Friday, July 5, 2013

Yoga 10- No Limits

I've recently been reading and completing a 28 day yoga challenge.  I have always hated yoga.  It is too slow and boring.  However, this summer I have found a lot of things that I am enjoying about it.  
I like that is practices stilling fidgety bodies and calming rambling minds to appreciate the present moment.  
Each day gives guidance, yoga poses, thoughts, and intentions.  Today is day ten.  
Today's challenge- find your inner child and take joy in exercise/ movement like a child!  (That is easier to do when you have children.)

Part of the yoga challenge is to write a fairy tale or 'child like' story.  

I wrote it with these scriptures in mind- 25 Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous.  -Joshua 10:25
24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. -Mark 11:24

Do not be discouraged or frustrated, because just when you are ready to have a breakdown, you will have a breakthrough!  

#nolimits


This is taken from my journal:


Day:  ten
My intention in 28 days is to become more physically and spiritually healthy.
1.  Yogapholosphy:  Recreation will Re-Create
"...the time you set aside for movement is joyous!"

"Enjoy your time as if you were a child.  If you were not very active, it's never too late.  Now is the time to become childlike again."
"Exercise is creative and fuels my exercise.  I am a creative being." -mindy ingberg


If I follow my children they keep me young.  Jumping on the trampoline, swimming, playing basketball, building a fort, etc.  
If I take the time to move with them, they could keep me young.  My goal is to engage in more fun activities with them throughout the week.

2.  Make a Gratitude List to God:
-God's direction
-running
-movement
-health
-vacation time
-friendships
-encouraging words
-family


3.  Yoga Pose Today:  The Bridge

4.  Cardio:  -couch to 5K

5. Write a Fairytale. 
 "There is nothing more freeing than writing a fairy tale and creating fictional characters....they say all roles in a play are different expressions of archetypes that reflect various aspects of ourselves." -mindy ingberg

No Limits
Once upon a time there was a caterpillar named Angelica!  Angelica had a long plump body with bright beautiful colors.  

Everyday Angelica would get up really early and stretch out her long, fat, and colorful body.  She would climb the big huge tree beside her leaf.  Her secret dream was to one day reach the beautiful blue sky and the white puffy clouds.


All the other insects scoffed at Angelica.  "Haaaaa. Angelica, you are a real jokester!" shouted Ant.  "Imagine, you think YOU could actually even get close to the sky.  What a dreamer!" cried Cricket.  "Come down here where you belong!" Beetle demanded.  
***
Everyday all of the other insects laughed and teased Angelica.  You are too fat, you have too many legs, you are an insect, you do not belong there.....all of the other bugs gave all the reasons she SHOULD NOT climb to the sky!
Although Angelica, never quite reached the sky, she took her time enjoying the journey.  Angelica liked moving and reaching over the rough branches, feeling the sunshine, taking in the view, and praising God for who she was when climbing up the big, glorious tree! 
***
One day Angelica hit a MAJOR bump, she felt led to stop practicing, slow down, think, and just pray.  This did not suit Angelica at all because she was very impatient.  The only good thing about slowing down was that she got to wait while wrapping herself  in the most beautiful emerald green shell.  

She waited, and waited, and waited, and waited.  She thought, and prayed, and reflected.
Just when she thought God wasn't going to help OR didn't love her OR didn't want her anymoreeeeeee...
she felt the beautiful shell fall to the ground!!! Finally.

Suddenly, she felt changed.  She felt renewed.  She felt the same but really different.  She felt amazing!!!

The first thing she wanted to do was to climb the big, huge, tree.  She had missed her practice.
Oddly, as she began to inch up the tree she no longer heard the taunting and the doubts from the other bugs.  She only heard her determination. 
Just as she reached her usual stopping point, she felt herself moving further, and further, and further up the tree.....
until she finally felt her self soar high!  
She soared to places she had never been before.
She couldn't believe that she was really reaching the beautiful sky with the big puffy clouds!
Below were all of her insect friends, who thought they saw a familiar friend- colorful and beautiful- but they quickly dismissed it.  They only understood the hole that surrounded them.

Meanwhile, Angelica soared farther than even she ever thought was possible.  She felt herself rise off the tree and into the most beautiful blue created, into the most exciting adventure ever, 
and she loved every minute of it.

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