Welcome Back-Inner Work Out

I'm back!

Well, dear friends it has been quite some time since I have last visited this blog, and after a long hiatus I feel it is time to start up again.  Most of you know I highly enjoy sharing inspirational quotes on Facebook or in my yoga classes, and this blog is an extension of that.  My intention is to not only share quotes, but to share thoughts on life.  And I shall start with this one....

Inner Working Out

After teaching at Golds Gym today, I was engaging in my usual long two hour work out routine.  I was amongst many other fellow gym go-ers from heavy weight lifters, to treadmill runners, to lighter workout ladies.  All of a sudden I had a change in perspective as I watched the people around me working out so diligently and ferociously.  Everyone seemed like they were under some fitness spell, doing their bicep curls, overhead presses, squats, etc.  In a constant motion of flexing and extending, pushing and straining, grunting and growling.  I was included in this spell (well maybe minus the grunting part), with a dazed look in my eyes as I lifted a barbell overhead...3 sets of 15 reps. The movement felt hollow and without any other meaning then "toning" the physical body.  This is what the majority of those around me were doing...and for what?  Is it that important to have chiseled arms, stomach, legs, etc?  Will this make a difference in the quality of daily life?  How does lifting extremely heavy weight (with bad form for several people), make us feel more meaningful?  

Why do we workout?  Well, we want to "look" good, have a toned physique, and hopefully most people would say for health purposes.  And that is all fine and dandy to have physical health.  Yes, our physical bodies are what people see first, what we see, the body home we live in.  But, dear friends,could you imagine if we lived in a world where people would "workout" there inner self as much as their outer self?  Seriously, imagine it!  If there were meditation gyms, journaling centers, visualization fitness studios.  I am so grateful for yoga studios because at least we as humans can go there or do a home practice to participate in inner workouts.  Again, imagine if everyone who worked out the physical body for an hour a day, also did an hour of inner work for the inner energy bodies.  

The world would be a very different, more peaceful, connected place if we all took the same amount of time to attend to the inner body as much as the outer.  Even making a commitment to half the amount would do us good as a whole person.  Believe me, myself included.  I may teach yoga, and practice a bit, but my physical workouts our wayyyyyy longer then my inner ones.  

So, I hope you will join me on the journey to exercising the heart (not cardio based).  Let's flex our heart muscle and extend that inner light to others.  

Namaste y'all!

Julie :o)