Namaste! I hope you have been doing very well. I would like to encourage you to include more movement in your daily routine. Some people love exercise, while others hate it. However, a sedentary lifestyle can result in low energy, weight gain, muscle weakness, reduced mobility, poor posture, and joint pain. A lack of physical activity can also lead to health risks and diseases. The goal of Present is to offer simple, easy ways to feel good at all levels, so you can actively uplift your life and the lives around you. I have learned from my students that a simple, at-home routine can lead to excellent results, such as feeling better, having more energy, and improving posture and overall mobility. To help you get started, I created this short 5-minute routine of seven exercises to practice at home. No equipment is necessary, just enough room to move. The challenge starts this Saturday, August 29th, so that you can fit it into your day. So is this yoga? Remember, we are defining yoga as You Organically Growing Aware. Even though it may seem like just exercise, I consider this practice a form of yoga because our intention is to gain greater body and movement awareness, to minimize pain and obstacles so that we can consciously participate in our lives. Additionally, we perform the movements consciously and deliberately, attending to our breathing and sensations. How it works: As a subscriber, you will receive an email containing the week’s exercises. Use the video in the email message until you receive a new email notifying you of a change to the exercise routine. Paid subscribers will receive an email every day for the next 30 days. Each email will offer a suggestion on what to focus on during your five-minute session to enhance concentration, performance and awareness. Do the exercises with the video. You are done. If you’d like to strengthen your commitment, you can keep a brief daily journal to gain insight into how this process is working and reinforce habit building at the same time. My goal with this challenge is to assist you in moving a little more each day to enhance function in your joints and muscles. The whole routine will not take more than five minutes.We will try the same routine for several days so that body and mind start to create a habit. Do this sequence when you have time. Ideally, try to do it around the same time each day so that you use our tendency to generate habits to your favor. Suggestions for developing this routine into a healthy habit -Do only what you can do comfortably. This way it is easier to keep doing it and enjoy it, instead of dreading it. -Consistency is key. It doesn’t matter if you miss a day. What matters is that you keep trying. Consistency conditions your body and mind. (Remember there is an article on cultivating the skill of returning to presence again and again https://simple-yoga.org/distractions/) -Find a good spot where you can do these exercises, maybe get your exercise clothes ready so that it is easy to get started every day. -If there are things that you do daily, try to link this exercise routine to an existing routine, like doing the practice while you wait for your tea or coffee to brew/steep. -Notice if you are feeling any progress, no matter how small. See you Saturday! rubén This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simpleyoga.substack.com/subscribe
