Mindful Living

5 Ways To Approach Yoga From Addiction

December 12, 2014 // by Alana Roach// Leave a Comment

Addiction once took everything I had. The insidious disease of addiction was the king of my court. Sometimes I wondered if I could have avoided the pain of it all if I would have been introduced to something that would have helped my mind and body be more balanced in a healthy, natural way. I came to realize that everything happened exactly the way it needed to so that I could get to where I am today. If I could take back the pain and suffering that my substance abuse caused, I absolutely would. No one wants to be that person, but I have learned that all of the pain from my past can be used to help others. I can let people know there is hope, and there is a lot of hope, of getting sober and leading happy fulfilling lives. I can tell you that from experience. This is just one way that it was done.

While using I was avoiding my emotions by distracting myself with outside things. I thought that if I could fill the unhappiness or uneasiness with something that would take me out of myself, everything would be OK. It worked at first. Or so I thought. Instead of acknowledging my emotions, I was shoving them down. Deep down. I felt like I had a solution but I could no longer stand being sober. Any amount of pain or unpleasantness while I was sober (Which wasn’t often) would set off a thousand switches in my body, triggering all of the other emotions I had been ignoring. That is no way to live! The problem that occurs when we avoid pain is that we miss opportunities to learn and grow from it. Pain is there for a reason, it wants to be heard, and it will get louder and louder until we listen. Often times emotional pain will show up in the body and get trapped until we find ways to acknowledge and release them. Yoga was the first way I experienced doing this in a slow and gentle way.

Growth is so exciting. Now that I am sober, I can look back every 6 months along my journey and see so much positive change within myself. When I was using I felt like time sort of stood still. It was the same thing, day after day. Surviving addiction was a miracle. I should have died numerous times. Being on the other side alive and sober I knew I had to make some major changes in my daily routine. I started to thread in exercise, yoga, nutrition, and other holistic modalities to replace bad habits. Doing these things on a regular basis allowed me to express the Alana that I had been stuffing down for years. I was free. Meditation and yoga helped my mind be still enough to not identify with my thoughts. The same mind that used to go a mile a minute was now finding calmer seas. Yoga and Meditation have been a huge part of my long-term sobriety. However, I believe this is applicable to anyone who wants to begin a yoga practice. We all have difficulties in life. The practice of mindfulness is beneficial to everybody.

It can be done in so many different ways, and the journey is as individual to a person as a snowflake. The best thing we can do is just start. My intention for you is that you feel unconditionally loved on your path, now and always.

Explore and Bloom!

Say Yes. With yoga (And really anything!) the hardest part is beginning. At some point, I just said, “Yes.” I said yes to attending a class with a friend one day and then I said yes again a couple days later. Pretty soon I was going on my own. The teachers suggested starting with 3 days of group practice a week, so I said, “Yes.” No longer than a week later I was feeling cool, calm, and collected while trying on some strength in warrior. It didn’t matter if I fumbled through sequences because I learned how to accept each piece of my path while practicing on the mat, for being exactly the way it was meant to be.
Water The Seed. Once you make your first few yoga classes, you will most likely feel markedly different. I like to describe what yoga did to my mind as what a hot iron would do to wrinkled sheets. What was once anxiety seemed to magically transform in to a cool and encumbered sense of well-being. I was breathing a little more fully. My body felt less rigid and more open. Like all relationships, the relationship to self must be nurtured so that it can continue to grow. To water the seed of this new way of being, I was told to be kind to myself, to drop judgement, to be present, and to treat others with love and compassion.
Bloom. Allow yourself to bloom. You deserve it. Let all of the sorrows, fears, regrets, and fabled thoughts GO. Let them go. You are meant for greatness. Yoga and meditations bring awareness and an ability to accept with loving kindness. You will learn how to de-weed your mental garden. Some weeds will come out easy, some many be a little stubborn, but no matter what, they will come to the surface and you have the choice to honor them and allow them to go.
Sunshine or Rain. We can practice anywhere. We can learn that everything is exactly how it is meant to be. It is all a part of the crazy beautiful canvas called life. When we embrace everything this way, we can find our center in the middle of chaos. Just like the still and majestic mountain peaks who endure all of the earth’s wild changes, we embrace this moment knowing that we are unshakeable.
Radiate Love. Yoga takes on a very special meaning for us who pursue it. It becomes a way of life because it’s so ecumenical. During practice the mat takes on the role of our mirror. We surrender to the incredible light that shines through each and every one of our sweaty, messy, glistening, radiant self because that is our Divine right! So we take what we learned on our mat and walk through our day with our heads held high. We do this together, knowing that if one of us stumbles, another one of us will be there to catch you with a smile. Let yourself be known in your yoga and wellness communities and get to know it. Smile at a stranger. Give thanks for your blessings. Try to help out without being discovered. Radiate love!

Alana Roach

ERYT, Reiki, Intuitive Healing, Retreat Leader

AlanaRoachYoga.com

More links on yoga for recovery

http://alcoholrehab.com/addiction-recovery/yoga-in-recovery/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/yoga-for-addiction/

https://bradfordhealth.com/benefits-of-yoga/

http://www.recoveryranch.com/articles/recovery-at-the-ranch/yoga-help-during-drug-and-alcohol-rehab-treatment/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUtbkEGv5NU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlAyBp77rkA

5 Rituals I Use To Transform Holiday Anxiety Into Holiday Empowerment

November 25, 2014 // by Alana Roach// 2 Comments

The holidays are among us again and while I am in the tropics during Thanksgiving this year, it doesn’t take away from the fact that I still feel responsibilities to family and friends drawing near. I even had a dream last night that I was desperately trying to find the time and the money to get back to Maryland and give all of my loved ones gifts of their liking. The pressures of the holidays can leave us feeling exhausted, guilty, resentful, and the like. The old tapes of, “I don’t have enough,” and, “I don’t measure up,” start re-playing in our heads. When that happens I come back to a check list that I have compiled over the years that I have used to walk through these holiday seasons with love in my heart. I am inspired to pass on some rituals I use to transform holiday anxiety into holiday empowerment. Feel free to add some more in the comments below. Happy Holidays 🙂 In lieu of the Holiday Spirit I have included some of my personal special holiday moments from last year.

"Friends, though absent, are still present." Marcus Tullius Cicero — “Friends, though absent, are still present.” Marcus Tullius Cicero

Transforming Food Habits: Ok, ok, I know that the holidays are a good excuse to throw the diet out of the window for a couple of days and have all of the holiday pie with excess whipped cream and piles of gravy on your turkey. That is fine, BUT I realized that when I paid attention to what I ate at family gatherings, and altered it even just a little bit, I felt so much more capable of social interaction AND my body + mind felt more stable = less stress. Over the years I have started having even more fun with this concept. I have probed the internet and recipes books for Healthy Holiday Recipes. You can follow my Pinterest Board to see some of my favorites. Your friends and family will thank you for bringing that delicious Gluten Free Double Chocolate Zucchini Brownie dish (You don’t have to tell them it’s healthy, it can be our little secret!).
Sometimes me think, ‘What is friend?’
And then me say…
‘Friend is someone to share the last cookie with.’ Cookie-Monster
Transforming Money Relationships: A lot of us have pretty tragic relationships with money. It’s that 5 letter word that can bring someone to the most extreme of emotions in less that a second. Why do we let money rule our emotions like this? I believe it has been passed down through generations. It is ancestral baggage that you, yes YOU, can be rid of. I once had someone describe money as energy. That clicked with me. They went on to describe how there was infinite energy in the Universe, and all we need do is call it to us. I said, “Tell me more…,” and they responded with, “Find gratitude for what you have.” My mind was blown. If you can align your vibrations with gratitude for what you have, you can start to break the old chords of negative money karma beginning today. A lot of what is holding us back from receiving abundance is our feelings of LACK. The vibration of lack or not having enough sends out the message to give us back just that. If we can start becoming aware of the things that WE DO HAVE in our life and feel genuine appreciation for them then we start the flow of, “Manifesting abundance.” Try it now by making a list of some things you are grateful for in your life today and WHY you are grateful for them. Pause after each one and feel genuine gratitude and happiness in your heart. Take a few deep breaths in that gratitude and then move on to the next. I practice that simple exercise daily and I have experienced freedom from the worn out negative attitudes surrounding money. Remember, “Like attracts like.”
Peace begins with a smile.
~ Mother Theresa
Transforming Negative Self-Talk Patterns: I have also found that the way our thoughts rule our mind can have a profound effect on our vibrational pull. If we are constantly saying to self, “I don’t have enough,” “I am not worthy,” “Look at what they have, that is not fair,” “I WANT ____”(and you get my drift?) then we will call that same vibration to us. Saying, “I WANT,” keeps you in a state of wanting. Saying to yourself, “I AM _____,” puts you in a state of just that. Some key Affirmations that I have used to break negative thought/vibrational patterns are

~I AM ABUNDANCE~

~I AM WORTHY~

~I AM ENOUGH~

Try using these daily when you have a few minutes, I suggest doing it in the beginning of your day but anytime will work. To get started find a comfortable seat and close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and visualize white light energy drawing out through your heart center. Feel your whole body smile and roll your eyes up to point between the eye brows with your eye lids gently closed. Slowly begin to speak the affirmation of choice either out loud or silent while continue to cultivate positive energy through out. Repeat each affirmation 20 times or more. When you are done, try thanking your body, mind, and spirit for allowing you this precious time to nourish and sustain your oh so very important Self Care.

May your walls know joy, may every room hold laughter, and every window open to great possibility -- Mary Anne Radmacher — May your walls know joy, may every room hold laughter, and every window open to great possibility
— Mary Anne Radmacher

4. Transforming Body Habits: This hearkens back to the #1 as they have a lot of interplay. Be sure to drink enough water to help your body recover from all of the holiday fun whether you are drinking holiday mixers or not. Staying hydrated will help your immune system, digestion, and mind stay strong throughout the season! It is good to drink hot water with lemon or lime in the mornings and at night to help digest food (An Ayurvedic Remedy! You can even put a tablespoon of raw honey in for a treat). Get some exercise. I tend to like to hit the gym or a yoga class the day before as it helps with my mood and aids me in making the healthiest choices for me. Exercise raises serotonin levels and if you are an emotional eater this helps immensely!

photo cred: lancelaurence.com — May your walls know joy, may every room hold laughter, and every window open to great possibility
— Mary Anne Radmacher

5. Transforming Guilt: YOU ARE PERFECT JUST THE WAY YOU ARE! This is the most important transformational holiday technique of them all. FORGIVENESS AND COMPASSION! Ok, so you had every intention of doing techniques 1-4 and when the time came you fell flat on your face. It’s OK! When we practice consistent self forgiveness and self compassion we will always find our way. Feel empowered by your so called mistakes, achievements, and the like, for they are all a part of what brought you to this moment. Be grateful that you are who you are for there will never be another quite like you. You are especially important and an ultimate expression of LOVE. And remember, you can chose, in this moment to embrace everything and everyone in your life (Including yourself) for being exactly the way they are meant to be in this moment! Enjoy yourself, enjoy each other, and have a very Happy Holiday!

Vajra Tank Top & Maya Pants can be purchased at www.multiversalyoga.org — Photo by: lancelaurence.com

Alana Victoria Roach

E-RYT, Reiki, Retreat Leader & Wellness Support

AlanaRoachYoga.com

5 Ways To Beat Negative Self Talk

September 22, 2014 // by Alana Roach// Leave a Comment

“Remember sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.” Dalai Lama

Today I look to the true beauty with-in and surrounding me and I am in awe because if it weren’t for all of the relationships, jobs, & material items that did not work out the way I had hoped, I wouldn’t be where I am. Yet, in those moments, where it’s not going according to “plan,” I sometimes feel utterly lost, angry, confused, and alone. I think all things negative before all things positive. I stop trusting in Spirit and I want to give up, but it is in those moments I grow the most. How boring this life would be if it all went according to, “Plan.” It is certainly navigatable by positive thinking and intention, but there are always bends and twists that I never see coming. I think that is so cool in retrospect, because it always works out for the best. Why is that? Some would say there is a Divine plan. I certainly think believe there is.

So when my mind starts beating me up in times of uncertainty and doubt I try to remember these 5 things.

1. I am not my thoughts. Thoughts come and go, I have a choice whether or not to latch onto one of those suckers and let it take me on a wild ride.
2. I am fully alive. Being alive is being present to all things, not just the, “Good,” ones.
3. There is a reason for EVERYTHING. The mantra, “I am exactly where I am meant to be in this moment and I have great purpose,” keeps it real for me.
4. Get present, get grateful. GRATITUDE, I can’t say it enough. If I am grateful in this moment, fear can not exist.
5. Is it true? Is it really true? How do I know that it’s true? (The work) My mind will turn on me in a second, and when it does, these questions bring me back to the now, and in this moment, I am always taken care of.

Namaste and pura vida 😉

Alana Roach
CYT, E-RYT, Reiki, Travel & Wellness Writer, Life Lover
www.alanaroachyoga.com

Gaining Self Love Through Slowing Down

September 11, 2014 // by Alana Roach// 1 Comment

Once upon a time I was newly determined. When I first got sober in 2009, I started to live. I not only desired to live a more honest and pure life, but I felt the need to make up for lost time. I don’t think I am alone in this effort as I have talked to newly sober individuals who have felt the same. Relating to you has been such a comfort to me. I can’t thank you enough. 10 years in a malaise of blackouts made life sort of stand still as the days slid together. Time whirled by and all of a sudden I was a 23 years old with the mentality of a 13 year old girl. Those first few months of drying out felt like I was looking in a mirror at a reflection that was totally foreign. I was feeling emotions again. Drinking for me was an escape from emotions, but I was really just shoving them down. The emotions, just like damed water, go no where, they just build & build. Take the drink or drug away and the emotions come gushing out. I had a lot of support & I still do in recovery, but at the end of the day I am still left with me.

Making up for all of this “lost time” was exhausting. I was shorting hours of sleep to make early yoga classes before school. I was taking classes for college 6 days a week, staying after for honors programs and book club, and working 5 to 6 days a week. I was running 10 – 18 miles before working a 6 to 8 hour shift at a restaurant. I was driving all day and eating in my car while drinking copious amounts of caffeine to keep going. I was running around trying to be everything to everyone and yet I was struggling to keep up with my own self-care. Does this sound familiar?

The Universe will always plead with us to slow down and smell the roses. Sometimes it starts with a tap on the shoulder and if that doesn’t get our attention something louder and more palpably alerting will. It could be in the form of a cold or flu. . Did that stop me? No. I am embarrassed to admit this but I have definitely pushed the limits while sick. I didn’t rest unless I couldn’t move. Sometimes it shows up with injury. Did that stop me? Not at first. I went to work with a broken nose once after a soccer game. I thought it meant I was strong. No pain, no gain! Right? Wrong. Thankfully, yoga and meditation have taught me that strength comes through honoring my body, mind, and Spirit. For me, my big wake up call was a car accident. I was running on empty energetically. In retrospect this accident was a few years coming. I felt the exhaustion every step of the way and I still pushed the envelope. The morning of the accident I felt it in my bones that I could use a few more hours of sleep. Totally disregarding the signal my body was sending me, I pushed through it anyway. I woke up at 6am to make my way to the gym and I took a left turn when I clearly shouldn’t have, got hit on the drivers side, my head cracked against the window, car totaled, other car totaled with an injured party and we were both in that ambulance together afraid for our lives. Luckily we would both be ok, but until that moment I could not slow down. Even with a regular meditation practice and a million signs that I should, I was addicted to doing more. I was addicted to filling my day with, “Things,” just so I didn’t have to sit with me.

Laying there in my bed, recovering from the accident for a few weeks allowed for a lot of reflection. I was resting more than I had in years. I realized how precious every moment is. I stumbled upon the quote, “Life is a journey, not a destination,” by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Constantly striving for more while making endless lists and running around to no end was not the answer for me. I had not truly let go. I was still calling the shots. I couldn’t believe it but I finally realized I was not truly happy because I couldn’t sit still with me. The, “Me,” who wasn’t striving for the next goal, or trying to impress you, or looking for attention. When I took away all of those masks, and sat in the presence of my own Self, I realized I had been missing out on a beautiful truth. The truth that, “I am whole without doing anything.” Mind blown. I couldn’t believe it. My first introduction into, “The art of non-doing.”

I found a solution.

1. Saying No. No is a complete sentence. As simple as that sounds, boy was it oh so ever a challenge. I was a people please to the max. I thought I had to be for you to think I had worth. Saying no didn’t always make people happy but I realized I had to take care of myself first, otherwise I was of no use to anyone!
2. Self care!! No matter what! If my mind, body, Spirit connection needs tending to, that is what comes first. I can’t help anyone until I am healthy. Getting enough sleep really helps with this. I get at least 8 a night and yes, sometimes that means I am in bed by 9pm.
3. Focusing on one thing at a time. Having this clear, I would then have a great teacher months later say to me,”Find your purpose and get to it immediately.” What was I waiting for? I ended up having a lot of down time in India just a few months after my car crash and I embarked on what I knew was my dream after my return. Teaching yoga, writing to inspire, and intuitive healing.
4. Listening to my Body. Feeling tired, weak, foggy brained, irritated, sluggish are all signs to slow down, rest more, take a break. Even if it’s retreating for a few deep breaths to become present.
5. Create Space to Restore. working with people can take a lot of energy, even just being in crowded spaces. Make a sacred space that re-fuels you. Giving myself some time to re-boot through naps, energy work, meditation, de-charging can make all of the difference. These are some great ideas for creating a sacred-space.
6. Love, Laughter, Letting- Go. As self-awareness grows with my spiritual practice of choice, I learn to become more loving & accepting of myself. When I become aware that I am falling back into old patterns of “Over-achiever, perfectionist mentality,” I have to laugh at myself, take a deep breath, let go & let Jah.
7.Giving thanks for who I am in this moment. It takes mental persuasion to bring my loosy goosey attention back to gratitude and self-love. However, the effects are astounding and my whole perspective shifts when I do this. I use positive affirmations & gratitude techniques. I commend myself for a job well done or not done. I honor karma and if I act less than perfect, I forgive myself and try better next time. When I am honoring myself in this way I can better honor you and Gaia.

I am grateful for my, “Get to it” determination today. It is a positive aspect of who I am, but just like anything if it becomes something that starts to burn me out I have to go back to the practices that bring me to the present moment and allow me to slow down. I have to let go a little or a lot. When I do, the Universe holds my intentions close and I am taken care of in more ways than I could have imagined. This has been proven to me time and time again.

So to all of my fellow acheivers out there, just for today, take a few minutes to smell the roses as you walk by them, the most vibrant and rich blooms are surrounding you and you could have missed it. Pause, take a deep breath and say, “There is nothing I have to do, be, or have because I already am.” Remember your Divine nature. You are bountifully amazing just as you are.

Until next time with love and light,
Alana
www.eosretreats.com

True Nature Education Interviews Alana Roach!

July 14, 2014 // by Alana Roach// Leave a Comment

Click Here To Read!

Whether or Not to Teach When You Are Sick

June 10, 2014 // by Alana Roach// Leave a Comment

How does a yoga teacher or any teacher for that matter know when to call in sick and take some time off to rest and recover? I say your body will let you know. Especially you, yogis and yoginis. Practicing what we preach in our own lives can be a tall order to fill. “Take care of your body, and it will take care of you,” is something I spout off in class just about every time I teach but when it came to myself I felt short! After years upon years of practicing with all different teachers with many different styles of teaching I have seen it time and time again. Teacher burn out. It can really take a toll on the mind and body. You find yourself teaching 20 classes a week, practicing on your “down time,” eating while checking emails, checking emails all hours of the day, go go go until you hit the hay at the end of the day and do it all over the following morning. Sure, it feels great in the beginning but over time the body starts to break down when it doesn’t get rest.

Just a couple of weeks ago I got that all familiar sinus pressure that tends to occur around Spring every year. I have a history of sinus allergies, I know what it feels like when something is off balance in my body, and yet I kept going at the speed of a race horse to get “it” all done. My list of things to do on my schedule did not become shorter while I was on the cusp of being sick, I think I probably even added a few tasks in between classes that I never do to prepare for my big move in August. “What better time to do these things than RIGHT NOW,” I thought to myself. So I suffered the consequences because I didn’t listen to my body. I didn’t slow down. I landed myself a 100 degree fever, a prescription a 10 day cycle of antibiotics, and a week full of classes to either get covered or not. Seems like a no-brainer, right?? For some one like me, who absolutely LOVES what they do, and suffers from a little thing called perfectionism from time to time… this can be a large lesson for the ego in self-compassion. The first few days I was sick it was easy, I literally had no energy to give, so I got my classes covered… Mid week, I still felt pretty awful, but I started to be able to move. That is when it got tricky. I start thinking, “Well, I can walk to and from the bathroom without puking, maybe I can teach a class” but meanwhile I can barely eat still, walking to and from the bathroom is extremely fatiguing and I can’t do downward facing dog without everything hurting. This is insane! Thank God I am aware of my insanity today and I have a loving partner who backs me up when I need to rest. So, I took off the whole week. I knew, from listening to my body, and from my previous experiences that if I didn’t rest now, I would just prolong the time that I would be out. This lesson has repeated itself for me time and time again and I have started listening the more I grow along my path. Trust me, your students want you feeling great when you teach them and will sense it if you are neglecting to practice what you preach. So the next time you think about trudging through with your body falling apart on you, remember what you tell your students, “Listen to your body, honor it, and it will honor you.”

A big part of my practice on and off of the mat is slowing down these days. A lot of teachers I speak with regularly agree that it is very difficult to take time to be still. Even in a life where one of the biggest teachings of yoga is to… be still. I know that is why I was drawn to yoga in the first place. It has an uncanny way of getting the mind to be still… now if I could only get my body to follow more often. This is a journey and I have to remember it is progress and not perfection. The journey is truly the destination and this is not a race.

Remember you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone because you are already loved completely by the Divine just as you are. Listen to that still soft voice within that guides you in the direction of love and light.

Sincerely,

Alana Roach Yoga

RYT, CYT, Reiki, Wellness Guide and Freelance Writer

www.AlanaRoachYoga.com

It’s a New Day! 5 Ways To Appreciate It!

April 29, 2014 // by Alana Roach// 1 Comment

Alana Roach Yoga with Lance Laurence Photography

Do you ever feel like your days seem to repeat themselves? You wake up, brush your teeth, get the kids off to school, work, come home, make dinner, read a little, put the kids to bed, go to sleep, and then wash/rinse repeat the next day. There was a time in my life where this was always the case and even today I can fall into the same habit of idling away through my days. I forget that each day is a gift full of many moments where I have the option to be truly present to those gifts. When I become present to the little nuances in my day, my whole perspective shifts. Suddenly, the birds outside are singing a beautiful hymn, the grass outside has an emerald green hue with dew drops glimmering in the sun, my lovers smile is the most magnificent thing I have ever seen, and when I lay my head down at night I am so incredibly comforted by the gratitude I feel to have a roof over my head and these fluffy blankets to nestle up in. That is the world in which I prefer to live in. One which is a painted canvas of beckoning truth.

How might we make this presence more accessible through out our work week? Here are 5 ways to tune into the beauty of each moment and to find that child like magic again.

1. Set the alarm 15 minutes before you actually have to get up and put on a soothing guided meditation, find you favorite on youtube by googling, “Guided meditation,”. This well set the tone for your whole day. You will find that it is easier to be present once you have taken the time to tune into the Universal flows and no better time to do that than in the beginning of your day.

2. Stop watching the time. Seem counter-productive for presence? Hear me out. We all know what time it is, it is loud and clear every time we check out phones, get on our lap tops, i-pads, cook in the stove or microwave, get in our cars, every where we go, there it is… time. Time is simply a way to sync up with the world, to meet, to plan and schedule. I find that it is easier for me to unwind while at home, after I have taken care of everything I need to take care of in my day, to simply turn off the electronics and to flip over any alarm clocks that might be glaring in my face. Don’t worry, with the alarms you have set yourself for the next commitment, you will be more than ok if you don’t watch the clock every minute of the day. Since I started doing this I experience the time-less through out my day. I stop thinking in segments of day and rather experience the light as it comes and goes with no expectations on how long it will last, everything sort of slows down.

3. Go for a walk outside, better yet, skip. Do something you haven’t done in awhile, jump rope, sit down in the grass and pick clovers, make a pile of sticks, try handstands in the yard. Tuning into your youthful spirit will make you feel exquisite. When I do this, I am reminded of how everything felt new to me as a child. Over time we become so bogged down with schedules, desires, expectations that we forget this incredible innocence that once existed within us, and guess what!? It still does!

4. Laugh for no reason. Laughing meditations start with one laughing for no reason, over time the laughing is contagious and before you know it you are no longer laughing for no reason but you are laughing because you are filled with joy. Be courageous and ask your friends to join a laughing meditation hour with you.

5. Get creative! When is the last time you worked on a creative project? Better yet, when is the last time you finger painted? Get messy, have fun, go get some canvases and acrylic paints. I was recently at a friend’s birthday get together where she bought a huge canvas and gathered different art supplies then asked all 60 some of her guest to create a collage that she could hang in her condo. It was amazing to see all of these different people, all ages, different cultures, come together and make a piece of art. Whether you have an art party or turn on some music and create your heart out solo, your Spirit will thank you the whole way through!

Thich Nhat Hanh: “The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.”

Love always,

Alana Roach

RYT, CYT, Reiki, Wellness Support, Freelance Writer

www.alanaroachyoga.com

Q&A on Spirituality and Yoga with Alana Roach, 1st Series

March 29, 2014 // by Alana Roach// 1 Comment

I have met many incredible souls through the spiritual community. These people are an extended family all over the world. We share stories of beautiful miracles, inspirations, Divine connections, and love. The other day one of these beautiful souls asked me some questions. I asked him if I could create a blog post of these Q & A’s so that I could get some communication going about how the Spiritual path begins and continues to unfurl. He said, “Yes!” Here are the questions and answers from our conversation.

I had a beautiful time meditating over these today and this is what came out.

My interviewer Brian G. from Baltimore writes the following:

Heidegger wrote that he who poses a question always already knows something of the answer, lest posing the question be impossible. Please don’t be offended at my queries just as I shan’t take offense should you choose not to answer. I can’t speak for you, but in you I find a kindred soul, seeking to grasp but a drop of the great mysteries of existence and humanity. I believe that I can learn a great deal from you while respecting you as a friend. Please let me know what you think! Have a lovely evening.

(The question and answer interview follows. All Q’s were posed as written by Brian G. All A’s were written by Alana Roach)

Q.How did you first come to practice Yoga?

A. I believe that we all practice yoga from birth and then slowly begin to forget the practice as we age. I started yoga when I took that first breath and looked into my mother’s eyes.

As time went on I remember the first time I felt that pang of insecurity. I was dancing in a baseball stadium a few steps down from my Mom and an adult male looked at me, and laughed. In that moment I felt like I didn’t belong. I felt embarrassed. I wanted to be anywhere but where I was. In that moment I was unlearning yoga. I was learning about the ego which is also known as the me that is separate from you.

That ego took me on a journey of terror through addictive behaviors. I was incessantly trying to fill in the space that the ego had created in my soul. One addiction led to the other until one day I “Woke up.” My “Awakening,” happened when I started to explore meditation and prayer a little deeper. This “Seeking,” started to happen because I felt so empty. That empty feeling was what inspired me to reach for God. I used to think that God was condemning. That He sit on a throne, judging my every move. What I have found for myself is that He is none of these things. God is Me, and God is You, and God is all around Us and inside each and everyone of Us. I started to feel a gentle guiding hand through out my days due to my seeking. My seeking led me to my first yoga class in 2009. Now I continue to seek with the physical, mental, and spiritual practice of yoga, just as I did when I took that first breath and looked into my mother’s eyes.

Q.Had you a previous interest or did someone introduce you to it?

A. Yes, I had an interest in yoga before I tried it. At the time, Ashtanga was becoming big in the West with popular names like Madonna and Sting promoting the benefits of a regular practice. However, just like everything else that I was interested in, I sort of thought, “Well one day that would be nice,” and I would leave it at that. It was just a nice thought. I never bought a mat until my 4^th or 5^th class. I didn’t’ research it beyond looking at beautiful pictures and bodies that were the result of a disciplined practice. I didn’t even know what, “Yoga,” meant.

I first attended yoga with some friends. I tried one yoga center that deemed popular at the time and liked it but not enough to truly seek it out again. About 2 months after that, another friend rang me up and asked me if I would like to try another studio that was closer to my home. Remembering the past experience, I was intrigued but not at all motivated by the offer.

Everything in me wanted to say, “No.”

However what came out was, “Yeah, sure!”

Off I went. Today I know that it was that gentle guiding force I spoke of before. At this yoga studio, with this teacher, at this time, I was ready for yoga. Yoga was, in fact ready for me. I believe yoga finds us when the time is right. I believe that I had shown the Universe that I was ready to evolve, to change… I believe that the Universe called me home, to Yoga. I am so very grateful to my friends, whom I believe are channels of the Divine, and for the Divine synchronicities that lead us to our destiny.

Q.What Truth(s) has God or the universe revealed to you? Have you always been so attuned to matters spiritual?

A.The Truths that have been laid out to me by the God or Universe are as such-

We are One. We have chosen to be here as human beings to learn and grow Spiritually in order to Evolve. In order to ascend we MUST seek that which is this, “Truth.” That “Truth,” is that we are One with the Divine. We must know this with every fiber of our being. We must remember this to know that we are all part of the Infinite, the spark of the Divine, pure Love. To know this is to end separation and war. Once this Truth is remembered, we must help to pass it on.

I believe that practicing meditation, pranayama, yoga, and service to others help us all become attuned to that place with in us that is Divine. I did not become aware of this until I had a conscious Spiritual practice.

Q.Lastly, what is one thing I can do now to deepen my awareness of and attunement with God or the Universe?

A. Practice, practice, practice. Find a discipline that calms the mind and brings you to the present moment. Let yourself crumble and then give in to being built back up by this discipline. Breathe deeply. Laugh often. Love passionately. Weep with fervor. Find the art of, “Non-Doing,” and simply just, “Be.” In that moment you will remember that we are all just a breath away from being in tune to the Universe, to God.

(Read more on how I found Yoga on a group and individual level here -> https://explorationsofself.com/2013/03/31/how-i-found-yoga-my-home-practice/. )

Alana Roach

CYT, RYT, Reiki, Wellness Professional, Freelance Writer

www.AlanaRoachYoga.com

www.facebook.com/AlanaRoachYoga

A Letter Written Today, to Myself, 5 Years Ago

February 9, 2014 // by Alana Roach// 3 Comments

I am inspired by Frank Ocean’s recent blog post where he wrote a letter to Himself 5 years ago. You can find it here. This is someone who followed their heart. This is what I try to do myself. In spite of what I grew up hearing about what, “I should do,” or what, “I was capable of doing.” I am following my heart.

So, today I am going to write a letter to myself 5 years ago, Feb 9, 2009.

Dear Alana,

I want you to know that everything will be okay. You are going to be moving back home with Mom in a couple of days because your drinking has gotten really bad again. I want you to know that after you move out of Dad’s, He will go through one of the roughest periods of his life but it is a blessing in disguise because He will end up being taken care of. None of it was your fault.

You will get sober this year on May 29 from drugs and alcohol. No matter how bad it gets, I want you to know that your pain will benefit others through helping them get sober eventually. Your eating disorder will not control your life when you get sober, because God blesses you with a Miracle to stop the compulsion to control your inner world through abusing yourself in these ways. You will help many people in this area as well. Spirituality is going keep you afloat through all of these changes.

This is you on your first year sober! This celebration is for you if you don’t believe Me!

and then on your second year of sobriety!

It keeps going, this May you will have 5 years sober!

Yoga is going to become a great provider of peace for you and eventually others through you. You will find a studio that feels like home in late summer of 2009 and it will feel like this is what you have been searching for your whole life. You are going to be a Yoga Teacher, but first you will practice often for 3 years until you meet the Woman who will train you on how to teach.

You will run a half marathon and then a full marathon in 2011.

You will make friends that feel like family and eventually move out of Mom’s, never to go back because you have finally learned how to take care of yourself. There is a lot of help along the way, but you are going to really do it this time. Yes, you finally get a car and will see that it was in the Plan to get your first car at 23 because you probably would have died or hurt others otherwise.

You will get your heart broken three times over the next few years. The first one you will realize was for the best. The next two will be by the Man that you are going to end up with in 5 years, madly in love with. He will break your heart so that you can learn how to love Yourself and God first. So don’t worry, keep working on Yourself and it will all work out.

You will travel the world. Yes. So when you get your passport for, “No reason,” in a couple of months, know that there is SO MUCH REASON. You will spread Joy all over the world, because it is your PURPOSE to do so. You will show others that, “Following your dreams,” is more than just a saying; it is a way of life. You will grow into an incredible woman. Your Mom and Dad, your friends, community, and life-partner will love you for just being You. They will be incredibly proud of all that you accomplish. You will find the courage to go after your dreams of teaching yoga, traveling, and writing about it every step of the way. You will find the courage because God will lift you up everytime you find it.

You’ve made it, Alana.

So wipe those tears off of your face , everything is going to be OK.

With much love,

You, 5 years from this moment. Feb 9, 2014.

This is YOU NOW!

Alana Roach Yoga with www.facebook.com/LanceLaurencePhoto

Why Meditate? My Experience With Meditation and How You Can Begin.

January 1, 2014 // by Alana Roach// 2 Comments

I love you. That is the one expression that sums it all up for me. I love you. I feel it every time I read an inspirational quote or look at the sunlight creeping through the blinds or hear a distant breath in a yoga class…hahhhhh I love you

It is what unites us and what we have in common. The spark of love in each and every one of us is the same spark that lights up the lovers eyes, the babies first smile, the sun and the moon. I feel this every time I meditate. Yes, meditate. You have heard it a time or two in yoga class or in your local news paper. Meditation is as old as the ages and yet it is something that we as a society are just starting to embark on at a massive level. Meditation groups are popping up all over the world to create World Peace and a Higher Level of Conciousness that vibrates on… you guessed it, Love. The love frequency is one that is radiant and all plentiful. It is what keeps us striving for that next thing. That thing we can’t even quite put our finger on. Often times that thing becomes masked with accomplishment, addiction, and fear. What are we chasing really? Have you ever thought that the thing you were chasing would make you feel inextricably whole or complete only to find that once you accomplished it you felt ok but it wasn’t enough, sometimes it made you feel even worse. Why is that? How is that possible? But is so, so you move on to the next thing. Or perhaps you failed to accomplish that which you desired the most? You felt defeated, lesser than, unmotivated to move through it, and so you reached for something that made sense in that moment, a snack, the bar, a companion, only to feel guilty about it after.

That unrelenting reaching for has driven me to a point of questioning. What is the point, I would say? What is the point the this life thing? I had used up my addiction and failed to love another human being properly in my teens and early twenties, and then in my mid twenties I was addicted to accomplishment. I thought if I were perfect then I would happy. I spent the first half of my life in a place of self-abuse and ultimately feeling defeated, to spend the later years trying to make up for lost time to also feel some what defeated.

That is when I found meditation. It started as a suggestion from a group of friends in 2008. Meditation and prayer are the answer to your problems. Well, I had been praying my whole life to some far off God that supposedly judged everything I ever did. I prayed for mercy on my soul and I prayed in times of need. I rarely ever prayed to be open to learning about why we are here, or for someone else, or to listen for loving guidance. I definitely never did a prayer of gratitude for that which I had in my life at that moment, which is always bountiful. But like I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I felt defeated. I was willing to listen to suggestions if it meant peace of mind and serenity. I learned how to pray differently. I started to pray for others, make gratitude lists, and pray for something bigger than me to guide me. I view the Universe as being bigger than me (Pretty easy, right) and I feel that it is a magical Co-Creator of incredibly possibility. The God I once had started to evolve into something greater. It started to be everything. It was me, it was you, it was the sun, moon, sky, mountains, good, and the bad. It is that for me today. I was told that praying is only part of the equation. Praying is to speak to God, but to meditate is to listen. Listening was not one of my strong suits. I spent a lot of time in self pity, of busy-ness, of distraction, but not in listening. But, again, I felt defeated, so I was willing to give it shot. It started with a few minutes a day. I would go on youtube and find a beginners guided meditation video, plug in my head phones, sit still, close my eyes, and listen. I felt different immediately. Truly, I did. A seed of serenity started to become nourished by this speaking to and listening exchange. I was having a conversation of the mind, body, and Spirit. It was a revelation. It took discipline. There were days I did not feel like meditating. Prayer was easy to rush through on those days, but meditating meant I had to sit still. I did it though, even if it was for only a minute, because I thirsted for that serenity. I needed it like one needs water in a desert. Something bigger than me beckoned.

It has been over 4 years now, and I still have this Mind, Body, Spirit conversation. I pray and I meditate on a daily basis. It has developed, it has changed, it has GROWN significantly over the years and my God is always revealing more to me all of the time. Just when I feel like I have learned the current lesson (I feel as though we are always in a state of learning here) I am shown that I know nothing because my God has gotten even bigger. That lesson that I thought I learned has an underlying current of truth that I just started to tap, so I must go deeper. Over the years, I have discovered that beyond the seated mediation, there are many ways to meditate. Yoga for instance, is a moving or still meditation. We are uniting or yolking the mind, body, and Spirit with the attention the breath and body. We leave the studio or place of practice feeling as though something has shifted within us, because we have created time for it to shift. That is what meditation is for me, it creating time by giving time to still the mind. There are walking meditations in Buddhism where you walk very slowly, perhaps in a grassy field, and pay attention to every shift the foot and earth make together, in unison. The awareness goes from sensation to sensations very slowly as though it were the only thing that were in existence. You leave walking meditation feeling a sense of peace because again, the mind, the body, the Spirit have been united through this attention to the presence. One of my favorite spots to meditate is in a warm salt bath with lavender. I listen to a chakra tuning meditation while rested in the warm water, close my eyes, and use my Ujjayi breath for about 15 minutes. Every morning before I step out of bed, I create space of about 30 minutes before I need to get ready for my first class or event of the day if I have any so that I can plug in Theta binural beats (Theta waves are the brain waves Tibetan Monks go into in deep meditation) and do a laying down mediation. No matter what, I create the space. I believe that the attention to the space is what matters. The Universe notices when you’ve practiced, no matter how long the practice is. It is just the fact that we are taking the time to listen to that calm, gentle Guidance.

Create space in your life to Listen for You. When you take care of you, you take care of the World. Just sit back, relax, and watch where your journey with meditation guides You.

What are some of your favorite ways you like to meditate? If you would like a guided meditation with Alana Roach Yoga, please email me at AlanaRoachYoga@Gmail.com.

Love always,

Alana Roach

E-RYT, LD, Reiki, Wellness Coach and Writer

www.facebook.com/AlanaRoachYoga

AlanaRoachYoga@Gmail.com

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