Want to be more flexible? Practice Revolved Stork Pose as demonstrated by Karen Watson Reeves. Photography: Fred Padilla
By Karen Watson Reeves
And just like that, it’s December! Do you find yourself frequently looking back, as if to see where the time went? It is not unusual. Or just as often, looking ahead, anticipating what is to come? Yes, we do that, too.
Yoga helps bring us to the here and now, balancing on the fine line between past and future, and living life in the present moment as best as we can. What a process!
Study the photo: one arm and gaze looking back; one leg facing forward; balancing precariously on the opposite leg. Two amazing trees, one artificial and ready for Christmas, with the contrasting tree live and grounded in the present season of autumn when the photograph was snapped. The fast pace of life, one season quickly dissolving into the next, the never-ending to-do list can leave us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.
A yoga pose like this one requires a bit of effort to stay grounded. Focus and concentration enable us to balance. That stability helps boost our confidence, energize our physical bodies, and steady our minds. At the same time, the leg muscles are strengthened and the gluteal muscles are stretched. The twisting aspect of the pose increases the difficulty to balance, as well as improves spinal flexibility.
And we DO want to be more flexible! The yoga stretches help keep the physical body more fluidly moving without so much pain and stiffness. And we can become better at twisting right out of one season into the next, balancing the elements of the past with the aspects of the future.
December. . . live one day of it at a time. Focus on your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Enjoy each day. Take in the beautiful sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and all the good feels of the season!
Karen Watson Reeves has called Hot Springs home since 2006. Owner of The Yoga Place, at 301 Whittington Avenue, she became a registered yoga/children’s yoga teacher in 2011. She is on the Hot Springs YMCA teaching staff and is an adjunct instructor at National Park College. When not on the mat, Karen enjoys the beautiful outdoors of the National Park, especially from her bicycle. For more information about her studio and her schedule of classes, visit www.theyogaplacehs.com.
