Firehall Fest a Smashing Sunfilled Success - Old Ottawa South

Page 36
SURROUND CIRCLE YOGA
By Maureen Fallis,
Surround Circle Yoga
It’s 5:30pm and you have spent the
whole day in the office. Now it
is time for some exercise! What
to do? Go to the gym, go to a yoga
class, go out for a run? Whatever
you choose it’s all good. What might
happen, however, is that since your
muscles and joints may be a little
sluggish, blood has to fight its way
through tissue, and toxins get stuck in
the body.
Liberation approaches… and
although you know you should start
slow, warming up the muscles and
joints so they don’t feel suddenly
taken by surprise, you don’t because,
well, it just feels great to get moving.
The muscles try to create tonicity as
fast as possible leaving the production
of lubricating synovial fluid lagging
behind what is needed for the joints.
The lymph system, which has
accumulated toxins that cannot be
dealt with effectively because of lack
of movement during the day, may
now become overwhelmed. The heart
and blood vessels react to the sudden
strain, and the ligaments may suffer if
there is a lack of balance.
During the day, the focus was on
mental activity. Now it is the body’s
turn. The human body is built to
move. Human beings are not just a
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The OSCAR - OUR 36 th YEAR JUL/AUG 2008
Joy In Movement
sitting, lying, or standing apparatus
with a knob on the top carrying a cell
phone in one hand and a computer in
another!
After efficient exercise, one feels
loose, elastic, aired-out, refreshed and
positive. What would it be like to
have this feeling throughout the whole
day? Sudden spurts of movement
at a specific hour are not necessarily
healthy for the body. It is not what you
do from time to time for the body, but
what you do habitually that is decisive
to your level of fitness. Creating a
continuum of body awareness with
regular practice is ideal. Practicing
yoga regularly, as an example, is a
great beginning, but not the end, of
getting and staying fit. To be really
fit both physically and mentally, there
is another component ~ and that is to
experience joy in movement.
Experiencing pleasure when
moving will freshen and strengthen
the body more than purely doing goaloriented
exercises. If we, as adults,
could discover the same joy as we often
see in small children when they play,
scuffle or tussle, we would naturally
be more spontaneous and creative in
the way we move our bodies.
Finding the delight in movement
by breathing in a relaxed manner,
being focused and mentally present
to your efforts will benefit your body
and mind to the maximum. Also, one
cannot put too much emphasis on the
fact that beauty and health come from
within. A superficial program to get fit
will let you down sooner or later. An
inner approach is as important as the
outer activity. Stretching body, mind
and spirit, as a life-long goal, builds
on inner and outer strength.
Surround Circle Yoga has three
exciting workshops planned for July
– each will focus on expanding the
experience of yoga in a unique way.
To find out more about summer classes
and workshops at Surround Circle
Yoga call Maureen Fallis at 613-
730-6649 or visit our website www.
surroundcircleyoga.com.
Advanced Asana Workshop
“The Sitting Postures”
It’s not about how far forward you
can bend or how far you can twist
your body, for wherever the point of
resistance lies is the place where you
have the greatest opportunity to learn
and change. If you have a minimum
of four months of yoga practice you
are invited to explore how coiling
inward expands your practice both on
and off the mat.
Saturday, July 5 th , 2008
9:00 – 11:00am
Soul Sister Yoga Workshop
“Mandala, Mudra &
Mantra”
A mother or grandmother & daughter
(10-15yrs) bond is a rich resource of
nourishment & challenge. Discover
how yoga can expand your connection
with breath, movement and creativity.
In this experiential workshop you
will design your very own ‘family’
Mandala, Mudra & Mantra.
Thursday, July 10 th , 2008
6:30 – 8:30pm
Yoga, Journaling &
Meditation Workshop!
“The Journey Inward”
In this experiential workshop you
will learn how to be more mindful,
present and compassionate. Special
Guest, Paul Karamat, Physiotherapist
and Mindfulness Meditation Leader
will teach the introductory techniques
of mindfulness meditation. Through
traditional sitting, and non-traditional
silent walking and eating meditation
you will learn how to observe and
accept your thoughts with loving
kindness.
Saturday, July 19 th , 2008
8:00 – 2:00pm (gourmet picnic lunch
& hand-crafted journal are included in
fee)
Janu Sirsasana (Head-of-the-Knee Pose). Although this forward bend
will challenge most beginners, more experienced students find it interesting
as well. What makes this pose is not that you can touch your toes: it is staying
present on the way down. When bending forward you curve your awareness
back toward yourself, looking inward to find the stillness of the centre. As
you learn to surrender and release into that return, you can recuperate from
the outward actions of your busy everyday life, and take solace in selfreflection.
Photo by Tom Alfoldi
To book an OSCAR ad
call Gayle 730-1058
oscarads@oldottawasouth.ca