Happy New Year from Yoga Teddy Bear!

"There is a fountain inside you. Don't walk around with an empty bucket."-Rumi

Happy New Year! Every year, we make resolutions. We "resolve" to do something differently. To set our resolve is to keep trying over and over, to never give up even when we fail. This year, boost your resolve by reconnecting with your internal fountain. Avoid the temptation to believe your bucket is empty. 

When your resolve wavers and your energy flails, use Lion's Breath (Simhasana) to generate heat and excitement. This playful pose is also very powerful. In it you take the shape of a gargoyle, a protector - often depicted with a fountain flowing from her mouth. Sit on the floor with your legs folded underneath you or sit in a chair if you prefer. Place your hands on your thighs. Look up at the sky or at the tip of your nose. Lift the top of your head, extend your elbows and spread your fingers wide like a lion’s paw. Breathe in through your nose to the bottom of your lungs. Open your mouth and stick out your tongue, exhaling powerfully with a soft roar. Practice Simhasana 3-5 times, inhaling deeply and exhaling completely. 

Resolutions can be like to-do lists. We focus on what's left to be done, what's being done incorrectly, our shortcomings, our lack. We focus on our empty bucket. If you're a resolution maker, try something different this year. Focus instead on your fountain and on everything that is flowing in your life. Let your fountain flow in 2018!

Yoga Teddy Bear's "Lion's Breath", from the orange coloring book Yoga Teddy Bear and Friends Too (this one has matching stickers too!), colored by an Anonymous Yoga Teddy Bear fan. K. Mae Copham practices Simhasana in front of the fireplace in New Paltz, NY. Photo by Robert Oakley.