Acro Yoga as a Language

Tanya Arriaga

AcroYoga is an important part of my life for reasons that most people do not exactly relate to. Think about how you would communicate with each other while trying to perform and learn acrobatic moves. Communication and comprehension is vital when learning or performing any skill of difficulty. For this main reason is why I hold AcroYoga so dear to my heart. It can be done entirely without speaking or communicating verbally. It's like having your own language with another person that can be expressed and interpreted all through touch. It allows you to really immerse yourself in the moment and at the same time you learn a lot about yourself. It gives you the opportunity to trust and be submissive to your body and connect with someone else. Your bodies are working together in a harmonious way and you are able to work together into building a work of art.

I mean talk about true, deep, understanding. All of this I can relate to first hand being that I'm partially blind and almost completely deaf. All my life I have had to get around primarily by using cues and body language. Unlike most who can easily listen and speak to communicate.

I like to be optimistic and see these disabilities I have as a benefit.  My vision allows me to have only 10 degrees worth of a field of view whereas most people have 180 degrees worth. Because of this, I am able to really focus and feel my base’s body movement and understand/interpret what moves he/she are asking of my body to be performed next. Going through these experiences myself helps me to learn how to teach Yoga and AcroYoga to others with the same disabilities. 

I would like to share this experience with others, because no matter where you are in life, or what disabilities you may have, you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.

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Healing the Body as a Whole

Ryan Brannan

The implications of yoga reach deep into who we are.  In one respect it is a science of uncovering our truest and closest aspects of self, and in another it is a highly disciplined art form; a kind of grooving as one with the cosmos.  Yoga itself is a way of tuning into these higher frequencies within us of love, empathy, creativity, peace, wisdom, reverie, and connection.  Through Hatha yoga we use the physical postures to tune, strengthen, and prune the body, mind, and spirit.  The body and the earth are the temple and part of yoga is taking care of the body as a whole organism.  After we condition the body through yoga, exercise, or daily stress we must then begin the restoration process.  My practice as a massage therapist is meant as an essential piece to a complete mind and body health practice.  Exercise without massage is like an engine without grease.   It’s about more than just feeling good, it’s an essential part to the health of your body.  What we feed, and how we treat the body is ground zero for how we feel and operate, and thus what we attract into our lives.  Massage helps ease our bodies back into their natural state so we may feel and function at our best, and get the most out of our yoga practice.     

(Ryan Brannan is a massage therapist at Youga Yoga donation based studios, author of “This Is Paper”, fire performer with Tribal Funk Pyro Circus, and artist.)

 

Healing The Spirit With Essential Oils

By Chalyce Macoskey 

Illness begins at the level of the spirit. Disharmony or dis-ease of the body is often the result of disharmony or disease in the spirit. When we address the spirit, when we work to heal our emotional well-being,  we often experience fewer physical manifestations of dis-ease and illness!

EMOTIONS -

Many things affect our emotions: pregnancy, childbirth, diet, lack of exercise, illness death or stress. The emotions around memories of powerful events in our lives are particularly potent in unsettling our peace of mind  Unfortunately when this onslaught of emotions attacks we often seek medical attention in hopes of easing our distress. Unfortunately, this is often a temporary fix, the treating of symptoms instead of treating the actual cause of distress. Sometimes the temporary fix can lead to even more challenges than before.

 BREAKING EMOTIONAL ADDICTION -

Emotions are an addiction. Every time you revisit the emotional drama of a memory you reinforce that emotion, make that emotion even stronger. How can you neutralize negative emotions?    Try this - to help break negative emotions, bring up a memory. Stop and think about how the emotions around that memory make you feel. Does the emotion, the feeling own you? Does it control you? Ask yourself, does this emotion have the right to own and control you?  No? Then let it go! As you release the emotion, letting it go, affirm that the emotion does not own or control you. As you make this affirmation, apply an essential oil as suggested below. In time you will notice the grip of the emotion easing until ultimately, it will no longer have a hold on you.  Although the memory will remain, the emotional drama no longer controls you. Although the memory remains, there is no longer any emotional drama attached.

 EMOTIONS AND ESSENTIAL OILS -

The beauty of essential oils is that they work with the body’s chemistry to help restore the balance of the mind, body, and spirit.

Essential Oils are drawn from the vital energies of nature’s many plants,  making each oil or blend very diverse in its effects.  Essential oils work in many different ways. The benefit of an oil depends on its chemical properties.  Some individual oils can have 200 or more different properties. These different properties are why Lavender, for example, can be used for stress, burns, rashes, bug bites and so much more.

Essential7 which produces only oils of the purest and highest therapeutic grade offers several blends created to take the guess work out of using oils to enhance emotional healing and harmony. These oils may be used topically, by diffusing or inhaling.  An experienced practitioner who is knowledgeable about the use of therapeutic-grade essential oil will understand the ideal oil blend, delivery method and body placement to address specific imbalances for each individual.

Here are some Essential Oil blends such a practitioner might suggest:

Courage- This brave blend may be useful for occasions when you know you will be outside your comfort zone such as job interviews, public speaking, etc for extra energetic support-boost. Rub a few drops of COURAGE onto the soles of your feet, your wrists, or rub a few drops vigorously between the palms of your hands, then cup them around your nose and breathe deeply.

Enlighten For use with yoga and meditation. May help some to reach a state of higher consciousness.

Relax and Release May be used to relieve stress and stress related conditions. Aids in yoga and meditation.

Please remember this is for educational purposes only.  In no way is this intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe.   Do not discontinue any medications without speaking with your practitioner.  You are in charge of your health,  do your research and choose wisely.

Summer Surrender

By Stacy Odem

Summer is upon us and most of our Corpus Community is looking to summer trips and vacations to rest and recalibrate.  Just like the practice of Yoga, Life too is an ebb and flow- hot season/cold season, good times/bad times and everything in between.  

All too often though we get swept up in the demands of everyday living and our rational mind tells us that we don’t have the time or the funds to take vacation.  So year after year we push ourselves harder while adding more to our plate all for an elusive finish line.

But ask yourself, if you were driving down SPID and your tank was empty and engine overheating would you hit the gas or find a place to pull over, refill and cool down?  Our minds and bodies are no different and we function better, just like our cars, when properly cared for.

Yoga utilizes poses and meditations that challenge the mind and body while one is guided to stay calm and present.  Through Effort and Surrender the practice of pose activates, strengthens, aligns, and expands the individual.  The practice is about refining how we use our energy, knowing how to cultivate endurance AND restoration.

If we rush through life telling ourselves that our “to-do” lists are more important than being healthy and clear headed then we can’t complain when we crash and burn.  It is no different than our vehicles, it will happen.

Consider taking time this summer to nurture the Self by taking time to invest in the things that matter most.  And let your rational mind take comfort in knowing that the battery recharge will increase efficiency, health and vitality for months/years to come.

Namaste