When do I Rest?

The month of January is turning into a marathon of teaching and traveling. I know I need to take time out for myself to just catch up with slowing down but I'm so busy.

The first weekend of January Dave and I went to CA for a wedding which was awesome! The wedding was fun, seeing all the family was great, and being in warm weather on the beach was a much needed battery recharger.

The second weekend of January we took care of my mom's dog which wasn't really that stressful but it was something that tied us to the house. Emma (the dog) is too nervous to be left alone in the house so we were stuck at home.

The third weekend of January Dave and I went to visit friends in Rochester. We had a great time. We laughed a ton and did fun things like skating, and playing ping-pong and air-hockey. But it was so active that I was quite wiped out when we got home. I think I was dehydrated too. I drank 3 huge cups of tea before bed and didn't have to get up in the night.

The fourth weekend is the Winter Reflection Retreat. I'll be co-teaching with Molly for a 24-hour retreat. We're doing lots of restorative, yin and therapeutic yoga but I know I will be wiped out by the time it is over.

The fifth weekend is the beginning of Sadhana: an intensive study at Yoga North. We will meet 4 times in the next year for a full weekend of study and reflection. I know it's going to be great but I also know my brain will be on overload by the time the weekend is over. Naturally I teach 2 extra classes the week before the study begins.

I know I need to slow down but at the same time I like being busy so winter passes more quickly. I'm not a fan of being cold. I don't really participate in cold weather activities so keeping myself busy is my way of coping. Luckily, I have found something that is very helpful (in addition to restorative yoga): Yoga Nidra. I downloaded a few CD's from Amazon and listened to about 1.5 hours the first night. I felt so refreshed! I was relaxed, yet alert. The CD's I bought were Yoga Nidra by Robin Carnes and Yoga Nidra with James Jewell. If you are going to choose one over the other I would recommend the one by Robin Carnes. She gives a little more background and instruction. There's lots of other CD's out there too.

Namaste ~ Sara