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Confessions of a Yogi

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Fellow yogis, I’ve been feeling fraudulent lately, and so I have a few confessions to make to you (that were actually originally posted on Instagram last week, but I wanted to expand my thoughts behind my intentions for posting):

Yogi Confession #1

The pose in this post’s featured image took me a year to move easily into. It’s f*cking hard.

Yogi Confession #2

This is a yoga pose but not necessarily the yoga I practice. We have to remember that yoga is not about being bendy. Yoga is a mindset that encompasses our every breath, movement, and thought.

Yogi Confession #3

My body hurts—it has hurt for a while now. I gained a significant amount of weight (for me) in a short amount of time, mostly from stress and then supplementing that stress with cookies and iced frappuccinos.

And then I started eating better and training and now my body hurts even more because the competitor in me wouldn’t stop, because I wasn’t getting the results I wanted.

Since turning 40, I’ve had a harder time getting back to where I think I “should” be, a harder time keeping up, a harder time moving without pain. I’ve also held myself back from taking pictures like this, not knowing if you can see the broken, too.

Yogi Confession #4

I haven’t practiced yoga in months. I teach it, and hold space for the students I teach. But feeling the brokenness on the outside and subsequently on the inside has made me not want to.

So, now I stop searching for the result. I start to go back to enjoying life. To be okay with where I am, and start practicing again. Bit by bit, breath by breath.

The beast mode supermom is going to have to hang up her cape for a while.

But the reason behind these confessions is this: we all go through hard times. Life can be tough, and it can make you feel broken. Am I actually broken? No. But I don’t feel myself, and that can change your whole perception of worth.

We are all the same. We all want the same things. We want acceptance from others, but more importantly from ourselves. This situation I’m currently facing is teaching me humility and empathy for others that I know are going through the same body image issues; the same self-destructive thought patterns.

And so there’s this: I get you. I understand you. And I know you all get and understand me. We are here to support, not to tear down. I am here to simply be, just like all of you are here to simply be. My imperfections and struggles make me who I am and who I know I want to be.

And so do yours.

So please be patient with me because it teaches me to be patient with myself. I promise I’ll do the same for you.

Namaste.

4 Yoga-Inspired Smoothie Recipes

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If you’re practicing yoga on a regular basis, chances are you’re a fairly health-conscious person. So at Parallel Yoga, we’ve come up with 4 smoothie recipes fit for a yogi! The following smoothies are delicious, nutritious, and full of yoga-inspired goodness.

Please give them a try and let us know what you think!

Green smoothie

Green from A to Zen

As the name may imply, this smoothie has everything in it to get your body to where it needs to be. It can serve as a full meal replacement, and because the nutrients are blended, it can be absorbed and used by your body almost immediately. (No heavy digestion necessary!)

Between this smoothie and your deep, conscious breathing, you’re giving your body an excellent start to the day. Throw a little yoga class in there, and your body will love you. Go find your zen with this smoothie.

Ingredients

  • Handful fresh spinach
  • 1 kale leaf
  • ½ cup frozen blueberries
  • ½ cup frozen pineapple
  • 1 cup coconut water
  • 1 scoop unsweetened hemp protein powder (like Vega)
  • 1 tsp. chia seeds and/or shredded coconut (to garnish)

Method

  1. Combine first 6 ingredients in blender.
  2. Blend until smooth.
  3. Sprinkle with chia seeds (or coconut) to garnish, and enjoy right away.

 Banana oatmeal smoothie

Breathe & Banana

This banana-heavy smoothie is chill and full of protein and potassium—a mineral imperative for great heart health, and for facilitating the conduction of impulses in nerve cells.

“Deficiencies of potassium have been linked to an increased risk of hypertension, kidney stones, osteoporosis, carbohydrate intolerance, stroke and cardiovascular disease.” (1)

This smoothie is a great heart helper!

Ingredients

  • 1 frozen banana (peeled)
  • ¼ cup rolled oats
  • 1 tbsp. almond butter
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 tbsp. chopped walnuts and/or a sprinkle of oats (to garnish)

Method

  1. Combine the first 4 ingredients in blender.
  2. Blend until smooth.
  3. Garnish with a walnuts (or oats), and drink immediately.

 Raspberry smoothie bowl

Yin/Yang Smoothie Bowl

Sometimes you want smooth, and sometimes you want a little crunch. This smoothie bowl gives you the best of both worlds!

Ingredients

  • 1 frozen banana (peeled)
  • 6 frozen strawberries
  • ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
  • ½ cup vanilla soy milk
  • 1 tbsp. chopped pecans (to garnish)
  • 1 tbsp. Pepita (pumpkin) seeds (to garnish)
  • 1 tbsp. hemp hearts (to garnish)

Method

  1. Combine the first 4 ingredients into a high-speed blender (like a Vitamix).
  2. Blend until thick and smooth, adding a little more soy milk if necessary.
  3. Spoon into a bowl, and garnish with pecans, pepitas, and hemp hearts.
  4. Eat with a spoon, and love every second of it.

*If you want even more crunch, feel free to add some granola.

 Smoothie

The Tropi-Calm

Similar to Breathe & Banana, the Tropi-Calm is a calming, muted smoothie that is high in vitamin C and iron—both of which need each other to be absorbed properly. Think of this smoothie as centered, balanced, and perfect for restoring harmony in your body.

Enjoy.

Ingredients

  • 1 banana
  • ½ cup frozen pineapple
  • 1 mandarin orange
  • 1 cup pure coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp. unsweetened, shredded coconut (to garnish)
  • 3 chopped dried apricots and/or slice of orange (to garnish)

Method

  1. Blend first 4 ingredients well.
  2. Pour into glass, and garnish with coconut, apricots and orange slices.
  3. Drink immediately!

References:

1- http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/potassium-good-body-6475.html