Day: January 10, 2012

The Ritual of Fitness: Intergrating Intention into Your Gym Workout Routines

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Intention, Motivation, and Connection to Your Physical Practice

The alarm clock goes off, and your feet hit the ground, and of course the first thought on your mind is heading towards the gym.   I can already hear the “Yeah, right” screaming from the recesses of your soul.  Many will sleep in until the very last possible second, some rush to the computer the moment feet touch the ground to check email/Facebook/twitter/or the latest foursquare updates.  Then after a long day at work, we are faced with our second opportunity to step into the sacred grounds of the gym, yet… we would much rather curl up to Netflix and catch up on the latest episode of Cake Boss.

The toughest part of any workout routine is setting up a steady routine.  There is a frustration when it comes to working out.  We have to remember that it took us a while to get to where we are, and it is going to take some time to see the results of our work.  As spiritual people we know that when it comes to manifesting things take time.  The universe/God/Goddess hears our call and life begins to synchronize and align to bring about the desired  outcome.  Our time in the gym is a microcosm of grand universal effect.  The first step is to set a realistic goal for yourself.   Ok, let’s pause right here.  Many of you immediately added up some magical goal weight that must be achieved, some of you might have seen muscles ripping out of every crevice of your clothing, others may have seen themselves coming across the finish line of their first marathon.  Let’s take the goal to an even smaller and simpler place:  Just show up.  That’s it.  If you do not show up to your workout, then the goal will just remain a dream.  The dream is also dangerous, because it can hold us in an expectation that is too far for ourselves to reach.  If my goal is to run a marathon, but I’ve never even jogged a mile, I might be frustrated if in one week, I’m not wearing that gold medal around my neck.  We have to be realistic about our expectations when it comes to our fitness.  Even better is to release all expectation.  Just show up and engage your experience.

You’ll also need a workout plan.  Not knowing what to do in the gym can be intimidating.  The machines can be complex, the classes can be intimidating, and at times we might just be overwhelmed by the multitude of choices in front of us.  Simplify your direction.  Start with cardio and build, do not be afraid to ask questions and take a class or two.  Group fitness classes are a great way to burn calories, connect with others that are moving towards similar goals, and just have fun!  When I was teaching and taking classes at a gym in Norfolk, I looked forward to my class, they became my “gym family”.  You share stories, and get excited in each others progress.

Now, let’s take our workout a step further.  What if I told you that you could add to world peace simply by engaging your process in the gym?   Take a moment and think of something that is important in your life, something that you want to dedicate energy to.  The next time you are in the gym set your intention, and dedicate your workout to that goal/place in the world/or person that might need it.  A simple affirmation might go like this, “I dedicate the energy from this workout to all the homeless in my area.  May they find peace, love and happiness this day” “I dedicate the energy of this workout to my friend Jim, who is going into surgery today, may the energy created guide him into greater health.”  You get the hint… Be creative.

By setting an intention, you create a deeper connection to your workout.  It gives the action new life and purpose.

Set the intention the night before and you might feel new drive to get those feet moving towards greater health the moment that alarm clock screams you awake.

I’ll be posting specific workout plans and tips to help ease the process and to make gym life less overwhelming.  For those of you that are not members of a gym, I’ll be posting specifics for you as well.

So, let’s recap:

1) Just start by showing up.  Not just to the gym, but to your life.  Choose health, choose life, choose to better yourself on all levels.

2) Set a goal for yourself.  Be realistic and release all expectations other than to be present in your gym experience.

3) Ask questions, have a plan of action.  If you can spend 10 hours on Facebook, you can spend a few minutes looking up workout routines.  Also feel free to email me directly if you have questions.  I will also be posting a resource list in the next couple of days.

4) Give your workout a greater purpose by setting an intention.  By doing this you make it more than just about you.  You are creating and giving energy to the world around you.  This alone should help drive your desire to get moving.

You are loved, you are beautiful, you are perfect in all of your imperfections.

Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT

http://www.michaelbrazell.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com

 

 

The Importance of Physical Fitness in our Spiritual Lives

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We live in a world that is dominated by technology.  We spend our lives moving from one place to another at rapid intervals, speed seems to dominate our direction, and in all this many of us lose the connection to our physical bodies.  I see a lot of very spiritual people who have become very out of touch with their physical bodies.  Everything from how we move, to how we sit, to how we interact with everything in this experience is made possible by the temple we were given by the divine.  If you do not care for the temple it will deteriorate into rubble.  We as divine individuals owe it to ourselves to take charge of our bodies just as much as we devote to ritual, meditation, or crafting community.  Making a move into a healthier is easier than most think.  Most tend to put too much between the desire and the action ex:  We feel that we want to work out, so we first have to research which gym to join, what program we should do, what type of shoes would make the experience better…  Stop adding hurdles to your path and just engage it.  Engaging fitness can be as easy as walking, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and being mindful of how the body feels.  We often reach out for convenience foods rather than healthier options.  Ordering take out just so that I do not have to get up from my computer is not going to make what I am writing better, and the guilt that often comes with damaging our bodies keeps us in negative loops and patterns.  Would you go to a healer that is constantly sick?   Many lightworkers do more for others than they do for themselves, we readily offer healing yet refuse to just sit in our own space to give ourselves the same healing connection.  What we put into our bodies and how we engage the physical process says a lot about how we are truly dedicated to our paths.

We are given these temples for a short time, we must do all that we can to ensure that we are able to be part of this experience.  A damaged temple ensures that it will not stand long, but it is never too late to do repairs, to tidy up, and to upgrade the carpet.  I am going to be posting a special series on fitness, engaging the mind/body connection, and how to trust your intuition even in the fitness arena.

Take time to be healthy.  Take time to connect to improving your body as much as your spiritual practice.   Take action now.

 

Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT

http://www.michaelbrazell.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com