Move & Meditate for Healing
Moving and meditating are game changers. I move and meditate several times a week. A big change for me as I’m not athletic and did not exercise most of my of life. It’s never too late to start.
In my mid-fifties I discovered hot yoga, practicing a couple of times per week. During Covid, I did power/yin yoga daily at home, adding meditation. Finally, in 2023 at the age of 62, I started strength training two days per week.
If you are a beginner, just start walking. Walking is great for body and mind, lubricating the spine, strengthening internal organs. Consider adding weight bearing exercises to strengthen bones. Moving and meditating will improve health.
Attending exercise classes in person is best. The instructors provide guidance, support, and corrections. I encourage everyone to find an exercise that you enjoy and a supporting community.
Travis Eliot - Yoga & Meditation Teacher
Due to many classes and wonderful instructors, I was able to transition to yoga at home. I spent the first Covid summer outdoors with Travis Eliot (see his YouTube channel). I found his free YouTube channel.
Travis is a world-renown yoga instructor, mediation teacher, and author. He offers yoga classes for all levels. There is a retreat playlist too, enjoy at home at your speed. I completed Travis’s 7-Day Digital Power Yoga Retreat twice. Each day consists of a two-hour video with yoga followed by a mediation.
Travis Eliot’s meditations focus on finding equanimity: mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in difficult situations. Here are a few favorite teaching from Travis’s The Be Ultimate Podcast, all free on YouTube:
- A Life of Vitality
- Working Skillfully with Emotions
- The Gratitude Meditation
- The Forgiveness Meditation
Learning to mediate improved my mindset, a skill I wished I had much earlier in life.
Yoga and meditation yokes my mind into calming, compassionate, loving thoughts. Calming the mind, calms the body, and helps healing.
Inner Dimension TV - App
I subscribe to Travis Eliot’s Inner Dimension TV, a fee based app. I love his Level Up 108, Yoga Detox 30, and Transform programs. This app offer a platform full of high-quality yoga and meditations.
Strength Training is Healing
I’m enjoying strength training with a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). It is a great compliment to yoga. A professional trainer will first – keep you safe, especially if injured. Second – they ensure you progress. With a trainer, you learn the skill of performing the moves safely and effectively. This takes time, not just a few sessions.
If you are trying to lose weight, start with a strength training program. Build your muscles before starting a weight loss program. This is key to losing fat and not muscle mass while dieting.
Working with a strength and conditioning coach is best if it is within your budget. Sharing sessions with a friend is more economical.
My Notes
Several years ago I learned I’m in osteopenia. Despite all the yoga and years of taking the recommended supplements, I actually got a little worse. My research said strength training is the answer to building stronger bones. Finally in 2023, I found a CSCS and two years later I still train twice weekly. I’m stronger, gained muscle, and most importantly, I’ve never been injured.
My yoga practice led me to find my dharma, a way to serve. I created this web to help others find vitality.
Check out my Home page. I advocate for a simple, accurate food intolerance test. Easily identify foods you can’t digest with the Carroll Food Intolerance Test. Include yoga and mediation in your daily practices, it’s truly healing.
Namaste,
Diane