I feel almost a little guilty posting anything today in light of all the hurt, devastation and disaster in Hurricaine Harvey’s wake. It feels trite to post random stuff here when there are real life stories of strength, bravery and danger being lived by real people from all over the country. I will not flood your inbox with my own thoughts but will say my heart has been so warmed by the large and generous outpouring from so many people from states near and far, with folks giving their time, money, strength, boats, food, diapers, prayers and heart to people in need. There are definitely good people in this world!
Today I have 3 things to share with you. I’ll share an easy and healthy recipe as my first of three things. A box of these absolutely beautiful peaches was just waiting for me in my mailbox earlier this week. They came perfectly ripe, smelling and looking so sweet and delicious. We enjoyed them as is, almost as dessert. I knew they would begin to turn if I didn’t do something with them. Of course, my first thought was a wonderful, homemade peach cobbler. However, I told myself “no” as I would likely be the one to devour almost every morsel. So. . . I remembered I had some leftover black beans in the fridge, and since I hate to waste, came up with this light little creation. It made a delicious side to a grilled flank steak:
Ingredients
- Minced red onion would be good here if you have it!
Combine the beans, peaches, onion, cilantro, jalapeno and garlic in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit at least an hour before serving. It is wonderful with fish, chicken or flank steak. Serve with tortilla chips or spooned over grilled chicken or fish.
As always, fresh avocado added when ready to serve make it even more delicious!
1.) Be clear about “why” you want to try yoga then research teachers that could be the best match. Yoga is often a very personal practice and shouldn’t be something that feels forced.
2.) Try different styles and instructors of yoga until you find one that suits you. Tell them you are a beginner upfront and don’t hesitate to walk out of a class if you feel the instructor is not supporting your introductory learning and/or physically pushing you into compromising positions.
3.) Listen to your body. If something the instructor is asking you to do doesn’t feel right, don’t push yourself out of peer pressure, wait until further instruction, it’s not worth an injury. I ended up with an injury in 2003 when an instructor pushed too hard on my back trying to deepen my stretch and have since realized this is common with beginners wanting to do whatever someone tells them.
4.) Breathe deeply into your stomach and chest, filling your lungs completely. I know its easy to be self conscious about pushing your belly out when filling it with air, but it’s so critical for your body to get the right amount of oxygen when in the middle of a stretch. Holding your breath when holding a pose defeats the whole purpose of the movement practice.
5.) Have fun with your practice. I sometimes see instructors taking themselves and their classes too serious, to the point that it’s not fun. Laughing yoga is one of my favorite things to see instructors integrate into a class. Our work days are already filled with being up in our heads with serious thoughts and yoga can often perpetuate that am I doing this right, perfectionist in us. In my opinion, yoga should invite us to play and get out of our heads and into our bodies.
6.) There are no rules. Remember, this is your life, your body, your practice and with patience you can find the instructor/class that will feel right for you. And developing your own personal practice can become really supportive when you aren’t able to make it to a class or when you only have 10-15 minutes because a little movement is better than none.
*tips from Yancy Wright, CEO of Alternavida
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