Day 18: Yoga Paper 10/05/08

i recently wrote a paper for my YOGA class to make up for my upcoming absence - due to my wedding/honeymoon in November. My wise, wise instructor gave me the topic of "stress relief techniques for a wedding." This is what i learned:

1. Breathing is good. Deep, calming breaths can work wonders for the nerves AND your brain really likes oxygen.
2. Being present is a gift. The build up of anxiety and activity often causes you to lose sight of the original goal when it comes to weddings. There are so many different things to think about that sometimes you miss what is going on in the NOW.
   
3. Letting go is essential for moving on. You can paddle and paddle but if you are still tied to the dock - you aren't going anywhere. What's done is done and you can't change that fact...so refocus on what's going on NOW and let go of the things you can do nothing about.
   
4. The body needs a break too. A lot of people "store" their stress in various parts of their bodies. Stretching, warming up your muscles, and realigning your bones are good ways to relieve some of this tension. What better way to do those things than to practice simple yoga poses regularly.
   
5. Do or Do Not - there is no Try. OK, so this one is actually from Yoda but let's face it - the guy is was like a Zen master. In order for any of these techniques to work for me i must actually USE them.