklist or taking care of some need, obligation or chore but can appreciate what is around you, accepting who you are in that place then you have reached the purpose of what I think Yoga Day is intended. If that means you feel moved to strike a warrior poise to achieve that then you go for it!
Kids Yoga
Getting back to my son & I goofing around with yoga in our living room I think this too applies to this intentional thought for Yoga Day. That silliness of practicing wobbly tree poises or sitting perfectly tall is teaching him to be where he is at that moment. It’s letting him know it’s ok to be silly, have fun and accept we don’t have to be professional yogis to do yoga. Today with so many children playing different sports and starting at a young age in order to play in school sports yoga provides that even playing field for all kids. It is after all something we can all do and no one has to be excluded from it. We can do it because we enjoy it and it’s good for us. We can do it together.
There are lots of recorded yoga practices on YouTube to choose from that can provide a fun family evening that is different yet a healthy activity to do together. The entire family can do it together! To enhance this time together and keep it fun, I will pull out some oils for us to use in our yoga together. It makes it interesting and our son thinks it’s super cool to use oils. Here are some of our favorites.
Diffuse 3 drops doTERRA Wild Orange and 3 drops doTERRA Peppermint in the room where you will be doing yoga. This aroma is incredible for creating a spa like setting that is both relaxing and uplifting
Apply doTERRA Balance to feet bottoms at the beginning of the practice to calm, center and ground everyone
Apply 1 drop doTERRA Lavender to the tips of the ears and run small circles down to the lobe of each ear for calming and relaxing
Here is a simple and effective cleaner for the mats when your done:
Interested in More?
Yoga does not require you to be in some crowded class or doing poises that are uncomfortable. Yoga is actually doing what feels good to you and strengthens your mind, body and spirit and can also be used to enhance our bonds to others.
If you have questions about the oils I mention in this post or any other product or oil you are interested in to support your natural health journey, then please reach out! I’m happy to help.
amyk@dragonspitapothecary.com
The doTERRA system is completely flexible to your needs, interests and budget. There is no minimum purchases or pressure to sell. Simply purchase what and when you want while enjoying personal support from me when you need or want it. To begin your natural health journey and support your next family yoga night simply click here:
