by Brianna | Aug 12, 2014 | Breathing, Healing, Healing Yoga Practice, Moving Meditation, practice, Yoga
Sometimes busy bees do not have time for an extended practice. Sometimes busy bees are wearing dresses instead of pants and only have one minutes to themselves. Sometimes busy bees are exhausted and an extended practice will harm them more than heal them. One of the most freeing realizations I had during my healing from Chronic Fatigue was that practice is not defined by time – practice means practice. Some days for me my practice is hours and sometimes its minutes. Everyday though I take time to breathe deep, feel my feet, lift my heart and connect my body, mind, and spirit through the beautiful three part practice of Yoga. Yoga requires: YOU Yoga does not require: A mat. $100 pants or pants in general. an hour of your time. a heated room. an instructor in special pants, on a special mat, in a special room. How is your mindset impacting your practice? Does it bolster it or does it defeat it? Now shake a tail feather – get out there – DO THE YOGA! Here is a 1 minute practice to inspire beautiful YOU! ...
by Brianna | Feb 2, 2014 | Breathing, Healing, restorative yoga, Yoga
Out beyond the idea of wrongdoing and right doing, there is a field. I will meet you there. ~Rumi This line has been on repeat in my mind lately. I find myself reciting it and imagining the field that sits out beyond judgment. That notion seems wildly beautiful to me. I think that there are very few things that feel as magical and moving as deep love and acceptance. I Bow My Head to God and God took all of me. Every imperfection. God took all of me. ~Yogi Bhajan Being judged whether by your own self or by others is a horrible feeling. It holds us separate and makes us feel less then. After working as a healer for the past decade I can honestly say that worthlessness and self -loathing are epidemic in this world. In truth we are our own worst critics. In all actuality we damn ourselves. That is why actively creating a field of peace in your life – through interacting with others or simply through practice – is so important. I have been lucky enough to have several relationships throughout my life that represented a field of acceptance. Recently someone whose hand I held for many years in the beautiful meadow of our friendship passed away. Losing someone who stands beside you – hand to hand – in the best of times and in the worst of times, leaves an awfully large hole of longing. My grief has been a tidal wave because of it. Rest easy friend. Grieving is a healing. ~ smoke shop guru I hate this idea but I...
by Brianna | Nov 15, 2013 | Affirmations, Breathing, Chanting, healing house retreat, Healing Yoga Practice, Kirtan, Maine, Yoga, Yoga Retreat
I always loved singing but when I first started with yoga I hated chanting. HATED it. In my world chanting was not singing – at that point in my practice my personal comfort zone was so narrow and tight that I am amazed I could breathe. Looking back I think it was the delivery of my first teachers that turned me off so much. In the classes I attended chanting seemed tortured, usually the teacher was loud and everyone else was whispering. We were all uncomfortable and for years I thought it was the lamest most antiseptic thing ever. Sometimes I would get so frustrated by chanting in a class that I would simply roll up my mat and go. I was years into my practice before I attended my first Kirtan and my belief about chanting shifted. Kirtan is a beautiful practice of call and response chants. I realized then that chanting is uplifting, it is freeing – my first Kirtan was absolutely opposite of every experience I had had with chanting until that moment. I fell in love with the practice – in LOVE. Singing as healer is as old as human kind. It is part of every tradition. Like songs chants can be short and sweet or long and elaborate. By nature chants are repetitive and repetition is a known doorway to the meditative mind. Chanting is an energetic expression and a powerful tool of healing. Now, I use it daily and infuse it into my world by chanting while driving, or cooking, or showering. I interweave it into my classes and try to inspire my...
by Brianna | Oct 30, 2013 | Breathing, Healing, Yoga
Yesterday I was honored (and I mean that in the truest sense) to present as part of the Yoga as Medicine series at The Institute for Integrative Health. My presentation focused on the healing power of the breath and its ability to deepen a Yoga practice. It challenged me (ugh PowerPoint), pushed me to speak in scientific language (not woo), and inspired me (the breath is a powerful tool of healing – of that there really is no doubt). During the two hours we looked at simple tools that could easily and effectively engender the Relaxation Response. The Relaxation Response was quantified by Dr. Herbert Benson and unequivocally proved that we have an innate ability to relax ourselves. How awesome is that? The discussion of the Deep Breath examined its: impact on the Immune System (your Lymphatic System is pumped by muscular contractions and the diaphragm is one of the strongest muscles in your body). power over the Autonomic Nervous System (Sympathetic (fight or flight) and Parasympathetic (Relaxation Response)). remarkable ability to release and relax your body, mind and spirit. We moved on to utilize three different breath-deepening techniques during a Hatha Yoga practice: Deep Belly or Diaphragmatic Breathing http://briannabedigian.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Deep_Belly_Breathing.mp3 Exhale all the air out – contract the muscles of the stomach to force the air. Now inhale and you will feel the belly expand with the breath. Humming Breath Humming automatically lengthens the breath. It also vibrates our sinuses. When the sinuses vibrate they release nitric oxide (vasodilator), which can help us to relax. Read more here. Blowing Breath Forcefully blow the air out of your mouth (like...
by Brianna | Sep 12, 2013 | Breathing, Healing, practice, Reading, Yoga
There are several essential oils that act as natural balancers. These adaptogens, as they are called, will instigate a reaction in the body that is appropriate to achieve a state of homeostasis or balance.* If you have interacted with me in the last few months I am pretty sure I have waxed poetic to you about aromatherapy. Recently I started to blend my own oils and have been reading about, researching the scientific literature, and playing with the actual oils pretty much daily. This week I stumbled upon the notion of adapotgenic oils. Adaptogens have a normalizing effect on the body so they can be both (and this is weird) a stimulant and relaxant. The oil “adapts” depending on your nervous system’s particular needs. Amazing, right? Adaptogenic Foot Rub: 1 TBL Vegetable Oil (carrier oil – I use Grapeseed) 3 drops essential peppermint oil 3 drops essential lavender oil 3 drops essential lemon oil Rub the oil all over your feet, breathe deep and smile. *Valerie Anne Woodward, The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy,...
by Brianna | Dec 17, 2012 | Breathing, chakra yoga
Top 8 reasons Quiet Winds – a Baltimore Yoga Studio – is so special: We offer out Nurturing Practices to create a Nourished Community. Yoga Classes are diverse and include: Kundalni Yoga, Anointed You: Aromatherapy and Yoga, Restorative Yoga Yoga Classes are not as hard as possible – quite frankly they are less about your ass and more about your soul. In Anointed You, for example, you will flow through postures, breathe deeply, and rest. You will also leave smelling better than when you came in. All teachers utilize the practices they offer to heal themselves. Although the room can fit over 30 mats the classes are limited to 20 students. We believe that Yoga is for every Body. If you are nervous about attending there is no need. This is not a studio that promotes gymnastic yoga or expects you to be in a fancy outfit. So throw on some comfy pants that stretch and come on over! Reiki – with your permission – is an active part of the majority of classes. Please come in and visit us soon! Amber, Atvar, Nancey,and I are here to welcome you! ...
