Week 4:Flexibility

Week 4:Flexibility: Always moving, never constant. Flexibility is one of the most important aspects of a healthy life. The ability to face changes and the unknown without fear is one of the greatest challenges for most people. unknown

To start our exploration of this week’s theme lets revisit last week’s. Equanimity comes from the sense of being connected to something bigger, the divinity within. Somewhere down deep, everything is OK. You are safe you are rooted.

So we are rooted, now we have to integrate with this crazy world. How do we do that? How do you not compromise yourself out there in the world? How do you not think you have to solve everything? How do you not lose yourself? How do you not get pulled away from your purpose? How do you stay on track? Great, we found our innate intelligence, our roots, and we know how to breathe into a situation. How do we take this purified self to the streets?

This requires conviction (rootedness) and the ability to go with the flow (flexibility). Flexibility without roots often leads to chaos, stress, and weakness. Spiritual flexibility is the characteristic of being able to bend, be open-minded and teachable.

What may be challenging to discern in life is simpler on the mat. Yoga class is a great and safe place to explore the dynamic interplay between being rooted in ourselves while at the same time being flexible with what is being presented to us. How do you balance knowing how you want your practice to be and what is actually happening on the mat ? What do you do with your likes or dislikes of the teacher, the pose, the person next to you? Where are you shutting down, where are you open – both in your mind and body? This practice allows us to develop physical and spiritual flexibility.

This week our focus is on this dynamic interplay in all relationships and interactions: between self and other, inside and outside. With flexibility and roots we can safely open to all! (Hint…next week’s theme is Unity!)

In Week 4 we experience a 3-day fast. This more radical change of our routine brings up psychological and emotional responses, and we have the opportunity to explore our conditioning related to food and our eating habits. This requires flexibility!

Week 4 Meditation: With the type of meditation that we’ve been talking about, once we are sitting comfortably, with our eyes closed, we effortlessly bring our awareness to the “self.” With that as the base, we otherwise allow the awareness the freedom to do what it naturally does. If it wanders here or there with thoughts, impressions, images, or sensations, pay them no mind. When it is effortless to do so, bring the awareness back to the self. Keep the process simple and let nature take care of the rest. If it becomes too much of a strain to sit, you may lie down. There is no need to anchor the mind anywhere or to even notice what it does. Simply allow the physiology the opportunity to flow naturally toward a state of rest and purification. This is elegant flexibility!

Week 4: To Ponder: Am I able to be flexible without compromising myself?

Week 4 Diet:
The 3-day fruit fast will allow your body to fully empty out and get clean, giving your metabolic organs a chance to rest and renew themselves. This is an opportunity to hit the reset button and break from robotic eating.

Starting on your first morning of the fast, eat meals that contain only fruit. Stick to mostly fresh fruit, but juices and soups are OK as long as they are all-natural and additive free.

1. Prepare full meals and snacks! Don't just grab an apple and call it lunch. Slice up a variety of fruit and arrange your plate, sit down and eat as you would any other meal. Fruit smoothies are great!

2. Intentionally fill your time with non-food related activities. Take a sauna, get a massage, watch movies, read, walk, rest – whatever nourishes you. Surround yourself with people who support your efforts. Nourish yourself on every level.

3. Meditate.

4. Continue doing daily yoga. Be intuitive with your body, listen when you need to lessen the intensity.

5. Chew fruit well. It improves taste and digestion, and naturally controls quantity.

6. Eat small amounts throughout the day to keep blood sugar level. If you start to experience any hypo-glycemic symptoms, such as headache or dizziness, drink diluted fruit juice. It takes a lot less than you think to keep you steady.

7. Drink water, diluted fruit juice, or herbal tea to maintain hydration. Stay away from caffeinated beverages and alcohol.


Please read post on the blog related to the cleanse; fruit might not be best for you. Be careful to come off the cleanse gently. Slowly introduce foods back into diet; don't shock your system too quickly. Take time on day 4, 5, and 6 to be conscious about what you put into your body, what you body truly needs.

BLESSED ARE THE FLEXIBLE FOR THEY DO NOT GET BENT OUT OF SHAPE.

BUT NOT BLESSED ARE THE OVER-FLEXIBLE BECAUSE THEY ARE ALWAYS BENT OUT OF SHAPE.