What is Soft is Strong. - Lao-Tzu
It is day 11.
The day we officially stop pushing and forcing and learn to soften.
Take advantage of soft easy movement to explore and unlock parts of the body that need tending to.
Harder, faster stronger needs to be balanced with a deep listening to the wisdom of your body.
Notice I say your body and not the body.
Today, we work to find ease and connect to a deeper listening that serves your unique body and depth of breath.
The invitation today is to let go of rigidity in your patterns.
Notice.
Are you locking your joints?
Are you closing off pathways of energy with tension?
Today’s session opens another doorway. Attending 100 yoga classes is great but what if you are exercising the same muscles and toasting to the same patterns over and over again?
Are you uncovering? Or just piling it on?
If we keep stretching the same muscles over and over then what happens?
Those muscles actually can become weak.
With YWA and this TRUE 30 Day Journey - we have the opportunity to look at the current state of body and breath and create a practice that serves - not emulates.
Happy exploring today! (It will breeze by like 5 min!)
You are doing great!!!
You should feel so proud! THIS IS NO SMALL FEAT!
SUMMARY: You have an opportunity to really begin to create an experience that feels good for your body each time you step on the mat.
I’ll be there to guide you.
Happy softening!
Yours Truly,
Adriene
What I'm advocating here is something that requires courage — the courage to have a change of heart. The reason this requires courage is because when we don't do the habitual thing, hardening our heart and holding tightly to certain views, then we're left with the underlying uneasiness that we were trying to get away from. Whenever there's a sense of threat, we harden. And so if we don't harden, what happens? We're left with that uneasiness, that feeling of threat. That's when the real journey of courage begins. This is the real work of the peacemaker, to find the soft spot and the tenderness in that very uneasy place and stay with it. If we can stay with the soft spot and stay with the tender heart, then we are cultivating the seeds of peace.
— Pema Chodron in Practicing Peace in Times of War
Adrienne,
you helped me during time of doubt and now you are here on my first day back at work!! thank you so much for everything youre doing both on physical, emotional and philosophical level. this goes beyond. you make me happy, aware and healthy. I am so grateful. I keep sharing those practices with all loved one around me.
Namaste,
Raphaelle
Adriene, my friend Alyssa and I are doing this and encouraging each other to be consistent and purposeful. I teach band, so the breathing exercise (using the naval to breathe deep and exhale fully and with purpose) is an excellent way for me to teach beneficial yoga principles throughout the day... and for them to play their wind instruments well.
Thanks for all you do. Looking forward to today's practice when I go home for the weekend.
Namaste.
I am loving this 30 day programmec its hit great variety yet some themes too . Ifeel brighter than i have in months ..thanks for giving so generously Pauline x
Hello Adrienne and All, from The UK. I have been transforming my mind and body this last year with the fabulous yoga videos you generously provide for everyone. I have followed two of the 30 day programmes and am now 'feelin good' on day 11 of TRUE.
I have been wondering about how easy it might be to ,from this amazing selection of videos, customise our own 30 day programme , picking out the ones that feel particularly good for us individually. When I finish one such yoga session I always think I will remember which one that was and go back to it at a later date, needless to say I never do remember which ones they were. Its just a suggestion, but maybe if there was a favorite button on each video (and now I'm thinking maybe there already is and un-savvy tech me just doesn't know that). Then I could make my own 'Found what REALLY feels good' programme, or perhaps also a way to make little comments for our own reference later, like 'this one was great for my back' etc, or ' this one got rid of the hangover' as I've notices there is no special video for participating alcoholics. Joking aside, I never thought I would become so taken in and warmed by something like Yoga with Adrienne and the community, it's suprised both me and my family and friends. I recommend it highly to anyone I can. Lots of LOVE in and lots of LOVE out to you all. LIZ. x
Liz, if you haven't yet found out, you can make your own playlists on YouTube.
Wauw! Just did the core strength ritual, followed by this and it was amazing!!! I've been suffering from lower back pain for 5 years now and 'Yoga With Adrienne' is really the only thing that helps easing the pain. I am often really down and desperate, constantly living with pain, but yoga gets me trough those dark days! x
You my friend, help me to show up every day, on the mat, in myself, in my heart. From a farm block in Australia, surrounded by sheep and magpies and kookaburras, I thank ye. x
Dear Adriene and the YWA community,
Every year I've decided to get healthier in both body and mind. Every year so far I've failed.
But for this particular year I have high hopes, thanks to you! 😀
I love your videos, Adriene. The ease that you bring into them, the find what feels good philosophy. I love the encouraging letters you've written for each day, the quotes and that you put so much heart and warmth in everything you do!
And to the YWA community - thanks for being here for me! Thanks for all the encouraging and inspiring comments and stories!
I've come to realize that yoga is so much more than a workout. It's a philosophy, it's a life style.
Thanks to all this I'm finally going forward in my journey of finding ease and what feels good ON the mat as well as OFF the mat.
A BIG THANK YOU!
Cheers!
Thank you Adriene!! This practice is EXACTLY what I needed today. I have low back and hip pain due to an injury several years ago. It has been unfortunately aggravating my sciatic nerve over the last two days. The stretching and hip opening felt wonderful and as I finished and was saying "Namaste" to you and all the other happy souls out there, I realized that the tightness/soreness running down the length of my sciatic nerve has lessened. I wish I had practiced this morning...
Tonight as a close my eyes, I will be grateful for you and this practice. I'm looking forward to meeting you on the mat tomorrow.
Thank you <3
Gracias! thanks so much! This is the only real yoga journey in the entire world. I am deeply grateful with you and I wish you the best!
Thank you for this gentle yoga practice today Adriene. I was struggling to get going today but now I'm ready to start my day.
Hi everyone from Georgia! This is my third month with Adriene and I cannot skip the day anymore, I cannot go to bed without practicing yoga, and thank you for that! Just a quick question: how I get used to pigeon pose? Is there any specific tip? It is still hard for me. Thank you
That was a beautiful practice thank you 🙂