Author: jillelkin

As the holidays draw near, my thoughts come to all those that are feeling stress about so much that “has to be done”. That is a phrase that I avoid using about the holidays. The holidays will come without the perfect centerpiece or the perfect meal. (Haven’t we all seen The Grinch That Stole Christmas?) My intentions around the holidays have changed. Years ago, I used to run myself ragged attempting to create the “perfect holiday” experience for my family. What I discovered is that the experience was completely lost for me- and in losing myself in the attempt for perfection, I created stress for my family, making their holiday experience LESS fun. 

So, how do we break the habit? How do we release the desire to always be more than we are? The first step is always in our intention. With our intentions we create new paths to ways of being. Here is a suggestion of how to begin making that change. 

Wake up in the morning and begin each day with a few minutes to “set the stage”. Take slow, even breaths and create an intention. Come up with what speaks to you, what rings true to your inner being. Here are a few suggestions if you are new to creating intentions:

I welcome this season with love, peace, and ease.

I am calm, I am content. 

I invite kindness and laughter to surround myself and my family this holiday season.

I am enough, in this moment and in this season, I am enough. 

After you have affirmed this new intention to yourself, go about your day. When you find yourself making choices that don’t match up with your intention, stop. Come back to your breath. Look inward and reaffirm your intention. Ask yourself if this choice is going to bring you toward your intention. Without judgement, ask yourself why you are making this choice. Then, hopefully, you can see more clearly what is driving you. 

I am wishing you all a peaceful, happy, holiday season!

Namasté,

Jill

Balance. It is a word with a lot of meaning. 

When I think of balance, I imagine those old-fashioned scales hanging just so….. one slight touch and they go off-kilter. Balance is not a static place. It is not a place you can come to, and just hang out. It is a place of constant flux. Physical balance is not about finding that perfect pose and turning into a statue. It is movement, subtle movement. 

With each breath you take, you are creating movement. Inhale: belly expands, ribs swell open, chest rises. Exhale: chest falls, ribs contract, belly tightens. Each of these actions creates a subtle change in your balance. Each of these actions creates movement- Movement that requires the body to adjust, to shift slightly, to engage more in certain muscles and less in others. The breath is just part of what is creating your body. Your muscles are constantly interacting with each other, too. Like ripples in a lake, one small change in the engagement of the muscles creates more changes. 

So how do you stay in a balance? Stay in tune with what is happening in your body. Get to know all the subtleties of your body’s movement. When you come to a balance, take your time. Root into the floor, find your base of support and slowly work your way up. Notice each muscle and how it is working. Notice your breath and all of its inconspicuous movements. Allow the flow of breath to work through you. Feel connected to your base, connected to the air around you, connected to the sky above you. This is yoga. 

Sending Love and Light,

Jill

I have never sewed before. My mother sewed a bit when I was young, but I never learned. A few years ago my daughter wanted to learn to sew. Fortunately, the internet exists…. and then we found her a sewing class. After a while she drifted away from it. More recently she became more serious about it, and began making clothes. I thought that maybe I could give it a go, and make some yoga pants. It seemed fairly simple, but there was so much more to it than I originally expected. 

I have learned lessons of humility. Lessons of acceptance. Lessons of self-discipline. 

These all come into play in yoga philosophy. Many people do not know how much more there is to learn beyond yoga on the mat. That is one of the reasons for the name of my business- On and Off the Yoga Mat. My yoga education has taught me lots about my body. Lessons like how far I can go, how my body feels in certain postures, and when I need to back off a pose.  But that is just what I have learned ON the mat. What I have learned OFF the mat is much greater. Those are the lessons that have really changed my life….. and continue to change me. 

Beginning to learn to sew is just another way of doing yoga…

Light and love to you all,
Jill

If this looks relaxing to you, join me for restorative yoga at the Salt Medspa on Thursday at 6. We will be in poses like this, allowing our bodies and minds to settle and find quietness. This week’s theme is Loving Kindness. We will explore finding kindness towards ourselves, allowing ourselves to let go of our daily stresses, and send love out into the world. 

To register (the class has a max of six people), please visit https://saltmedspa.com/salt-med-spa-peachtree-city/

I would like to invite you all to join me at a very special place…. The Salt MedSpa! Beginning next week, I will be teaching a restorative yoga class on Thursdays at 6. Restorative yoga is a wonderfully relaxing form of yoga. So what is restorative yoga, you may be asking? Restorative yoga is all about undoing the stresses of life. The postures are designed to support your body into relaxation. During restorative yoga you hold postures longer and get the chance to fully relax your body into these forms. All of the postures are supported by bolsters and blocks, allowing for complete relaxation. And, because this is at the Salt Medspa, you also get the bonus of a halo therapy treatment at the same time! The salt room has salt walls and ceiling, and the floor is like a beach of beautiful pink Himalayan salt crystals. A very finely ground medical-grade salt is blown into the room. Salt is antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal. It helps clear the airways and is also beneficial for the skin. 

Sounds good? Come meet me on the mat! 
https://saltmedspa.com/our-services/halo-yoga/