This morning my work day will begin at Bally where I will be subbing yoga from 9-10am. Being morning, I will definitely be doing some athletic poses, along with the peaceful yummy ones. My work day will end at Tamarac Fitness Center with a wind-down session–a fusion of yoga and Pilates from 7-8pm. In between there will be some dancing, kicking, jumping, lifting and definitely a lot of sweating!
I have been very yoga intensive and just this morning got an email article from my friend and fellow instructor, Charlene. Charlene, or CHARLINFLA as I first met her, (many years ago in a place called the Health and Fitness Chat Room on aol) is a yoga instructor and writer here in “my town.” It was a sheer coincidence that we should meet in a chat room, be neighbors and have many of the same passions! Though we haven’t seen each other in quite a while, we travel in similar circles and share the same passions that first brought us together back in the dinosaur days of the internet. With her permission I will post her article, which details the 5 principles of yoga. While 4 of them deal with parts of the class, the 5th deals with eating, but basically reads “Do No Harm.” This principle advocates a Sattvic or “proper” diet. Do no harm. Eat no animals. Yogis contend that digesting meat requires too much energy that can otherwise be used for meditation and healing. The sattvic diet consists of vegetables, fruits grains, nuts, and dairy. If you are feel bloated, heavy, bogged down, angry or aggressive, you may certainly consider that what you eat greatly affects who you are! Remember, we are what we eat!
In the world of fitness, I am far from a yogi. I am all about a comprehensive fitness program that reads like a long list of ingredients– A good dose of cardiovascular training, a handful of strength training, fold in some flexibility work, sprinkle with core training and a splash of balance work, add spices like deep breathing, meditation and finish with a dash of gratitude. In the world of fitness, I am a jack of most trades and clearly a master of none, and that keeps me (and my students and clients) well balanced. But when it comes to the principles of both yoga and Pilates, I do believe I do my best to LIVE them.
Yoga principle # 4. DO NO HARM. The more I think about it, the more meaning it seems to have. To all living things, but ESPECIALLY to yourself…DO NO HARM.
Happy birthday to my wonderful mom who would be 92 today. She taught me many things about life and modeled the importance of many wonderful things including (and especially) the importance of regular exercise…but above all she taught me to DO NO HARM. Thanks, Mom. Today as I go through my day of work and play, I will live it as a tribute to you.