| Scenes from a Couples Vacation at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa |
SCENE 2
Couples Yoga
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We are standing in Mountain Pose. Patricia is instructing us to relax and breathe into our abdomens. Reminding us to breathe becomes Patricia's mantra throughout the weekend. She warms us up with Cobra Pose and Dog Pose, elements of Greet the Sun or Sun Salutation. We are ready for a few Couples Yoga poses. I am in Dog Pose. My back is arched in the air. My head is down. My arms and legs are stretched out supporting me in an arch. Jeff stands in front of my head, his back to me in Mountain Pose. He bends over and places his palms flat on the floor. He takes one leg and places his foot on my back near my hip. The other follows. We are two arches in Double Dog Pose. Surprisingly, I don't feel much weight from Jeff. We reverse positions. Next we attempt Tree Pose. We stand side by side, our arms around each other's waists. We raise our free arms until our hands meet above our heads. Next we take our outer legs, bend the knees out to the outside and place our outer feet on our inner knees. We then attempt to raise our feet in front of us and grab them with our free hands. Not limber enough, we fail. A number of other couples succeed. Failure doesn't matter. Patricia reminds us it's the journey that matters - another of Patricia's mantras. We all enjoy it. I am thankful I can share this experience with my husband. This becomes my mantra throughout the weekend. Patricia provides handouts for us to take home. They cover the things she has talked about throughout the weekend. With permission, I have copied it here:
Integrated
Experiences These programs are an opportunity for you to experience our activities in a more personalized situation. Below are the areas of concentration for the program. Breath Breath helps bring us into the present moment by increasing your body awareness. Breath has profound effects on the body and mind and we will touch on a few of them during our integrated experience. We highly encourage you to continue integrating breath, meditation, and yoga into your lives. Meditation
Body Awareness and Being in the Present Moment Life is about the journey. Being "present" so we do not miss the journey is key. We have "tapes" that play in our heads all day. Breathing and being in the present moment quiets those tapes and puts us in touch with our bodies and our surroundings. when you focus on breath, the "tapes" in your brain soften, so you can move through the experience one step at a time. You will be more aware, present and accepting, causing you to be much safer during your journey. You will discover things about yourself and how to relate it to other challenges in your lives. Most importantly, it puts you in touch with yourself and how to take care of your body so you can improve the quality of your life. Focus Turn off the tapes. Concentrate on things you can control such as your stance, posture, and breath. No Scoreboard We ask that each of you will make an honest effort, and remember no one is keeping score. The program is about being self-accepting, every effort is a personal accomplishment, and judgment should never be placed on other participants, even in jest. Each activity is "challenge by choice." Small Steps Success will be achieved by effort, being in the moment, and frame of mind, NEVER the result. |
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Photos copyright 2001,
Julie Register
Licensed to About.com
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