These past few months I nearly got overwhelmed by anxiety.

This hasn’t happened to me in a LONG time.

I lost control of my rational thought process and simply dove into a feeling that was suffocating and terrifying. I can’t say that I was in any way comfortable. The only thing that pulled me out of it was my toddler Hunter. She forced me to get out of myself and engage her. The moment that I disconnected from her off I went into a very uncomfortable sense of overwhelm.

I refused this.

Take Control of Your Anxiety and Fear

Instead of allowing myself to be pulled by this avalanche of anxiety and fear I chose to meet it, with softness and full consciousness. I looked at it straight in the eye. I used a technique that I heard in a podcast, and I sooooo wish that I remembered what episode and what this guy’s name was because I would share it, believe me, but at this moment, finding the episode would take me YEARS, so that will wait. I may update this post to add the info.

Anyway, the technique was to feel where the emotion was in my body, fully. You are to notice which was its winding, clock wise or counter clock wise, and slowly unwind the feeling the other way until it dissolves. At first just moving into that hard ball of tension in the middle of my diaphragm was enough…but as I practiced this technique I began to see that I could literally unravel the anxiety!

Unraveling- It’s all about creating space, space to feel, to choose, to remember, and to find your ground. Most importantly, finding space helps you remember that you are part of something so much bigger. Anxiety is about disconnection and isolation. It’s an emotion that rises when you absolutely become limited and small. As you unravel the feeling, you begin to get more spacious, there is literally more room in your body, your breath, your mind, your heart, and you can step back a bit and see things as if you are watching from a bird’s eye view.

You are ok. You truly are. You are more than ok in fact

A couple of days ago I received and email from one of you requesting a more breathing centered practice. Although this simple audio meditation is not specifically about the breath, there is no way to escape the breath. Space is breath.

Every time choose to center myself and incorporate this very accessible and easy meditation practice, you get the opportunity to re-attune yourself to align with something more than anxiety and fear.

I want that!

Listen, practice and do this and tell me what happens! I’d love to hear if this works for you

.

Do you have any techniques for dealing with anxiety and challenging situations?

Remember I’m here to serve you, so feel free to comment and tell me if meditations like this offer you support and ease

BTW, the following is the song that I used in the meditation. Was that not the most beautiful song?

Kitaro
“South Wind” (mp3)
from “Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Sampler, Vol. 1-4″
(Domo Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album

Or just use the player below

Download: 75_Episode_75__Immune_System_Relaxation_and_Imagery-Get_Through_the_Flu_Season.mp3?nvb=20091216181745&nva=20091217182745&t=087c1f9244ee4b3f2bee5

Hello All!

Here’s a new one towards the end of the year!

I know I know! It so has been forever. I will now officially stop apologizing. Here’s all I have to say about my lack of posts…Hunter. If you don’t know who that is..that’s my 14 month old daughter.

Anyway,

This week’s episode came about from a lot of your requests for some more meditation/relaxation type stuff. I decided to put this little imagery relaxation to strengthen the immune system as a little treat to get you through the flu season! How about them apples?

The music that you hear in the background is by the talented Vic Hennegan off his CD Desert God and the song is called Gaya.The whole thing runs about about 32 minutes all together. Give it a go and let me know your thoughts!

Oh and I’m already editing episode 76! and guess what…a level 2 class yipeee! That should be out before the new year, I promise!

You know Elsie’s yoga class live and unplugged podcast is brought to you by the elsie’s yoga class podcast app. Now why would you want this  iPhone app? Number 1 accessibility. In version 1.2.1 these are the nifty things that you can do with the app. You have all the episodes at your fingertips at all times. You can stream the episodes at your choosing whenever you want without taking up any extra memory on your device. One new functionality with the app is that if you happen to shut of the phone, or someone calls you…or your baby calls you…the app remembers where you left off! how cool is that? so you can continue with your practice right where you left off!

This won’t work too well with the relaxation stuff… but I digress.

Another functionality that I found awesome will benefit those of you that happen to own the iPod Touch. So how about when you know you are going to be away from any wifi hotspots or maybe you don’t get service somewhere, such as on an airplane and you want to do one of my meditation episodes? You can now star any episodes that you enjoy the most, so that you can quickly access them AND you can then download the episode that you want quickly so that when you don’t have a connection you can have it with you! I thought that was pretty sweet

Anyway, if you own an iPhone or iPod Touch please consider buying the app! It’s only $3.99 and it would be a GREAT gift for a fellow yogi plus it does support this podcast.

ok,

enough!

thoughts and feedback: eyogaclass(at)gmail.com or call 310 651 6238! hugs and kisses all!

There is Enough...In The Park

The Yoga of Everyday Life and Podcasting!

I honestly have tried to post and episode for almost a month. Every day I think about it. Every day I decide THIS is the day to get it all done. Every day the day ends, I’m exhausted and focusing on editing, writing, encoding and uploading is the last thing that my brain is capable of doing

3 years ago I began to publish this podcast. 3 years ago Elsie’s Yoga Class: Live and Unplugged Podcasts came to life! So much has changed, and so much has stayed the same

A few things that have stayed the same:

• My love for podcasting

• My love for yoga

• My love for service

• My love for you guys!

• My love for legwarmers

Although I am no longer the care free legwarmer wearing bicycling full time yoga teacher from Los Angeles and have morphed into the occasional legwarmer wearing full time Mommy/Wife part-part time yoga teacher from Pittsburgh the deepest part of my heart still wants to continue this podcast, PLUS add better content to all those of you who would like it. I may not be consistent. I may say things that I want to happen only to have my life block me in some way, but I never forget what I’ve said. I’m still with you and plan to be with you for as long as you will have me!

This is Episode 2 of Elsie’s Yoga Kula.

I share a bit of an update and invite you to participate in a small mediation that helps us all that are dealing with financial challenge/stress. I know that finances are tight for a lot of people. I also know how economic matters may prove to be huge causes of stress, anxiety, fear, and even health problems. The short meditation in this podcast episode is just a simple way to reconnect with the abundance that we DO have, something we often forget. I tell you this from personal experience. I share this meditation with you because I know that I do this little meditation almost daily because it helps me to stay grounded, and I definitely need to keep my connection to the bigger Source. I share with you because it’s a great way to connect with one another so that we may through our thoughts create support for each other in these financially challenging times.

YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE MEDITATION EPISODE BY CLICKING THE BUTTON BELOW!

(it’s really a short one! Less than 20 min!)

Love the Feedback!

• email me- eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot) com

• leave me a message- 310 651 6238 (I’d love to play you guys on the episodes! Plus you can promote your stuff that way!)

• or comment on this blog!

Other ways to connect with me:

Oh yea!!!! I have a FACEBOOK GROUP!!!! Come join the rest of the virtual kula

ALL MUSIC IN THE PODCAST BY VIC HENNEGAN

intro song: Movin’ from the Pure Creative Spirit CD

yoga nidra music: Gaya from the Desert God CD

I’m not a yoga nidra expert by any means. I had a experience during a Yoga Therapist teacher training to study with Richard Miller and experienced such bliss!

I bought his yoga nidra tapes and practiced it at home that way.

In case you are interested here are some more sources of Yoga Nidra studies and basic information:

http://www.swamij.com/yoga-nidra.htm The Yoga Nidra CD that I have

Yoga Nidra on Wikipidea

Totally dug Anandmurti Gurumaa’s beautiful voice in this CD. If I were to buy another Yoga Nidra CD I would get this one: http://www.yogawonders.com/
this site has a great introduction to yoga nidra narrated by Anandmurti Gurumaa, so worth it.

Plus she’s got a great website herself: Anandmurti Gurumaa
With a fantastic Charity for girls…Shakti

Richard Miller and his website Non-Dual.Com

These are a couple of Richard Miller’s books:

Integrative Restoration: The ancient practice of yoga nidra, for easing stress, healing trauma, and awakening to your timeless Presence.

Yoga Nidra: The Meditative Heart of Yoga

Rod Stryker : and his CD Relax Into Greatness
I based my yoga nidra on his CD. His stuff is also great.

All right,

So my birthday is coming up! Some of you have asked to give me something, as a thank you, and what I ask of you is to leave me a review in iTunes. I’d love to see if I can get 50 reviews by my birthday!

also,

Please LEAVE ME VOICE FEEDBACK! 310 651 6238

Elsie’s Originals