Celebrating Women written by Nancy Weshkoff
Celebrating Women
By Nancy Weshkoff
This week marked the celebration of International Women’s Day. This tradition actually started in the early 1900’s as women marched for the right to vote and for better pay. A great deal of progress has certainly been made for women since then. In my lifetime, I can recall life before the women’s movement of the 1970’s. It wasn’t that long ago when jobs were classified as “help wanted male” and “help wanted female” with the female jobs often those with low pay and little chance of advancement.
While things have improved, so much still needs to be done. In many countries, women are treated very poorly with little equality with men. Even here in the United States, while jobs can no longer be classified as “male” or “female”, a glass ceiling exists in many companies making it very difficult for women to reach the highest positions. I have heard comments that women need to work three times as hard as a man in order to be considered for promotion, and this is sadly often true.
I am so amazed by the women that walk in the door at the Moonflower Yoga studio in Bellmore, Long Island. These women come from all walks of life. They are mothers, grandmothers, and daughters. Many are in demanding full-time positions working outside the home. But their responsibilities do not end when they come home, as they also take care of children, elderly parents, and handle other domestic responsibilities.
All this juggling and multi-tasking can take its toll. It creates a great deal of stress. Stress is not a good thing and is linked to so many diseases for women, including the number one killer of women: heart disease.
Take some time for yourself. I often think about the message from the flight attendant before a flight begins advising what to do in case of an emergency. An air mask will drop from the ceiling. The attendant advises to place the mask on yourself first and then place it on a child traveling with you. Why? Because if you don’t take care of yourself, you cannot take care of others. Giving yourself an hour to de-stress and unwind in a great yoga class can help you feel much better. If you are in the area of Bellmore in Nassau County, Long Island, New York, come and try a restorative yoga class or one of the other de-stressing yoga classes offered at Moonflower Yoga to make you feel better.
There has also been much attention in the news this past week on women becoming entrepreneurs. I am proud to now be one of these. After many years in corporate America, I decided to leave corporate life behind and forge ahead with something I truly love: yoga. In creating Moonflower Yoga, I wanted to have a place where people of all ages and experience levels can come and have a great yoga experience. I am also proud that a community is building at Moonflower Yoga of women who enjoy practicing together, having some fun, sharing their life experiences, and de-stressing. I am truly blessed to have these women at Moonflower Yoga. I salute these amazing women and women everywhere.
Love written by Nancy Weshkoff
Love
Written by Nancy Weshkoff
This week brings us Valentine’s Day where we acknowledge the special people in our lives and share our love with them. However before we can truly share love with someone else we need to always love ourselves first.
Loving ourselves is not so easy. We may look in the mirror and see imperfections. And then there could be regrets from the past: the “should haves” or “what if” moments. What we need to realize is that NO ONE is perfect. The pictures of super models in glamorous magazines are touched up, and even super models have imperfections. And life is a journey. We may do something crazy along the way but we need to forgive ourselves and move on. You cannot change the past.
So what does this have to do with yoga? Yoga teaches us several things to help us love ourselves more:
– Ahimsa: Ahimsa or kindness is paramount under the Yoga Sutras. This means kindness to others and also kindness to yourself. Look at the positive things in life and stop judging yourself and others in a negative way. When you start to see things in a more positive way, self-love can grow.
– Being present: As we move in a yoga class at Moonflower Yoga, we stress to our students to concentrate on the present moment. Let go of the past. Enjoy the present moment and what it brings.
– Movement: As you practice and move in a yoga class, you become stronger and more flexible. This creates a positive self-image.
To everyone, I wish you a very happy Valentine’s Day! Share love with the special people in your life. Remember to take positive steps to love yourself first. It is when we love ourselves that we can truly share love with others. If you’re in the area of Bellmore, New York, in Long Island’s Nassau County, come try a yoga class at Moonflower Yoga where we always stress the importance of love.
New Beginnings written by Nancy Weshkoff
NEW BEGINNINGS
Written by Nancy Weshkoff
The new year has arr
ived, and with it comes the hope of reaching new goals and new dreams. If you asked anyone if they would like 2013 to be a better year than in the past, I’m sure the answer would be “yes”. From a health and general “feel better about yourself” perspective, yoga can help you accomplish this and much more.
Here are just a few of the ways in which you can feel better through a regular yoga practice:
– You will have better flexibility: Many of us spend long hours sitting in chairs at an office or driving a car. Our muscles become tight and inflexible. When you practice asana poses in a yoga class, your muscles receive a good stretch. In the cold winter months, our hamstring muscles become tight and stretching this important muscle group can relieve stiffness in your legs. Back pain can also be caused by tight hamstring muscles.
– Your balance improves: At Moonflower Yoga, we always practice balance postures as part of our class. As we age, our ability to balance properly tends to deteriorate. If you practice balance postures, you develop better balance. This helps reduce the risk of falls which can cause serious problems.
– Deeper breaths = healthier you: When you take deep, relaxing breaths, your blood pressure and stress levels drop. Yoga practice also brings more oxygen to your organs and tissues helping them to function better.
This is only an example of the many ways in which yoga helps you feel better. If you are in the area of Bellmore, in Long Island, New York’s Nassau County, come try a yoga class at Moonflower Yoga with one of our great yoga teachers who can get you on the right path to a better you in 2013.
Here is to new beginnings…..
