Anticipation
The AYC’s current 200HR Yoga Teacher Trainees are incredible. This group has gone through an extended version of our program, meeting just one weekend a month. As a result, they have been working towards their certification since May and will become certified yoga teachers after 8mths of extensive training. They are my inspiration this week.
Anticipation. The fluttery feeling we’ve all experienced when we expect or predict something positive is going to happen. Or, that anxious knot in our belly when we expect or predict a negative outcome. We know that too much focus on the future, on predicting outcomes can cause us stress and anxiety. However, at times anticipating an outcome can help us navigate with awareness, perhaps even causing us to change direction, to find a more favourable outcome.
Our minds are so incredible that we often do this in our physical lives without even realizing it. Predict the potential for a fall, and gracefully move away from the danger. Those of us living with acute or chronic pain may anticipate it to flare in certain circumstances. In our teacher guided yoga practice our minds can start to do the same thing. Set an unexpressed expectation on a teacher, before even arriving to the studio. We may try to predict the next posture in the sequence and start moving there before any direction is given by the teacher.
This week I aim to remove the anticipation from students. We move through the world with so much of this already. This week, we bring focus to the breath, we allow our bodies to move freely with less anticipation. We will worry less about expectation and focus more about how it feels to breath and move in our body.
Journaling Idea: Let the pen move freely! Try not to set an expectation on your words, the time you will spend, the outcome you want to have. One word, doodling, welcome it all!
Breathwork Idea: Let’s bring it to the breath. Keep it as simple as “I am inhaling, I am exhaling”. If more intricate breathwork is in your practice, welcome in traditional pranayama, or directed breathwork. Just remember, try not to anticipate an outcome. Whatever does come up during or after the work, bring it back to the journal and let it flow out there.
After a 10-15min warm-up below are suggested poses for your week to help facilitate opening in body, mind, and spirit.
Yoga Poses to Add to Your Practice This Week:
While each week I have suggested specific poses to work within our inspiration. This week I want you to move through postures that are most familiar to you. The ones in which you can move most easily with your breath. Encouraging more of a flow style practice. If you are unsure, or newer to the physical practice of yoga, here is a beginner sequence you can try (modify as best for your body and practice):
Child’s Pose > Table Top > Cat/Cow > Bird/Dog > Downward Dog > Standing Forward Fold > Mountain Pose > Upward Salute > Warrior I (R), Mountain Pose > Warrior I (L), Mountain Pose > Forward Fold > Plank > Downward Facing Dog > Child’s Pose
Remember to always practice within your own limits and take care of physical and emotional well-being.
Wishing to learn more about the practice of yoga? Join our upcoming 200HR Yoga Teacher Training in Calgary, AB! Within this training you will learn all the foundational aspects of teaching yoga and grow your own personal practice.
If you want to share your experience with us, follow us on Instagram: @albertayogacollege
With gratitude,
-Stephanie