Hi everyone!
I hope you are having a great day thus far!
If not, hopefully this email will inspire you to stop and take a long loving breath in, sit up tall and maybe even smile.
This week I invite you on a magical journey!
A magical journey away from that big land called your comfort zone.
This week we focus on intuition.
Straight up.
I've got a lot on my mind these days. It seems as though everything is so extreme lately. Am I the only one feeling this? A roller coaster of really bad or really good. Of really right and really wrong. Ultimate joy vs. decades of fear.
As I enter a new decade of living and begin a new season, I have set intentions to re-establish a loving relationship with my intuition. I am doing this because I want to relinquish old habits based on fear and I want to seek my truth. Yogis are truth seekers dang it. So – here we go!
GET OFF AUTOPILOT
GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY
LISTEN TO YOUR GUT
The tools of Yoga offer us an opportunity to check in and connect to what is really happening in the present moment.
For me, Find What Feels Good is the process of becoming more intuitive on the mat.
On the mat there is this tendency to just show up and do what you are told. I’m really interested in cultivating a place and encouraging a practice that does not look like we are some odd group of yoga robots from outer space.
No more yoga robots!
There is this odd thing that I notice in yoga class where people are afraid to stand out. They are afraid to go against the grain, to go against the mold and even to go against me.
Lately, in my public classes, I will begin cool down with what I have been calling “Perspective Playground.” SO CHEESY, I know. In this time I play a song and I offer poses to work on that change your perspective – how you are looking at things in the space literally and, of course, I offer the idea that we have a chance to look at something in a new way. Get off that autopilot and into your own skin. This serves as a great time for people to go upside down or into a side plank. I walk around or invite people to wave me down if they want to learn one of the poses I suggested.
From there – we continue in a place of freestyle. I guide them by saying, “ Don’t Decide Where It Ends!” We get goosebumps. We struggle- because damn it, we paid to be told what to do! We eventually find freedom, a sense of play and ease. Some go straight to Savasana and some turn down for whaaatttttt!
We are all happy and moving and breathing. We get out of our own robot way and we listen to our guts.
This is the real yoga for me. This is the moment where every single person in the gallery looks completely different. Breathing, smiling, playing together – but embracing our individuality as a means of exercising both mind and body. It’s so beautiful.
Everyone is following his or her own intuition. Everyone is listening. No robots.
So, this week, I invite you to exercise the muscle of intuition.
Play with this on the mat. Perhaps before a yoga video or after. Before a walk or run or after.
Play with this off the mat. During your morning ritual. In a meeting at work. In an argument or moment of stress. When you get hungry.
Go off auto pilot and see what happens when you make a commitment to listen to your gut and move from there. By doing so I believe your experiences will be more truthful, more joyful and balanced.
Be mindful and have fun!
Share comments and feedback with us down below, if you like!
Have a beautiful one,
Adriene
PS- Here is my Charlie Brown Yoga Photo from a practice in my hotel room in LA last week. I went to visit the YouTube space for the first ever YouTube Fitness Partner Summit. It was AWESOME!!!
Hi Adriene,
I've been doing your videos for a while now, but I just subscribed to your newsletter last week. When I received the email for this post, it seriously could not have come at a better time.
I auditioned and got the part for my school's annual Halloween event where the entertainment tech students create a haunted hotel. There is a rehearsal on Thurs, but I keep discouraging myself and telling myself I'll embarrass myself (mostly because I'm just doing this for fun). I keep contemplating to drop out of it or not.
The email came just in time, helped remind myself that taking risks and not letting fear stop me from doing things has opened me up to many new experiences and great memories.
I'm gonna go to rehearsals, and I know I won't regret it!
Thanks for the encouraging post.
Great post Adriene. I just posted on your prior blog post about my anxiety and how I let it terrify me so much. This post has made me realise I need to listen to my gut and be more mindful. Trust in myself and know that I have power over my anxiety. Most of all I need to have faith in myself.
Thank you.
Julie
Julie, what you are saying rings a chord so much with how I am trying to live my life right now and for the future. About 4 weeks ago I was given an amazing book - Mindfulness by Mark Williams. It has an 8 weeks of mindfulness/meditation excersizes in it. I cannot describe how much the tools this book gives you help to deal with anxiety and learning to live in the moment, trust yourself and others and just enjoy life more really! I highly recommend it for anyone striving towards living a life not controled by fear and other negative emotions.
Peace.
Thank you Katie
I've bought the book/audio from Amazon. Ive not started it yet, and I bought it months ago. I shall get stuck in. Glad it's helping you
hi katie and julie;
i liked to see your posts, it gives me aswell encouragement to face my fear and keep walking even if theres this slimmy discusting green thing (critisizer) that tells me " you cant achieve this, you're to dumm " or when i get this really weird feeling in my bead and arms (fear) and it almost paralizes me to do the things i want to do!
But i've learned int he past months to just say what i feel and to do what i ant to do, some people take it as mean and some actually like me this way, it is like that, when you start beeing yourself and your friends havent seen you like this then there might be some people who wont like you anymore, but that doesnt matter beause new friends will jump on board!
I'm just happy to read post from another julie and a katie who feels the same.
it sounds stupid but it shows me that i'm not alone...
thanks adriene and julie and katie
lets look forward to positive moments!!!!=)
julie
I've been working very hard at this- listening to my gut and "finding what feels good." When fear and negative thoughts take over, I just keep reminding myself that it is, in fact, a practice. Thanks Adriene as usual for serving as a wonderful inspiration.
Along the same lines, the book The Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker teaches how to trust your instincts! Awesome in practice and your every day life.
Hi Adriene,
You just struck a chord in me, and so gushed out from my soul is the following...and I wanted to share it 🙂
Intuition is like a horse, assigned to take us to our destiny. We have to choose to hop on, and trust. Even though the way is unclear, the horse always knows the way, and the destination. Intuition is a trusty guide. Heading to my 5th decade (in 3 years) I can say it has not failed me yet - I was called out from LA to NYC in '99, and literally, all I had was my intuition. What followed was many miracles great and small.
You are a great leader Adriene, because you take care of, and are honest with yourself FIRST. I also see your inner faith and courage...that's an actor for you! 🙂
Grow on, and fly!
Nickolet
Hi Adriene,
You just struck a chord in me, so from my soul gushed forth the following.
Intuition is like a horse, assigned to take us to our destiny. We have to choose to hop on and trust even though the way is unclear, the horse always knows the way, and the destination. Intuition is a trusty guide. I'm headed toward my 5th decade of living (in 3 years) and I can truly say intuition has not failed me yet - I was called out from LA to NYC in '99, and literally, all I had was my intuition. What followed was many miracles great and small. It eventually led me from church to yoga...my spiritual foundation stayed the same, it just carried over to a different application. I trusted my intuition through those major life shifts, and it led me to my Self...and onward I go!
You are a great leader Adriene because you listen to and take care of yourself FIRST...there's nothing more beautiful and pure.
Grow on, and fly!
Nickolet
Really inspiring. Enjoyed every bit of this nice post. Thanks a lot for sharing. I hope to find more on this site.
I LOVE you, Adriene! THANK YOU with Infinite Gratitude from my HEART! I never have enough of your yoga classes and your SMILES! Keep up the good job! Never give up shining your LIGHT to Others! I keep you in my Heart and PRAYERS. Heaps of Love and Thanks! tiziana
Hey Adriene,
I have been doing your videos for the pass year and they have inspired me to start my journey to becoming a yoga teacher. Though I am a long way off and need to work on my own practice for the next few years I want to thank you for your amazingly motivating videos!! Though you have never met me I attended your classes at least three times a week and I am hooked lol!!
I am also a cycling nut and will be heading off on another journey around the world starting in December. I wondered if you could do a video for cyclist on the tour focusing on legs and back? If you want to have a sneek peek in the life of a big fan check out our blog with our previous adventures including the states!!
Sending you lots of smiles, sunshine and happiness to your life!!
Lex xx
Yes. This. Oh, Adriene, how I needed this affirmation. I'm taking a big step in the next few months, and quitting my desk job to pursue something I love, and which is a bit off the beaten path. While this challenge excites me, I'm a bit weirded out. People around me keep saying things like, "But what about your 401K?" or "What if you can't get a business off the ground" or "that's just hippy garbage", and filling my head with doubt and negativity. But damnit, this FEELS right, and I want it. So you know what? Imma follow my gut, breathe deep, and keep posi. Thanks for the reminder.
Side note: do you ever get to Asheville, NC? That's where I'm moving to, and I would LOVE to participate in a meetup.
Adriene I can honestly say that you are the single person who helped guide me into practicing Yoga. I looked it up on youtube as a way to relieve anxiety and tension from my place of work and found your videos. I can honestly say that you have changed my life and I am forever greatful! This is the first time I have checked out your site and I can't wait to read more. Be strong and yoga on my friend!