We cannot snap our fingers and magically be changed simply by having a strong will or desire to do so. That's one reason that so many "New Year's Eve Resolutions" are broken. It's a shame that many of us have come to accept that "promises are meant to be broken" because God never breaks His promises! The apostle Peter confirms, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." According to the dictionary "repentance" involves changing one's mind about something. This transformation process becomes easier as we learn to allow God to change our heart and our desires. But first we must give God our permission to change us through the process called surrender of self. Only God within us can assist us in keeping our New Year's Resolutions, especially those tough promises that we make privately to ourselves knowing that we really have no true intention of keeping them. In 2010 resolve to allow God to change you!
The instincts for self-preservation are inborn as protection, so we need spiritual help in order to "empty the cup of self" by relinquishing any unnecessary fears that lead to avoidance. As we usher in the New Year of 2010, we will hopefully surrender these fears to our loving Creator and stand before Him with a willing heart, and then allow God to do His work within us. If inversions such as "Supported Headstand Pose" (Salamba Sirsasana) are physical postures that you dread and therefore avoid, allow God to give you the courage to trust Him and the wonderful way in which He designed you. Please read Psalm 139 before attempting to slowly lift that second leg up over your hips. Greet your fears of letting go with the confidence that God is always with you if you choose to listen. Take time to hear that inner voice of God-installed intelligence that says, "[You] are wonderfully made." (Psalm 139:14, KJV)
If you necessarily avoid headstands because you're overweight, resolve to allow God within you to change your habits this coming year---to be satisfied with less food and to become more physically active. Practice the yoking-with-God process regularly to create more awareness of your "old self" habits that constantly try to take you backward . Also heed the warnings not to practice headstands if you are pregnant, have high blood pressure or if you're experiencing diarrhea.
Wishing all of you a happy and healthy New Year full of claimed promises as you learn to yoke with Your Creator, allowing Him to change you as you resolve to trust in His perfect love for you! plf
The instincts for self-preservation are inborn as protection, so we need spiritual help in order to "empty the cup of self" by relinquishing any unnecessary fears that lead to avoidance. As we usher in the New Year of 2010, we will hopefully surrender these fears to our loving Creator and stand before Him with a willing heart, and then allow God to do His work within us. If inversions such as "Supported Headstand Pose" (Salamba Sirsasana) are physical postures that you dread and therefore avoid, allow God to give you the courage to trust Him and the wonderful way in which He designed you. Please read Psalm 139 before attempting to slowly lift that second leg up over your hips. Greet your fears of letting go with the confidence that God is always with you if you choose to listen. Take time to hear that inner voice of God-installed intelligence that says, "[You] are wonderfully made." (Psalm 139:14, KJV)
If you necessarily avoid headstands because you're overweight, resolve to allow God within you to change your habits this coming year---to be satisfied with less food and to become more physically active. Practice the yoking-with-God process regularly to create more awareness of your "old self" habits that constantly try to take you backward . Also heed the warnings not to practice headstands if you are pregnant, have high blood pressure or if you're experiencing diarrhea.
- Physically---Go back and read the previous two blogs, beginning with December 14th to warm the muscles and joints with "Salutations to the Son" (Afterall, it is His birthday that we're celebrating!) and flow with the breath from "Downward-facing Dog" to "Dolphin Pose," Finally, move very slowly into a "One-Leg Supported Headstand."
- I've noticed that if I try to rush into this final transition called "One-Leg Headstand" before I've walked my feet as close as possible toward my head, I have to kick my leg up with more force instead of slowly and confidently engaging my pelvic floor and abdominal muscles as I take time to "walk" my hips up over my head and shoulders. It is this alignment of hips over shoulders and a neutral spine that enables you to eventually hold the "Supported Headstand Pose" for several minutes with the weight of your entire body pressing down into the forearms and outside edges of the wrists and hands. Each inhalation helps to ground the weight downward as the core and leg muscles are engaged, and the lift is created by pressing the heels and balls of the feet upward to lighten the load on the supported base of forearms and hands. Before holding the headstand for minutes it's best to start with counting slow and even breaths and allow the number to increase slowly with regular practice. Always follow the "Headstand Poses" with 10-12 smooth and relaxing breaths in "Child's Pose."
- Mentally---Once the "Supported Headstand Pose" becomes comfortably aligned, try closing your eyes to practice withdrawal of the senses called pratyahara, especially the most distracting sense of sight which now perceives that the world is upside down. Keep the mind aware and present with each breath so that as soon as the breathing becomes labored or shallow, you can slowly lower one straight leg at a time to the floor on an exhalation, returning to "Dolphin Pose." Inhale a deeper than usual "centering breath" and then slowly exhale onto the knees, releasing into "Extended Child's Pose" for several smooth breaths of relaxation.
- Spiritually---For an uplifting dose of spiritual confidence, read Psalm 91 in its entirety. Remember that those who believe and trust in the Lord have been given angels to watch over us and to keep us in all our ways....
Wishing all of you a happy and healthy New Year full of claimed promises as you learn to yoke with Your Creator, allowing Him to change you as you resolve to trust in His perfect love for you! plf
