Yoga Empowered for Chronic Conditions with Suzanne Stephens

Copy and paste this meditation to your Word program to print out. Practice this meditation to create more compassion for yourself and others. Put the meditation in your pocket, wallet, schedule- places you can easily access it to re-read to yourself. Then, begin giving it to loved ones. Then perhaps- share it with all beings... your barista, leave it in a book that you're returning to the library, leave it on the seat on the bus... you never know who may find it and need it.

Enjoy!

May I be Happy
May I be Healthy
May I live in Safety
May I be Free of all Suffering

May You be Happy
May You be Healthy
May You live in Safety
May You be Free of all Suffering

May All Beings be Happy
May All Beings be Healthy
May All Beings live in Safety
May All Beings be Free of all Suffering

For more practices please visit www.yogaempowered.com

Support YE Online for Chronic Conditions Projects by purchasing a mala bracelet infused with this meditation at our Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/YogaEmpowered?ref=pr_shop

We had an amazing time at the 1st Annual Yoga Empowered for Chronic Conditions Urban Winter Retreat this past weekend! This is the Yoga Nidra practice we did together.

I'm creating a workbook of practices for the Retreat participants of all practices we did together for them to continue practicing mindfulness and Yoga every day. I hope you enjoy this practice! I'm so relaxed after listening and editing I'm all blissed out ;o)

Sign up for YE4CC e-Courses (YE for Chronic Pain Management &/or Develop Your Personal Yoga Practice) now at http://yogaempowered.blogspot.com/p/e-courses.html

This photo was taken by YE friend & student Michelle at the Good Shepherd Center at our Urban Retreat 1.14.12

Alternate Nostril Exhale Technique is a wonderful way to immediately yet simply bring balance and calm to your system.

I introduce it to you as a helpful tool to use throughout the Holiday season but in truth it's something I use many times a day throughout the year to help myself.

Use it when on the bus, waiting at the doctor's office, when you need some peace, when your body's frustrating you, when you step into the bathroom,
when you're having tx done... This simple pranayama (breath exercise) technique has helped me keep myself balanced through many challenging
situations.

I even taught it to some nurses while practicing it during a challenging steroid tx I had to do. See how you can apply it to your self care and your life.

Never strain the breath. Always honor your body.
Let me know what you think of this technique- I have a feeling you'll be lovin it.

Happy Holly Jolly!
Rock Your Practice!
^o^
Suz

Awesome Vader Photo by Reis O'Brien- Check out his art at http://heylookatmyart.blogspot.com/2010/12/i-find-your-lack-of-candy-canes.html

Registration is now OPEN for e-Courses: YE for Chronic Pain Management and Develop Your Personal Yoga Practice. These fill fast! Register here: http://yogaempowered.blogspot.com/p/e-courses.html

As I prepare to leave for an Intensive Teacher Training in Yoga Nidra, I wanted to leave you with something special. This is a brief explanation of what Yoga is, what Yoga isn't and how to create Your Yoga (Empowered!) Practice.

I'll let the audio speak for itself.
Namaste.
^o^

For more Yoga Empowered Online for Chronic Conditions please visit
http://yogaempowered.blogspot.com/ or find me at www.yogaempowered.com.

Now offering 6 week e-Course: Develop Your Personal Practice!
New 6 week e-Course for Chronic Pain Management coming January 2012!

Several of us this week had some kinda treatment (Tx) goin on. These meditations really helped a bunch of us (including myself) so I wanted to share them with you. I was recently asked again for what Yoga Practices to do when having treatments done. So here we are.

Remember to meet yourself where you are, make no judgment, return to your breath and begin. Begin many times if needed That's why it's called Yoga Practice not Yoga Perfect!

Any questions- please let me know!
^o^

For more Yoga Empowered Online for Chronic Conditions please visit
http://yogaempowered.blogspot.com/ or find me at www.yogaempowered.com.

Now offering 6 week e-Course: Develop Your Personal Practice!
New 6 week e-Course for Chronic Pain Management coming January 2012!

This guided meditation is a great way to become present. Where ever you are, how ever you are- you can always access the present moment by simply focusing your attention on what's going on right here right now. Release the past, the future will arrive on it's own, for right now - just be present.

Find e-Courses and more on how to Develop Your Personal Yoga Practice at www.yogaempowered.com

Return to your Breath.
^o^

This is one of my favorite practice sequences inspired by my dear friend Yumiko! I am a grumpus in the morning. This is for the grumpus's of the world to bring themselves from the heart of the grumpus to the heart of taking pleasure in waking to a new day.

Be sure to honor your body & breath in this sequence. Keep in mind you are just waking so go in and out of your poses with gentleness and ease. Also keep in mind you are not on your mat. Be mindful of maintaining gentle movement so you don't launch yourself or injure yourself from practicing on a sudden springboard.

Do each pose about 3-6X. If you want to stay & breathe for 3 breaths after each pose- do it - listen to your body- you may want to or not depending on the morning. Even write out the sequence and put it at your bedside so you can roll over and begin.

Any questions- please let me know!
^o^

For more Yoga Empowered Online for Chronic Conditions please visit
http://yogaempowered.blogspot.com/ or find me at www.yogaempowered.com.

Now offering 6 week e-Course: Develop Your Personal Practice!

This is one of the fastest ways to calm your system and soothe your mind. I LOVE this practice!

Practice with me right here and now- you need nothing but your breath!

Find more resources to help you develop Your Personal Yoga Practice at www.yogaempowered.com

Rock Your Practice, Rock Your World!
^o^

Yaow - It's hot! Here's a breathing technique you can use to cool your system.

Remember - NEVER STRAIN THE BREATH! You can easily cause yourself a panic attack by pushing to hard. Find a breath speed that's comfortable for you. Your goal in breath practice with me is ALWAYS smooth steadiness and ease no matter what technique we're using. Especially living with any Chronic Condition - we want to soothe your system not aggravate it! Smooth Steadiness & Ease. Please honor your body!

So this technique - You wanna be cool not look cool

Find your easy seat. Spine straight and tall, hands on knees or in your lap. Roll your tongue or pucker your lips like you're sipping through a straw.
Inhale- tilt the head slightly looking up as you breathe in coolness at the lips.
Exhale- tilt the head slightly looking downward with your tongue at the roof of your mouth breathing out through the nose.
Gently tilt (not a large movement) the chin up & down not causing any strain.

Practice this technique for 10 breaths or 5 minutes- whatever you've got time for - even doing just a few breaths should help cool you a bit. This breathing technique can be used to bring coolness to your system, to calm the nervous system and to quell hunger or thirst.

Hope this helps you Stay Cool!
Rock Your Practice!

Many thanks to Red Square Yoga Studio in Seattle, Wa. for donating the space to film for you!

^o^

For more Yoga Empowered Online for Chronic Conditions please visit
http://yogaempowered.blogspot.com/ or find me at www.yogaempowered.com.

Now offering 6 week e-Course: Develop Your Personal Practice!

This is a shorter version of the class I teach once a month - Yoga Nidra for Well-Being in Seattle, Wa. Several students have been asking me to record this for over a year now- thank you!

Please listen to the previous episode - Intro to Yoga Nidra to get the most out of your Nidra practices. There is instruction there as to how to set yourself up and more.

New! Yoga Empowered for Chronic Conditions 6 week e-Course: Develop Your Personal Yoga Practice begins September 4th! Find out more and register here: http://yogaempowered.blogspot.com/p/e-courses.html

Visit me at www.yogaempowered.com and see how Yoga Empowers You...

For months- students have been requesting that I record Yoga Nidra practices for them to continue to practice on a regular basis. Nidra practice is a HUGE part of my well-being and Yoga practice.

This is an introduction to what it is, how to practice it and all the juicy details in between.

Next podcast will be a Yoga Nidra practice for you - Yoga Nidra for Well-Being!

Find out more about Suzanne Stephens and Yoga Empowered for Chronic Conditions at www.yogaempowered.com. Here you can find many free resources to help you discover for Yourself how a Personal Yoga Practice can Empower You!

This video takes you through Beginning Breath. At the beginning of each asana (posture) practice- you bring your awareness to your breath. To go from daily life to the smooth and steady breath we use during practice takes well... practice.
You breathe. I breathe.
It's not something we think about often.
Become aware of your breath throughout your day- it's always there to return to. Wherever you are. There it is. Just pay attention to it.

*Fun fact- Awareness of the inhale has a energizing quality
Awareness of exhale has a relaxing quality*

No mat required!

Never strain the breath!
You're going for smooth steadiness and ease Never Strain!
Follow common sense- if this is something you shouldn't be doing- you know it- don't be lame! Honor your body!

For more beginning breath practice use the audio podcast at http://yogaempowered.podomatic.com/entry/2011-06-21T21_22_30-07_00
for continued practice.

The more you practice this- the more natural it becomes. By breathing with your entire torso you are calming your nervous system and finding balance from within.

No bill to follow!
^o^

Learn to drop into your smooth steady full torso yoga breath any time any where. With practice- with repetition dropping in becomes easier, effortless and something you can use when you need it most to bring yourself to a greater place of balance and ease. Just one way Yoga can Empower You... ^o^

For more on how to develop Your Personal Yoga Practice- see what resonates with you at www.yogaempowered.com. Free videos, articles, resources and more.

Yoga in Bed- that's right- as long as you can Breathe- You can do Yoga! Recently through Yoga Empowered's Facebook Page I met Candice via Infectiously Optimistic and was made aware of the definition of a Chronic Badass (read below). I love it and am proud to consider myself a Chronic Badass as well!

While practicing, always honor your body. There is no competition, there is no perfect- there is only what's right for you- the Practitioner. Practice with a smooth steady breath speed, allowing that breath to be your barometer. Maintain that smooth steady breath. If you notice yourself breathing more shallowly or holding your breath- notice it- make no judgement and come back to that smooth steady breath over and over again. Repeat. This is Yoga Practice!

Meet Infectiously Optimistic and read the definition of a Chronic Badass here: http://infectiousoptimism.blogspot.com/2011/05/definition-of-chronic-badass_13.html

Find Suzanne Stephens, more videos, articles and Yoga Empowered for Chronic Conditions at www.yogaempowered.com

This is a quick meditation that students have been asking me to record. It's a great template for however you're finding yourself in that moment.

For more energy- Imagine that body part flooded with life force, prana, energy.
For more relaxation- Imagine that body part melting, relaxing and releasing.
For balance- Imagine ease, the body part alone, calm.

After much practice- you will have the scan down yourself and will be able to do it anywhere with or without my voice. This meditation and it's continuous practice has helped me maintain well being in many ways over the years.

For more about Meditation and how to develop Your Personal Yoga Practice please visit www.yogaempowered.com

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