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This summer I have going to "yoga in the park" with about 100-250+ people. This free one hour of outside yoga has been sponsored by The Parks and Recreation Department and certainly has been well received. It has been a wonderful sense of community to be with all of these people of varying degrees of experience. We are out by a lake under the blue skies and breathing fresh air.
Every time I go I am struck by the correlations between the language used for yoga and that of leadership. Even though the instructors change weekly because they are donating their time, there are common themes among them. They remind us to:
- get grounded
- make an intention for the day
- be in the moment
- find your balance
- let go of expectations and judgments
- do what is best for your body
- increase your flexibility and
- remember to breathe
Some organizations that are committed to spirit at work are integrating practices such as yoga into the workplace to relieve stress and to enable relaxation and focus.
Plus I always amazed at how great yoga is for strengthening the muscles. After yoga, I find sore muscles that I did not even know I had! I am also thinking about how yoga is an activity that one should be able to practice longer than jogging and some other exercise that pounds our knees and other joints.
The bonus is how it is so wonderful for the mind, body, spirit connection.
What are your thoughts on yoga? How do you think the practice would benefit leaders?
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I have done yoga before and I find it extremely grounding. You really do concentrate on this moment. You are only focused on holding that pose and doing it to the best of your ability. All this brings your mind to the NOW and PRESENT. Like we have discussed this is very important in leadership. The only thing you can do anything about is now. I think that is so empowering to know you have the ability to direct your life…not in the past or the future, but NOW.
Katlyn—Thanks for sharing your experiences. Now is all that matters. Why does that sound so simple, but seem so difficult to remember or practice?
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Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 3:15 PM
To: Jann Freed
Subject: [Jann's Blog] Katlyn Bargren submitted a comment to ‘More about Yoga and Leadership’.
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