Conscious Strategies LLC

Tag: lifestyle

How to make a yoga space at home
Setting up a yoga space that meets your needs
I once studied with a teacher from India who said “every room can be a yoga room”. What he meant was that space is a luxury so don’t let not having a separate room for yoga keep you from practicing. Making room for yoga practice can help you cultivate peace and keep your body limber.
Making a yoga space at home, it’s ideal to be further away from smells, sounds, and people. But that might be a luxury for you so do your best to simply have room for a yoga mat. You can round up a few blankets and cushions or invest in yoga props.
Using yoga props to create room for your yoga
Here are a few items that keep your practice safe and your postures purposeful. The links go to my Amazon store and I’m only linking brands I use. If you can only invest in one item, make it as good quality yoga mat as possible.
Yoga mat
A yoga mat is the most important yoga prop to buy. It transforms a floor to a practice space by ensuring you don’t slide around. Go to town with any color or style you like but make sure to buy good quality. It’s called a sticky mat after all and skimping can mean slipping and that can injure you. Look for words such as “durable”, and “non-slip grip” and make sure to check customer reviews. The tread on a yoga mat can wear out also, so consider that when you make a purchase.
I have a few Manduka mats that are pricey but trustworthy and durable too. The tall ones are also great for me because I can count on room to stretch out.
Manduka EKO Yoga Mat
Manduka PRO Yoga Mat
If you take your yoga mat with you to a studio, you can also look for “lite”, “light-weight”, “travel”, or “easy-to-carry” mats which may be thinner (1.5 to 4mm) than the regular ones.
Manduka Pro Lite Yoga Mat
Manduka X Yoga Mat – Easy to Carry
Manduka EKO Lite Yoga Mat
Manduka EKO Superlite Yoga Mat
Pro tip: Clean your yoga mat frequently. You can DIY a yoga mat cleaner using a spray bottle filled with water, tea tree oil and rubbing alcohol. Or, splurge on a cleaner and be done with it.
Manduka Yoga Mat Wash and Refresh
Yoga strap
When I travel, I always bring a yoga strap (yoga belt). Look for a D-ring or square buckle as opposed to the cinch style which can sometimes feel less adjustable. There are 6, 8, and 10 foot straps. I am tall and like the longer variations which are also more versatile than a too-short strap. Cotton is gentler than cord.
Hugger Mugger D-Ring Cotton Yoga Strap
Manduka Unfold Yoga Strap
Blankets
While you can use towels and household items, yoga blankets and especially the ones with fringed ends are very commonly used props. You can fold them to sit on, roll them to lie down on, and stack them up to simulate a bolster. At least one but some asanas (postures) use 2, 3, 4 etc. I’m tall for example, and sit on at least 3, while also using one under my ankles. Cotton Mexican ones are pretty common but wool is also pretty sturdy.
Benevolence LA Authentic Hand Woven Mexican Blankets
Manduka Yoga Wool Blanket
Halfmoon Cotton Yoga Blanket
Yoga blocks
Many types of yoga blocks exist. Some are thin, some are thick and you’ll also find them made of various products. Foam blocks are lightweight. Cork and wood are heavier and often more sturdy. I only trust the heavier versions and prefer cork and foam to wood based on years of using them. I recommend you buy 2 of one type – I actually own 6 cork and 2 thick foam. Since the cork ones chip, I may eventually get some blocks made of wood. Look for “non-slip” and at 9”Wide.
Manduka Yoga Cork Block
Manduka Recycled Foam
Hatha Yoga Walnut Wood Yoga Block
Gaiam Yoga Blocks
Bolsters and cushions
Yoga bolsters and meditation cushions are wonderful additions to any yoga prop collection. You can use them for many restorative poses and for sitting quietly. My preference is oblong / rectangular and I own two (now) the same as well as several cushions. If you have a blanket stack, you can get one to start. It’s ideal to get one with washable covers.
Manduka Yoga Rectangle Bolster Pillow
Hugger Mugger Standard Yoga Bolster
Hugger Mugger Zafu Meditation Cushion
Gaiam Yoga Bolster Rectangular
Gaiam Zafu Yoga Cushion
Yoga chair
You can do a whole practice using a yoga chair or pull it out to make certain postures more accessible. Metal folding yoga chairs are typically backless and I often fold up a very thin yoga mat on top which adds a layer of softness. You can build up the height with bolsters or blankets for some restorative posture variations. Chairs often make it easier to hold postures with the right alignment for your body so I love using them. Sub a folding chair but it’s not always the same.
Iyengar Yoga Chair – Backless
Metal Yoga Chair
Backless Yoga Chair Prop
Yoga Auxiliary Chair With Lumbar Back Support
After you’ve set up your yoga space
You can keep your yoga props visible or in a closet. This part is up to you. I like the ritual of taking my mat out and putting it away.
Even a short breathing practice can turn a frown upside down. Learn natural breathing easily on track 5 of the Yoga Mind CD. Or, contact me to schedule a class on Zoom.
Thank you for shopping. I do receive a small commission on each sale.
July 29, 2024
How to Crush Life With A Resource Mindset
I was going to write a classic #howto develop a resource mindset but then I stopped myself. ‘How to’s’ and ‘guide to’s’ presume the reader knows nothing. That s/he needs advice.
It is my belief that you have a resource mindset inside of you. Whether you know it or not. And, that when you activate yours, you will be as one hockey friend used to say, “on fire!”.
To help you activate your inner resourceful self, I thought I would share my story and values. If you relate in any way, the wisdom I have gained will fuel you to share with others.
I also want to help you tap into your sense of confidence. Flick the switch and you can start using your resource mindset whenever possible.
What is Resourcefulness?
If you want to crush life, a resource mindset is crucial. I know it helps me meet challenges. These are the moments when our innermost self shows up and says “show me what you’ve got or I’ll kick the shit out of you.”
Just What is a Resource Mindset?
A resource mindset is one that is pre-set to think outside the box. It is not daunted by an apparent lack of options and will keep trying to figure things out. I think it’s what my husband means when he calls me ‘tenacious.’
Resourcefulness is a mindset, and is especially relevant when the goals you have set are difficult to achieve or you cannot envision a clear path to get to where you desire to go.
Sherrie Campbell
Is resourcefulness a skill?
Yes, resourcefulness is a skill that can be practiced and learned. I learned it at the foot of my grandmother when I watched her bake. She managed to take what she had and make it work.
Being a yoga student and yoga therapist also taught me how to adapt practices to an individual. It showed me you have to think on your feet and be in the moment. There isn’t a text book solution to every problem.
When you think there is only one way of doing things, you may be right. But what happens when circumstances change? Will you be able to handle life’s challenges without an open mind? [bctt tweet=”A resourceful mindset is the queen of problem-solving #resourcefulness ” username=”@yoginiqueen”]
Resourcefulness is the queen of problem-solving. It is the knowledge that there is another solution and it will present itself.
What is an example of resourcefulness?
A perfect example of resourcefulness is lemonade. “When you have lemons, make lemonade”. That’s as classic a statement as a pearl necklace. Lemons means anything that is unpalatable (sour). Adding some simple ingredients like patience (sugar) and fluidity (water), you get a whole new experience.
How Can I Be Resourceful?
To be resourceful, practice giving up the outcome and sometimes, the goal.
Surrendering all thoughts of outcome,
unperturbed, self reliant,
he does nothing at all, even
when fully engaged in actions.
Bhagavad Gita A New Translation, Stephen Mitchell
Below, I talk about five ways I practice the resource mindset in my life. My hope is that you will tap into this energy when obstacles rear their heads.
- Rewrite your story. If life knocks you down, that is ok. Do your best to take a next step when you are ready. It’s not over. What other tools do you have at your disposal? Is there something you can do instead?” These are some questions that surf in a resource mindset. Hint, “I can’t do it” is not resourceful. Say “I can learn to do that”, “I won’t do that”, or something like “I can do it another way, but not the way I hoped.” Instead of “I don’t have that” say, “this is what I have”. What story could you re-write in order to come to a new point of view?
- Figure it out. I used to find it annoying when people (you know who you are) would say, “we’ll figure it out”. I felt like it was a way of blowing things off. In fact, it is a great example of the resource mindset. It says, “I don’t know how now, but when it comes time, I trust I will know what to do.” Is there any situation where you could hit the pause button until the answer is clear to you?
- Prepare yourself in increments. My grandmother used to prepare for trips a week ahead. She also prepared for family holidays like Passover, several weeks in advance. She did a little bit each day. I try to integrate this lesson by doing something today that will ease my tomorrow. Writing forward is one example. Is there any one thing you could do today to work towards a goal?
- Adapt and respond. Adapting isn’t always fun, don’t get me wrong. It is hard work. But just think about this: Which is stronger, water or steel? Water is the more powerful. Learn from water to be fluid and responsive. Think of yourself as a great chef who makes the most amazing tomato sauce with tomatoes, salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. How do you feel when you have fewer resources? Can you simplify?
- Repurpose. Repurposing is a deep tissue massage for your resource mindset. I’m guilty of that as a writer. (See this vs that article). I’ve taken one message and written it for two distinct audiences. This action has helped me stretch my creative muscles. Truth be told, I also repurpose old t-shirts into pj’s. What old trick can you do in a new way?
The minute you practice one of these concepts in your own life is the minute you own your resource mindset. Go try!
November 25, 2018
This Blog is About Me
This Blog is About Me
In Front of McGill University
I feel like this blog should have a soundtrack or at least a drumroll. That certainly sets the reader up with high hopes of fascinating content, perhaps a laugh or two, and maybe even a ‘top ten’ list. But seriously, the other day I got a quizzical look when I handed out my business card – Conscious Strategy? What is that? So today on the blog – and it has been awhile – a few things I have learned from nearly 2 decades of teaching and practicing yoga that have filtered into my work as a freelance writer. In other words, you may actually get a little insight from this blog post and maybe a few healthy lifestyle tips along the way. P.S. if you do want a soundtrack you could go here —> Yoga Mind CD
The Flow Plan or Conscious Strategy
Waterworks in Philadelphia
For one thing, teaching yoga (well) involves some planning and preparation. You don’t just dive into the most challenging asana (posture). You cultivate it by properly warming up with other postures that wake the muscles up and focus your attention and then winding down to come back to equipoise. There is, in other words, a flow plan.
Conscious Strategy: My Yoga of Penmanship
The Steps Through Westmount in Montreal
In writer-speak, I use the term ‘conscious strategy’. Perhaps I can attribute systems thinking to years of having to think of things in terms of steps and stages, fluid movement, fluid thought, fluid writing. When I write I prefer the approach of having a beginning, a middle and an end. Where do you want to go with that? Writing, is after all, a sales tool.
Writing is a sales tool #content #blog #marketing #sales
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Your client should benefit from increased business. Anyway, this is my hope when I get to write the home page of a website. When you think about it, having a destination in sight has a powerful way of focusing us. I learned this from taking class from a newbie once. Teaching a bunch of random stuff is very confusing. Writing randomly is fine for a biography (I guess) but not when you want to be hired for freelance writing.
A Calm Mind is a Creative Mind
Street Haiku in Jersey City
Before the reader and the writer part ways, I want to leave you with another gift from yoga, and that is mindfulness. No I don’t meditate with business clients, but I do listen, I do slow down, I do try to be conscious about many decisions. What to do and how to do it. So just to recap, here are a few interconnections I have made. Your own life has its own links in it. I like to use the lessons of my day, it’s like homework that I get a gold star in just for showing up and taking note.
- For any project, have an outline, menu, flow plan or conscious strategy
- Think about where you hope to end up
- Be available to be flexible if **it happens
- Creativity can come in when you take a break from over-thinking
- Catch yourself from going off on too many tangents
- Wrap it up, let go and start another project
September 15, 2016