Restorative Yoga Workshop

I just spent 5 days last week in Vancouver taking the Relax and Renew Restorative Yoga workshop taught by Judith Hanson Lasater.

 

Judith is a wonderful master teacher who passes on not only all her experience in Yoga but speaks to us about how to live with grace, kindness, compassion, and how to listen and pay attention to others as everyone is important.  In this workshop we had homework such as not rushing, and no waiting.  We talked about how our thoughts and emotions can either lead us to anxiety, anger, and frustration, or go the other way to find time to do something else, find compassion, or just move quickly without adding in the stress or worry.  

 

Several ladies reported back at how one small change they did that one night made such a difference in their interactions with others, or how they found a few minutes to do something else they needed to do.

 

I love it when you go to a workshop on one thing and come away with much more to think about.  It is always these small simple things that if we can bring them into our lives on a regular basis they add up, and teach us to  live and connect to our life from a more peaceful, calm, and understanding place. 

One Rose Wellness Card

The message I picked today says -

" As you rest, think only of wonderful things,
wish with your heart and dream with your soul..."

One Rose Wellness Card

The message I picked today says -

 

"In this moment, say to yourself,

my breath brings me back to stillness,

to silence, to a feeling of being free..."

Telling our Stories!

One Year Later – A dog story!

Adjustments and changes are always part of life, some are easy while others take some time. 

Last September we said good bye to our lovely Scottie dog girl, Tilly.  It was very unexpected so that added even more to the feelings of love, sadness, and loss. 

Yes, we still have our Westie dog girl Chloe, and even she went through her own period of loss and missing her sister.

In the days that followed we learned that Chloe’s nightly not eating was just a game to tease Tilly, and we all fell for it. We had rushed to save her food from Tilly when she walked away from it almost every night for the previous seven years.  

We found out that when we go for our morning walks the person who doesn’t have a leash to hold on to feels left out, so we share the one back and forth.  

We found out how Tilly taught us about trusting, loving, and being kind even when you don’t feel well.  And, we found out we all have our own memories and unique ways we love and remember others in our heart.

This past summer was full of memories of Tilly who loved eating all the fallen cherries, raiding the garden for peas and green beans, playing with and then trying to bury the fallen apples in the garden or her various beds, and loving to be in the ocean trying to catch the little fishes. (Yes, she was a food lover!)

Below are a few lines from one of my new writings that seems to fit here.  It’s about telling our story, and helping to pass on stories of others so they can be remembered in the future as well. (I wasn’t thinking about pets when I wrote it but sharing their stories is important as well)

“Maybe when you write your stories, you can also dedicate a few chapters to others you can remember so they don’t get forgotten … you can speak about them, tell a few of their stories and experiences so they can go along with you into the future … they may not even know they are remembered, loved, or admired for their struggles, strengths, courage, and for being like you, the best they could be.”

A dear friend recently wrote and shared a beautiful story about her lovely little dog Sadie. It was inspiring to read how so many people and experiences are connected to one tiny dog, and to know that Sadie will also live on through the hearts and stories of others!

Now I really need another tissue!

Earlier story