Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Find Freedom in the Fat-Fear Frenzy


There's something about fruitcake and frosty weather that sends us into a Fat-Fear Frenzy. We tend to eat too much fruitcake, and we stay figuratively frozen inside our homes and bodies because it's too darn cold outside to play. Because we're inside and snuggled up, we decide to eat even more fruitcake (a little here, a little there) because we disconnect from the neck down and don't know what our bodies, or legs, or arms, or hips, or hearts really want.

Then, we hear the radio ads and watch the tv commercials about the inevitable holiday weight gain, and the fat-fear frenzy nearly eats us alive. Swallow this pill, sip that herbal tea, gulp this shake! Buy the latest "toning" contraption, use it for two days, then let it collect dust in your garage for the next five years until you move. Those fat-fear messages can make us hold our breath and lock up our bodies in angst, and it can nearly trick us into thinking that just looking at fruitcake can kill.

But, I refuse to buy into the fat fear, and so should you. That's old stuff. Just because it's the holidays doesn't mean you should put your body and breath on a shelf and come back to it January 1, 2011. Don't wait -- Listen to your body now.

Love Yourself
(and your tastebuds.) I know what you were thinking above, "Well, I don't eat fruitcake." Okay, I don't either, but some do, so fill in the blank with whatever salty or sweet treat you love. Then, enjoy it in moderation. On a plate in front of people -- not secretly sneaking it in the kitchen when no one's looking. And, if you don't dig it, don't eat it! Aunt Myrtle might serve up a colorful spread, but listen to your body to see what texture/taste and portion your body really wants and needs. Just because it's the holidays doesn't mean you should feel stuffed. But, you know what? It is the holiday season, so if you overindulge once or twice, forgive yourself and let it go. Lastly, when your belly and tastebuds are satisfied, fill yourself up in other ways -- take a nap, get crafty with wrapping gifts, write in your journal, call an old friend, or tune into how your body might want to MOVE:


Move Your Body
Commit to carve out time in your busy holiday schedule for regular physical activity -- not to burn calories -- but to make yourself feel alive and energetic and joyful. You don't have to kill yourself. Move for the right reasons. You'll sleep better and respect what your body's saying when you stay connected. If you're not a regular exerciser, that's okay. Start now -- tune into your breath, and practice letting your body tell you what it needs: flow in yoga, shake it in a dance class, walk and discover your neighborhood, push-pull your muscles via weight training, play fetch with your pup. And, to get ahead of those who wait until January 1, go ahead and try a new class (and get your spot!) before the January crowds get too thick!

Live Free
Promise yourself that instead of strict new year's resolutions, you'll stay true to you. Instead of all-or-nothing, black/white thinking, seek the middle of the road. Eat when you are hungry, rest when you are tired. Make exercise less competitive -- let your body lead you in movement. Write in your journal what you really, really, really want every single day (an Elizabeth Gilbert life/love writing exercise). Be with your feelings knowing that feelings don't kill you. Give trust and truth a chance. Treat yourself with kindness. Breathe.


And, finally, to quote Geneen Roth in Women, Food and God ~
‘Trust the process, trust your longing for freedom…Every time a woman aligns her eating with relaxation, every time she takes off her damn boots, the laces fly open for the rest of us.”

Monday, November 22, 2010

2 NEW yoga classes! ATL Ballet at Powers Ferry/Windy Hill



New yoga classes at the Atlanta Ballet (at the corner of Powers Ferry & Windy Hill)! Join me for lunch on Mondays to start off your work week with a sense of balance and calm. Or - Get grounded on Thursday afternoons before the weekend begins. $12 yoga class - You can't beat it!



When:
Mondays 12:15-1:15 PM
Thursdays 4:00-5:00 PM (cancelled Thanksgiving, Dec. 23, 27, 30 & Jan. 3 for school holidays)

Where:
Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education, the Cobb Centre: 2000 Powers Ferry Road, Suite G4, Marietta, GA 30067, Phone: 678-213-5000

Who:
Anyone who wants to connect his/her breath and body. All levels welcome. Ages 16 and up, please. -- Caroline Gebhardt, registered yoga teacher, will be leading the class providing an opportunity for you to listen to your body and discover the joy of connecting the body and breath!

How:
Through a combination of gentle and heat-building poses and movement, centering breath work, and a non-competitive atmosphere, students of any level are welcome to connect their body, breath and spirit. Join on a drop-in basis, or purchase a class card.

Cost:
$12 drop-in regular rate; $8 for students with I.D.
Or, see http://www.atlantaballet.com/centre/adult_rates.php for class card rates

Contact:
Questions? Let me know - caroline@mybodyflow.com or 404.210.6752





~ Namaste

Monday, November 08, 2010

2 NEW yoga classes! ATL Ballet at Powers Ferry/Windy Hill



New yoga classes at the Atlanta Ballet (at the corner of Powers Ferry & Windy Hill)! Join me for lunch on Mondays to start off your work week with a sense of balance and calm. Or - Get grounded on Thursday afternoons before the weekend begins. $12 yoga class - You can't beat it!


When:
Mondays 12:15-1:15 PM
Thursdays 4:00-5:00 PM

Where:
Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education, the Cobb Centre: 2000 Powers Ferry Road, Suite G4, Marietta, GA 30067, Phone: 678-213-5000

Who:
Anyone who wants to connect his/her breath and body. All levels welcome. Ages 16 and up, please. -- Caroline Gebhardt, registered yoga teacher, will be leading the class providing an opportunity for you to listen to your body and discover the joy of connecting the body and breath!

How:
Through a combination of gentle and heat-building movement and poses, centering breath work, and a non-competitive atmosphere, students of any level are welcome to connect their body, breath and spirit. Join on a drop-in basis, or purchase a class card.

Cost:
$12 drop-in regular rate; $8 for students with I.D.
Or, see http://www.atlantaballet.com/centre/adult_rates.php for class card rates

Contact:
Questions? Let me know - caroline@mybodyflow.com or 404.210.6752



~ Namaste





Thursday, November 04, 2010

On Meditating...(and changing/fixing/transcending or finding plain peace)



In the book Women Food and God by Geneen Roth, her phrase on presence that I believe applies to us all -- yoginis or not -- appears on page 112 and 113:
"Usually, when people hear the word meditation, they think of transcending this clunky earthly plane. The kind of meditation I refer to has nothing to do with transcending or leaving or changing yourself in any way -- and everything to do with its opposite: showing up where you already are."

How beautiful. Stop fixing and/or changing yourself, and show up as you already are. At work in a boring meeting. In your car behind a slowpoke. In line at the post office. During a dance class or exhilarating run. Or in the middle of an addiction or struggle. Show up. Be present. Take it all in. Yes, just being where you are, clearing your mind, absorbing what you're doing, and not wishing time (or your thighs) away all count as meditation. You will benefit in ways you can't really control or imagine.

I used to get so irritated at the thought of sitting on a pillow before an altar and meditating. It made me want to scream and run and roll my eyes -- I had no intention of transcending. Life is short enough, I needed some holy EARTHINESS in my body with my loved ones, not to float in the clouds. I'd escaped my body too many times before. I needed earthly presence with peace.

So, before I read Geneen's new book, and while I was immersed in a yoga training, I decided to make peace with this thing called meditation. Sometimes I'd have a movement meditation while taking a great class or doing my own asana practice. Sometimes (okay, occasionally) I'd have a cooking meditation. Sometimes, I'd have a driving meditation. Many times a walking meditation, a bathtub meditation, and a mat meditation. The idea was to clear my head of the running thoughts that go something like this:

I should have checked the stove before I left the house; did the door shut completely?; am I going to hit the deadline?; what if I ask for an extra day -- will they think I'm slacking?; who cares what they think?; if the kitty gets out, I will never forgive myself; if the house burns with Nick still sleeping, I'll just die; God, we need to paint the shutters...

See what I mean? Those are the thoughts we can let go. Sometimes it just takes a little tweaking perspective. While India's a lovely place, and having a spiritual awakening during your committed pillow/floor/quiet time is nothing short of holy, we don't have to be so hard on ourselves. We can start now. All we really have to do is show up.


~ Namaste



If you've ever dieted one time too many, or if tell yourself ugly thoughts when looking in a mirror, you might just eat up this book. For more information about Women Food and God, visit: http://www.womenfoodandgod.com/


If you're interested in private yoga or personal training sessions, write me: caroline@mybodyflow.com






Tuesday, November 02, 2010

Move to Feel Good


Finally -- Leaves are covering the sidewalk! I snapped this yesterday on my afternoon walk. Gone are the blistering hot days, sunscreen ALL over the body and air conditioner. Here are the hoodies, scarves and warm lattes. Fall has finally arrived, an opportunity to feel renewed and excited about the holiday season! And, in the body sense: the change of a season provides a sense of renewal and possibility and presence in your body.

On Sunday, I met with a dear mentor of mine who reminded me, once again, of the importance of exercise as a mood-lifter and life enricher. She endured a horrific tragedy three years ago when her daughter was senselessly murdered in New Orleans. She said daily walking and yoga carried her out of a deep depression and back into a fulfilling life. The familiar light in her eyes and her excitement for learning, teaching and sharing showed me she meant it.

Whether you're a lifelong exerciser or just contemplating everyday whether to move or not, I believe movement, or physical activity, or whatever-you-wanna-call-it, can bring you back in your body and back into a richly present life. Just for now, or just for your next bout of movement, forget the attachments of weight loss or calories, and move to feel good.

Now, try this: Stand up with feet hip-width apart, and take some deep belly breaths, relax your shoulders, soften your knees, take your arms up over your head and wide down the sides of your body several times....Stand still for three deep breaths, soften your gaze....Now, reach high and wide again, fold forward from the hips and hold feeling the rush of blood warming your head and calming your mind....Slowly roll up, stand wide and reach your arms wide. Hinge forward from your hips again, fold all the way down with your fingertips touching the floor, and begin a gentle lunge side to side to open up the legs....Stay on one side and come down to all fours (hands and knees). Do cat cow, inhaling as your head and tail move toward the sky, exhale as you arch your back like a cat. Then, rest in child's pose by letting your hips rest on your heels. Relax your shoulders and be conscious of your breath for a minute.

Note how you feel after just those few short movements and breaths. Wherever you are in your body journey, what if you committed to letting your body have at least this gentle movement everyday? How might it make you feel? How can you be in your body more, everyday?

I believe there's a difference between force and commitment. If we force ourselves to move (aka: exercise), we race through the routine of choice counting down the minutes, trying to see how hard we can go, how intense we can make it for the sake of getting it done or burning the calories. It becomes black and white. All or nothing. If we commit ourselves to move, we allow wiggle room to choose what to do -- but we do it, even if it's for 5 or 10 or 15 minutes instead of the standard hour. If we commit, we can tune into our bodies and say, "hmm, what am I feeling like today?" Perhaps an exhilarating walk followed by stretching, a ballet or kickbox class, or a swim or gentle yoga, or an afternoon at the park with the kids and dog.

As you enter the busy holiday season going to parties, shopping nonstop, cooking for others, traveling to see family and friends, practice committing a few minutes everyday to get in your body. See where it takes you. See how moving the body makes you feel. Explore, tune in, be, and connect.

(And, hey, napping is a good thing too. Take it from my baby kitty Kali - it's all about balance. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....)