Taking control of the day in three steps
By Nancy B. Loughlin
Published in News Press on January 3, 2017
Fort Myers yogi Samantha Reynolds boxes up her arms for her morning stretch.
Some days don’t begin. They launch.
Are you moving through the hours with deliberate intention, committed to purpose, or are the hours smacking you around?
Don’t just be aware. Be aware of being aware, and embrace, regroup and release your days – morning, midday and evening.
Morning
As soon as you step from your bed, greet the day with four modified sun breaths.
Begin by facing East in Mountain Pose. Inhale and reach your arms overhead. Exhale and forward fold with soft knees. Hang and box your arms by grabbing your elbows, crown of the head facing the floor. When you are ready, bend your legs even deeper and rise with a flat back. (Rolling up is tough on the back, particularly first thing in the morning.). Reach your arms overhead while inhaling, and lower your hands to prayer.
Continue the sun breaths clockwise facing South, West and North.
This day is yours. Now step into it.
Midday
Samantha Reynolds grabs a midday reboot.
By lunch time, your day can spiral out of control. People throw tasks on your back while you extinguish fires.
It’s time to remind yourself who you are, why you are here and where you are going. Re-engage your highest self with a two-minute time out.
Sit at your desk or somewhere private away from noise and bustle, preferably outside. Close your eyes, and place one hand on the top of your head and one on your belly. Inhale, and, as you exhale through your mouth, say, “Ah.”
Repeat as many times as you like before sitting with the vibration for two minutes.
Answer the questions in your mind: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going?
Now get back to your work.
Evening
Just before bed, release the day. You’ve done your best.
Step back with your left foot into a low lunge. Bend deeply into your front leg, knee above the ankle, and slide you left foot way back, your left knee on the floor.
Now twist out all the energy no longer serving you. Place your left hand on the floor and raise your right arm to the sky. Open your heart. Sink your hips down, way down, and feel your successes of the day washing over you.
You sat, drove and absorbed tension today. Release it by moving deep into the hip flexors, particularly the psoas.
From the low lunge, step your front foot wider and balance yourself with your left hand on the floor and your right hand on your right knee.
As you drop your hips, slowly rotate the outside of your left hip to face the floor. Be gentle while you hold and breathe.
Be aware, morning, noon and night. Be aware not just of the day’s events but of your awareness of the day’s events as external to you.
And be glad because you get to do it again tomorrow.
In the photos: Samantha Reynolds is a Fort Myers yogi, and she teaches at Yoga Bird, Joyful Yoga and Sanibel Marriott. Visit her website: www.journeysforthesoul.com.
