Drawing of a child walking with arms loose, with arrows pointing down

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The Ride of Your Life

Drawing of a figure standing tall with arms down and arrows pointing to the groundYou’re Up Then You’re Down is in the Twist and Shine sequence of our Grounded Elevator Pose Series. In this sequence, the focus is on the Third Chakra located in the solar plexus, the core of your body. These poses challenge you to exert your personal power and strength of character. Self-esteem is born out of actions and a direct result of the choices we make in life. We feel good about ourselves by acting in ways that show our goodness and represent a commitment to living our best life.

A strong third chakra gives us the courage to trust our gut feelings and follow our intuition. By tuning inward, you access the YOU that is connected to an unlimited source of energy available to fuel your inner fire. Each breath is an opportunity to stoke that fire and begin again. Every moment is an opportunity to say YES to life. Think of all you’ve learned from overcoming obstacles and surviving hard times. Without falling down, you would not know how to rise up. You would not be afforded the chance to pick up the pieces and create a new structure. The difference between something living and non-living is the capability of remaking itself from within. Life is emergent. Getting up is an affirmation of being alive.

Choosing UP after being DOWN is a powerful expression of YES. We vitalize the third chakra and earn self-esteemA roller coaster track seen from the front car, looping through green trees in the process of living as we face our challenges one at a time.

Begin in Mountain pose. Inhale and cross your right foot over the left. Both feet are touching the floor. Engage your core, powering your entire body. Extend your arms out. You’re up! Exhale with strength as you lower down gracefully into a crossed-legged position. You’re down! Keep your same footing and with steadiness stand up as you take a long, deep breath. You’re up! Exhale back into Mountain pose. Repeat by crossing your left foot over your right. Whether you’re up or down, the choice is yours.

More to Explore

  • A Sutra a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

    What are these sutras
    You speak so about?
    Are they stitches like sutures
    With some sort of clout?
    Good question, my friend~
    Why, yes, yes indeed,
    These sutras are potent
    In times of great need.
    In times of great need,
    And in times of great bliss,
    These highly condensed words
    Should not be dismissed.
    The most essential core thread,
    Of deep subtle meaning,
    That runs through the fabric~
    It supports out of gleanings.
    Gleanings of insights,
    And wisdom fused pearls~
    From the direct experience
    Of wise boys and girls.
    Sutras express so much
    In so very few words.
    With vast significance,
    It’s not for the birds.
    Sutras are formulas
    To be memorized and studied.
    To solve the perplexities~
    Of minds getting muddied.
    So chose your text wisely~
    Yoga, Shiva or Seuss,
    Buddhist, Tao, Platform,
    Tripitaka or Mother Goose.
    Then write them in BOLD~
    Where you’ll see them each day!
    Melt their magnificence
    In every which way.

  • Snow White and the Seven Chakras

    (Inspired by Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra Chapter II, v. 42
    samtosad anuttamah sukhalabhah)
    From contentment,
    Highest happiness is obtained
    Snow White’s Seven Dwarfs
    Are invited to explain….
    Consider us each a chakra
    An energy gate of sorts
    That we open, clean and balance
    For optimal support.
    Work on passing through
    The seven chakras {or gates}
    In order to visit the underworld
    And ascend to blissful states.
    Let’s begin in MOUNTAIN with SLEEPY,
    Awaken abundant roots.
    Stand with both feet straight
    Ground heavy in your boots.
    Each time you inhale,
    Think, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE HERE.
    Each time you exhale,
    Root your feet a little deeper.
    Reach up high with outstretched hands
    FORWARD FOLD and touch the ground.
    Prepare to balance GRUMPY
    Who needs some healthy bounds.
    Whenever you breathe in,
    Think, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO FEEL.
    Each time you breathe out,
    Circle your hips like a water wheel.
    Step your right foot back
    Into a STRAIGHT LEG LUNGE
    Here we balance DOPEY
    Soak up power, like a sponge.
    Each time you take breath in,
    Think, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO ACT.
    Each time you release breath out,
    Stretch your belly with great tact.
    Step your left foot back
    Press hips up into DOWNWARD DOG
    Open up to HAPPY
    Melt your heart free from smog.
    Receive your in breath and
    Think, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO LOVE.
    Give your breath out
    Feel Unworthiness? Get RID of!
    Shift forward into PLANK
    So BASHFUL can get clear.
    Soften your throat back
    And open up your ears.
    Each time you breathe in
    Think, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK WORDS.
    Each time you breathe out
    Say, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE HEARD.
    Lower knees, chest and chin
    GRATITUDE for SNEEZY’s insight and vision.
    Draw back of eyes toward back of head
    To focus on decisions.
    Each breath in
    Think, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO SEE.
    Each breath out
    Cross your eyes to a degree.
    Stretch your crown forward and up
    To balance DOC in SNAKE
    Straighten legs behind you,
    Connect to what’s awake.
    Each time you breathe in
    Think, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW
    Each time you breathe out
    Stretch from head to toe.
    Lower back down
    Prepare to pose in reverse
    Remember your rights
    Remember to immerse.
    SNAKE back to GRATITUDE
    Breathe into your poses
    Up PLANK to DOWN DOG
    Your rights are like roses.
    STRAIGHT LEG LUNGE to FORWARD FOLD
    And back up to MOUNTAIN
    Keep moving and grooving
    Till your rights flow like fountains.
    When we know our rights,
    And pass through chakra gates~
    We develop a sense of contentment
    And more deeply relate.
    Happiness is indeed obtainable.
    When we follow the path of contentment
    Accept the ups and the downs
    of our very own presentment.
    May we be content with GRUMPY work
    Or no work at all~
    DOPEY or HAPPY states
    BASHFUL or baseball.
    May we be content when SLEEPY
    Or wide awake~
    SNEEZY or Doc
    It’s our right~For Goodness Sake!

  • Don’t Feed the Fear

    Feed Compassion, Starve Blame
    Feed Love, Starve Shame
    Feed Smiles, Starve sneers
    But whatever you do, don’t feed the Fears!
    Feed the Truth, Starve the Lies
    Feed Awareness, Starve Denial
    Feed Sweet Serenity, Starve Bitter Shouts
    But whatever you do, don’t feed the Doubts!

  • Little Bo Breath

    Little Bo Breath has lost her depth, And can’t tell where to find it: She closes her eyes, tunes inside And breathes from hips to armpits. When you feel shallow and dull, deeply breath to get more full. Settle your seat and settle your feet. Close your eyes and visualize a cave in each armpit; …

  • Pre-Grounded In Pre-School: Tips, Clips and Real Yoga Sips

    It’s summer break for College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center in Decatur where I’ve been teaching Pre-Grounded Yoga classes to the entire school, ages 1 – 4. Being the official yoga teacher is an honor, very rewarding, and a whole lot of work. Stephany Fair (co-creator of Pre-Grounded) and I agree that being the very first person to introduce yoga to someone is a priveledge we hope more people willexperience. Here are some practical pointers based on my time teaching little ones to breathe, meditate and move their bodies in such a way that they are grounded, connected and peaceful. {“video”:”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NCqkJx3-SE&feature=youtu.be”,”width”:”400″,”height”:”300″}