12.13.2024 Mindful Movement that Lasts   As the new year approaches, I find myself bracing for the inevitable wave of pressure: new workout challenges, rigid New Year’s resolutions, and countless techniques promising to reshape my body and push me beyond my limits. As a yoga practitioner and instructor, I strive to approach myself with gentleness. Yet, I often can’t help but think, “Maybe this is the year I unlock this asana?” or “How can I improve my classes this year?” and the constant, “I really need to focus on my shoulder flexibility.” These thoughts, coupled with the piling resolutions, often lead to achievement-based motivation that eventually brings disappointment. I’ve found the pressure of resolutions and specific goals is a thief of joy when it comes to movement. Everything changed when I began incorporating more mindfulness into my yoga and movement practices. Moving my body through space is a gift — a miracle — and a fleeting one at that. There is no specific goal — no asana or feat of strength — that holds more significance than the sheer act of moving and the awareness of being alive. My goals have since become functional and rooted in what truly matters to me. Now, I try to ask myself, “What’s important to me? What can I ask of my body? What brings it joy, and how can I preserve these functional moments for as long as I can?” I want to keep my arms strong for helping my dad shovel snow in the winter, and my hips mobile for bending down to pick weeds from the garden in the spring. My yoga practice can help these things, but it’s also a joy just on its own. The three offerings below provide tips and tools for cultivating mindful movement in daily life, and the reminder that our movement can be a precious tool for connecting our bodies and minds. I hope they bring you some space and ease this weekend. –Martine Panzica, assistant digital editor, Lion’s Roar Snow Salutations Yoga practitioner Alison Wearing discovers how to appreciate the moment, even in the great white north. Inhaling, I reach up, touch the tips of my mittens together. Exhaling, I pull a piece of the sky to my heart. Inhaling, I arch back into an invocation of flexibility, fearlessness, a willingness to bend toward what I cannot see. Exhaling, I bend forward to touch the earth. One boot flies out behind me and I push into postures of agility and strength, the sun warming my teeth as I smile. Snow crunches against my wrists. I lift and lunge, stand and reach, my hands gathering into prayer position and drawing down, slowly, to my heart. “Snowga,” my partner calls this new habit of mine: yoga in the snow. ADVERTISEMENT 3 Mindful Movement Exercises Thich Nhat Hanh offers three mindful movement exercises for well-being, “a wonderful way of connecting your mind and body in mindfulness.” The practice of mindfulness encompasses all spheres and activities, including ordinary actions and our every breath. We often assume breathing is just a natural skill; everyone knows how to inhale and exhale. But breathing is a miracle. Being aware of our breath not only helps us manage the difficulties in everyday life, it also helps develop our wisdom and compassion. We can sit and breathe, but it is just as important to practice mindful breathing while we are moving. 10-Minute Restorative Yoga for Deep Relaxation with Cyndi Lee   Join Buddhist yoga teacher Cyndi Lee for a rejuvenating ten-minute restorative yoga session. In this practice, Cyndi Lee introduces a popular restorative yoga pose, viparita karani, or legs up the wall, designed to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promote a state of deep relaxation, and put your body into “rest and digest” mode. Optional bolsters and other props are incorporated.