Fearlessness

Fear can be overwhelming and inhibiting at times.....regardless of what you are afraid of, it is often the main driving force and motivator in our lives. It can be debilitating....worry about finances (especially in today's economy), relationships, acceptance, health and wellness, body image, self esteem....all rolled up into a ball they can hover creating overwhelming anxiety and stress that can seem like a black hole.

What if instead of the worry and anxiety, we were able to shift our perspective, celebrate and attack the the fear and consider solutions as to how we can embrace the fear (not run away from it), step outside of our situations and create a positive outcome to whatever might be holding us back. Sometimes this shift is all we need to attract a solution or a healthy fearless situation...

In my yoga practice over the years, many poses have generated great fear. Overcoming the fear of practicing these poses has helped me become more fearless in my own life. Just knowing the I can stand on my hands or drop back into a hand stand without breaking a limb, herniating a disc or killing myself, is so empowering and reminds me that if I can do this...anything is possible and the rest begins to lose its grip on me.

For you today...poses to reduce fear and create fearlessness!

1. Urdva Danurasana (wheel pose/ "eka pada (one legged)" variation show above)- lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet no wider (or narrower) than hip distance apart. Place your hands underneath your shoulder blades and squeeze your elbows closer together so they are in line with your shoulders. Inhale, come to the crown of your head. Exhale, straighten your arms into wheel. If you are open and warm, try drawing your right knee into your chest and straighten your right leg towards the ceiling. repeat on the left side.

2. Eka pada Rajokapotasana or Pigeon pose-come into downward facing dog pose (inverted "v" pose). Inhale your right leg to the ceiling for down dog splits. Exhale, swing your right leg forward in between your hands so that the shin is coming towards parallel to the front of your mat. Your right knee is close to your right wrist and your right foot is close to your left wrist. Inhale lift your heart and lengthen the spine, exhale fold forward. Repeat on the left side. If you have tight hips, you can place a blanket underneath your right hip to level the hips. alternate variation: lay on your back and cross your right ankle over your left knee. Interlace your fingers underneath the left knee cap and draw the leg closer to your body. breath. repeat on the other side.

3. Hand stand- come into downward facing dog close to a wall so that your finger tips are spread wide and your middle finger is facing directly towards the wall. walk your feet as close to your hands as possible. With the left knee slightly bent, spring forward and up with your right leg. Using the wall for support and your arms straight, come into hand stand. Switch legs to come up and repeat. Breath.

In all of these poses, overwhleming feelings might come up, fear, sadness and self doubt or maybe even exhilaration, happiness and joy ....this is normal, nothing to run away from and the power of a successful yoga practice. Breath into the space, cry if you need to and let go of the pain (literally and figuratively).

Namaste!