For the month of January I will be leading a 31 day ‘I Am’ Yoga Challenge. Typically this time of year we are thinking about resolutions, and big changes we want to make in our lives. Creating big expectations, and feeling like we have failed if we fall off track. The yoga tradition offers an alternative to the New Years resolution: the practice of sankalpa, or resolve. A sankalpa practice starts with the premise that you already are who you need to be to fulfill your life’s dharma. In creating your sankalpa, we use mantras and affirmations to manifest our true desires. Mantras and affirmations are a powerful tool used to shift our mindset. Our thoughts become our reality, so what we fill out mind with, and what we choose to focus on is just as important as the food we put into our bodies.
“Keep your thoughts positive because your thought become YOUR WORDS. Keep your words positive because your words become YOUR BEHAVIOR Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes YOUR HABITS Keep your habits positive because your habits become YOUR VALUES Keep your values positive because your values become YOUR DESTINY” - Mahatma Gandhi
There is a mental piece as well as the physical asana to this challenge. In addition to the pose of the day, I ask you to create an ‘I Am…’ statement. You can choose one for the month, one per week, or a new one each day. Repeat your ‘I Am’ to yourself 3 times that day. Each day I will post myself in the pose of the day, with my ‘I Am’ statement. If you want to join in, connect with this community and radiate positivity in our lives follow @mbailor and @true_n_yoga , tag both each day when you post yourself in the pose of the day, share your ‘I Am’ (if you would like), and use these 3 hashtags that will connect us to see each other as we shine our light
Below is the list of poses. I will offer modifications, and variations. If some level of a pose is not in your practice, choose a different pose for that day (message me if you need ideas). If for whatever reason you miss a day, or a few, just make it up when you can. The more who participate, the more fun we will have, so please invite anyone you think would like to join in. I am excited to connect with all of you and shine our light into the world.
1. Childs
2. Puppy
3. Gorilla
4. Standing Side Bend
5. Chair
6. Warrior 1
7. Tree
8. Warrior 2
9. Warrior 3
10. Triangle
11. Eagle
12. Wild Thing
13. Dancer
14. Side Plank
15. Headstand
16. Drinking Bird
17. Boat
18. Squat n Curl
19. Crow
20. Standing Figure 4
21. Dancing Shiva
22. Side Crow
23. ½ Pigeon
24. Bow
25. Camel
26. Rabbit
27. Reverse Table/Plank
28. Seated Twist
29. Marichyasana A
30. Fish
31. Handstand