Thanksgiving is the season for sharing the harvest. This extends to the bounty in all areas of life. I’m grateful for the blessings as well as the challenges and sometimes they appear in the same form. Neck and shoulder tension are a current theme- the observation of and the allowing of their shifting. Conscious breath, yoga and massage are my primary tools for this. A moment by moment practice of recognizing when I’m adding tension and when I’m lessening it. As I type to you, I am making effort to keep my chest open and my shoulders down and relaxed. With the help of a timer, I get up to stretch the shoulders and hips every twenty minutes. I’m grateful for my awareness of my shoulders and the tension they hold because it reminds me that I have a physical body. I am not simply a jumble of thoughts and a personality, I have a physical body that speaks to me. It is the vehicle for my spirit and when I respond to its needs, I feel harmony. This, to me, is the true meaning of yoga, or union. It is the awareness and honouring of all parts of our being. For this practice and the sharing of it with you, I am infinitely grateful. Happy Thanksgiving.
