Analyn Revilla Analyn Revilla

My Go-To Yoga Flow

Hello MyYogaPal Community,

The topic for this month’s blog is “My Go-To Yoga Flow”.

It’s that flow you can count on to kick out the blues, to work out the kinks, to make you feel good if you keep a checklist… In my case, it’s my flow when my creativity escapes me.

I think we can all relate when you’re feeling dog-tired and that Beatles song “I’m So Tired” plays on a loop in your head.  Actually, on such days, it’s like moving a mountain to show up on the mat.  I like what Duke once mentioned in a conversation that if you can at least show up and do one sun salutation then pat yourself on the back.

Last month’s topic was “Mothers” and I certainly champion mothers who double-triple duty wearing multiple hats.  I was reading up Carolyn Myss’ archetype of the mother and her shadow.  She said:

“Although Mothers have always worked, the contemporary archetype of the Career or Working Mother reflects the crises experienced by many women who seek also to be Devoted Mothers. Measured against the impossible mythic ideal of the Perfect Mother, the Career Mom is sometimes assumed unfairly to be a mother who puts her own needs before those of the children. This is an archetypal crisis for many women.

The Devouring Mother “consumes” her children psychologically and emotionally and often instills in them feelings of guilt at leaving her or becoming independent. The Abusive and Abandoning Mothers violate natural law by harming their own young.“

Credit: https://www.myss.com/free-resources/sacred-contracts-and-your-archetypes/appendix-a-gallery-of-archtypes/

I’m pointing it out only that we can be hard on ourselves (both men and women who are responsible for nurturing children, pets, friends… the list goes on… and that also ties in with Erin’s blog on “Mothering Myself”).

I thought it would be fun and good for you to have the opportunity to share your “Go-To Yoga Flow” and share what you like about it, and give it some life to your readers and practicing audience.  Maybe some of us might even try it.

My Go-To Yoga Flow is organic in a sense that I just do what I feel like. I go with my intuition, and certainly I’ve learned so much from Lesley and incorporate lessons from her in my own organic practice.

I always picture myself starting with Child’s Pose which I connect with surrender.  I’ll stay in Child’s Pose just letting my awareness flow with my breath.

Then I move to Table Top and work on my alignment especially focusing on engaging my core.

I start some Cat-Cows or do Cow then move back to Child’s Pose alternating as this really helps me to allow my breath to flow easily.  On the exhale move to Child’s Pose then inhale to Cow and allow my breath to lengthen more with each movement.  I’ll do this 3X to 5X.

After my last Cow Pose I transition from Table Top to Downward Dog.  I love my first Downward Dog and really begin to open up more.  I’ll stay in this pose for 5 cycles of breath.

This is followed by 1 or maybe upto 5 sun salutations, again focusing on my core work in the Plank to Chaturanga movement.

By my last Sun Salutation I am feeling refreshed.  I can do this… or sometimes if super tired, I will allow myself to rest.  I come to Shavasana and rest.

But if feeling charged I’ll add Suriyanamaskar B then with some Warrior Two movements intertwined with Crecent Poses and some fancy arm work (like Eagle Arms or reverse Namaskar).

It was kinda fun writing this down.  It felt real and visceral.

Give it a try! We’d love to read about your “My Go-To Yoga Flow”

I begin in Child’s Pose / Balasana

Read More
Analyn Revilla Analyn Revilla

Ode to Mother

Hi MyYogaPal Community,

Today is May 25th, and it is my mother’s birthday. I wanted to honor her with a short poem.

There are no words to describe my feelings for Mom, because it’s more than love. It’s a mystery and a riddle and a feeling that words cannot describe. When I think about her and really sit with my thoughts and feelings I want to cry and laugh. I have memories of just wanting to melt into her skin. The smell of her perfume on her clothes, her hair, her skin - all these surround me and fill me with her. It’s crazy, because I seem to be in love with Mom. So be it then, if that’s the closest I can describe in words what I feel for her. But then it morphs, and so my feelings change to admiration because I know of her sacrifices and the beauty she showers upon everything. How blessed I am to have my Mom.

Ode to My Mother

She turned 91 today

What will become of her

Mind her

Body her

Spirit

My Mother

she & her & my are distant pronouns

I only want to be one with mother

in the womb of her heart

I can’t get close enough that it hurts and always will

what will become of me?

Mom is 91 now

Fe Celeste Revilla. She’s a mom to other moms too, like our dog Rio. Mom knew instinctively that Rio gave birth to a litter of pups behind the house and she helped Rio with the puppies.

Read More
Analyn Revilla Analyn Revilla

Mothering Myself

Hello MyYogaPal Community!

We’re so excited to post our first blog about “Mothers” from Erin Donovan. Her writing is deeply rooted. What I mean is she walks the talk!

Without further ado…

Learning To Mother Myself

by Erin Donovan

I'm incredibly fortunate. I have a very good mother. I was born and raised by a woman who always did her best with the skills that she had. The youngest of four kids, I have always known my mother loves me and wants what is best for me. But this blog isn't about my mother or the fact that I am also a mother. Instead, it's something fundamental that I realized I needed to learn to do for myself; mother myself. 

If you've never heard that term before, it may sound odd, but I believe whether we are male or female, had a wonderful mother or not, we all need to learn how to mother ourselves. Mothering yourself in simple terms means nurturing yourself with unconditional love as you would others. It can be as simple as taking a few minutes daily for your favorite self-care activity. It doesn't have to be much. It doesn't have to cost you any money, but it should always be something that brings you total joy.

When the world shut down in 2020, I went into "people-pleasing mode." I was asking, "How can I support you?" I began hosting free online workshops on stress and anxiety, meditation challenges and offering Yoga classes to anyone who asked for my help. I showed up to serve, and serve I did. By the end of 2020, I had hit a wall. I was burnt out, depleted, and running on empty. In-person classes always filled my cup, but when classes resumed with social distancing and masks, they weren't growing. I began to slide into a familiar dark hole. I felt like a failure. I know that's just my ego, but sometimes we listen when our ego runs amok. I believed that unless I was teaching Yoga and meditation, I had nothing else to offer anyone. It's sad to admit that, but it is my truth. That belief system was built two decades ago, and I relied on it without even realizing it. 2021 brought it right up to the surface, and I had to look at it. 

One of my favorite quotes is 'If you're feeling helpless, help someone.' by Aung San Suu Kyi. So, over the next year, I struggled but found different ways to serve and fill my soul. I primarily got off social media, so I wouldn't compare myself to others and began volunteering with a local rescue. Through this different work, I realized the one person I had been neglecting to mother was myself. I also needed to break down and rebuild my entire belief system. Instead of "people-pleasing," which has always been my natural nature, I had to practice having solid boundaries, let go of toxic relationships that were causing me mental harm, and learn to truly embrace saying 'no' when I didn't want to do something without feeling guilty. 

When we learn to mother ourselves, we begin to make ourselves a priority. Not in a selfish way, but in an unapologetic healthy way. As flight attendants say on airplanes, "Put your oxygen mask on before helping someone else." The idea is the same. So when I show up in the world and take the best care of myself, I am more positive, vibrant, and honest. I believe that positivity will have a ripple effect on everyone I meet. 

Credit: “Mothering Myself” by Crystal Charlotte Easton

Read More
Analyn Revilla Analyn Revilla

Hope

Hi MyYogaPal Community,

April, if you are a resident of the US, is a busy month.  We have our tax day in the middle of the month, and there are also the Spring Break holidays plus the daylight savings time change which is when our clocks “spring” forward and we lose an hour’s worth of sleep (as I see it).

We’re near the end of April, and the “Connectivity” theme for our blog didn’t take off so well, but I still believe we are all deeply connected.  

How can I say that?  

It takes a lot of love to stay connected.  There are many ways to interpret this.  I’ll approach it from the perspective of when I’ve experienced the lowest low in life.  I mean, when I thought a situation was at its worst and that it couldn’t get any worse, so it can only get better.  

Then I consider the suffering and losses of our fellow human beings in Ukraine.  I imagine just one person, perhaps a woman, like me who has hopes and dreams - then one day the tides turn because of a war.  From that day forward the future looks bleak.  That woman, I imagine, can perhaps hope and pray, just as I hope and pray for the war to end.  That prayer offered connects me to this imagined person who is actually real, because she can be anyone - a mother, a sister, an aunt, a teacher, a musician, a retail employee, a baker, a store owner, a woman on the bus, a tourist.  

We hope.  We pray.  We dream.

We’re connected.

Here is one quote from Lesley’s collection of 50 Favorite Quotes.

So I found something more personal that Lesley shared on Instagram as it pertains to this favorite quote of hers. I am re-posting it here as a remembrance of Lesley and a reminder to be hopeful when times seems low. Never give up!

fightmasteryoga


Mom emailed asking what we’ll be doing to fill our days. ✨Great question!✨
About 2 weeks ago, we were given notice that our landlord decided to sell. We’ve lived there since 2008.
Luckily, we found a new apartment quickly! Duke was very excited to start moving immediately. Indy (2nd pic here) is 15 and strong. Very helpful moving the heavy furniture. Stone is 13 now and he helped (a little bit) too.😉
.
Yesterday I packed up the last of our stuff. There’s just some cleaning left to do.👏
.
I’ll be busy unpacking, cleaning and organizing for a while. There are lots of built-in drawers and cupboards to fix at our new place. I’ve done a few. Pic 3 is “before” & pic 4 is “after.” (Hopefully I put those pics in the correct order😂).
.
I’ll also be working on a new “de-stress and relax” program for MyYogaPal.🥰
Lowering your stress and keeping a positive mindset is more important than ever to keep your immune system strong.💪💕This week’s free #hathayoga class on YouTube is a great way to do that as well! You can find it on our Fightmaster Yoga channel.💕 ✨ What will you be doing with your time while #socialdistancing?✨
.
💖Stay healthy, relaxed and safe, my friend!💖

https://www.instagram.com/p/B94t3OMgidU/?hl=en

Read More
Analyn Revilla Analyn Revilla

"The Universe is not outside of you. Look inside yourself; everything you want, you already are." ― Rumi

Hello ✌️❤️

This April we are honoring our connectedness to the drumbeat of the universe. Our surrender in March opens to growing our awareness to being connected to the heart of you, and to the heart of those you touch, and the hearts of those who touch you.

Our first blog is from Erin Donovan. She’s got a website called Feel Good Yoga & Meditation. There’s a page dedicated to Fightmaster Yoga Blog. She practices this connectedness by honoring Lesley with the word of “teacher”. One layer of our connection to each other is the teachings of Lesley. She imparted her love and knowledge & experience of yoga to all of us, and we continue to practice with her videos.

Now, we are spreading our wings and nurturing our need to be a thriving Fightmaster My Yoga Pal community. We can practice yoga with Duke & Indy with their live streaming classes on YouTube. Then there are the exclusive MyYogaPal classes - and we also have this forum, the blog, to expand our connectedness with our stories.

Without further ado, we present Erin’s blog.

Backpack Meditation

by Erin Donovan

In our tree of life, I believe connectedness is our roots. We need deep connections and support to thrive. Whether it be our partners, families, pets, friends, teachers, mentors, or mother nature, connection helps us feel like we belong. When we feel like we belong, we find purpose and meaning in our lives.

Years ago, I struggled to find a place where I felt like I belonged. I struggled to make meaningful friendships. I had one dead-end relationship after another with emotionally unavailable men. I was unhappy, unfulfilled, and lacked meaningful connections outside of my family. I was a people pleaser who never took the time to think about my own needs.

Finally, one Sunday morning after a long-drawn-out pity party the night before, I went to a Yoga class. I adored this teacher and had taken his class many times. He must have seen my despair because after I unrolled my mat and got settled, he said, "I'm teaching a new meditation today, and I am recommending you all practice this for 30 days straight to help you feel more connected to the love of the Universe. This will change your life." He taught us a Kundalini meditation called a 'backpack meditation.' A backpack meditation is meant to be taken with you wherever you go so you can utilize it anytime you need it.

We practiced this backpack meditation at both the beginning and the end of class that day. Within a few moments, I felt calmer and definitely more connected than I could have ever imagined. That simple, straightforward meditation became a turning point for me and I have been practicing meditation ever since. For me, meditation is how I connect to myself, the wisdom of the Universe, and others. Through all the ebbs and flows in my life, my meditation practice has been the one thing that is non-negotiable. When I experienced a debilitating depression, this meditation helped me remember that even though things were so scary and out of my control, I was worthy of healing and that the darkness I was feeling was temporary. I have learned through the years that if my mind is not clear, and I am not connected. If I'm not connected, I can't function how I want to, which is to show up in this world as a source of love, light, and hope.

Learning this simple technique

Sit up tall (I like to sit on a blanket) and place your hands in jnana mudra, with your thumb and pointer finger lightly together with your hands placed in your lap. You breathe in 4 strokes through your nose and out of your nose for one stroke. To begin, I recommend trying just a few breaths. As you become comfortable with it, you can add on as many as you feel you need. The great thing about this is that it can be done anywhere, any time you need it.

https://yogawitherind.com/fightmaster-yoga-blog/

Read More