Author Archives: Go With the Flow Solutions

To ‘go with the flow’

This expression was first recorded to be used by the Roman Emperor, Marcus Arelius, in his writings “The Meditations”. He penned a lot about the flow of happiness and thoughts and he surmised that most things flow naturally and in his opinion it was better to go with the flow than to try and change society. Then sometime in 1960s America, this expression was ascribed to the hippies, who liked outdoor activities but also espoused a philosophy of taking life easy, not getting worked up, not struggling or fighting. These people drew an analogy from the way they kayaked and rafted on white water to the way life should be led, by going with the flow. 

Source: theidioms.com

With this concept of life in mind, I have always been intrigued by the human life including history, anthropology, sociology and more-in essence, how we live on this earth. This has led to the awareness that many of us are not “living” but merely surviving or in some cases, fighting for survival, with little to no joy to be had. These insights have guided my path, or flow, in life and have led me to study social sciences, nutrition, yoga, energy healing and more, as well as the history and the mystery surrounding all of it. 

Going with the flow means that life is a journey, not a destination. We are all a work in progress. Once we think we’ve got this thing called life figured out something else pops up requiring us to learn something new or learn something entirely different from what we knew before. And perhaps once we’ve learned something new it may be time to yet learn something else or that even perhaps we get to constantly keep creating new versions of ourselves. And with that life continues and we continue to go with the flow.

Please feel free to explore this webspace as it continues to grow and evolve.

Photo credit: Chasing Orion Photography, Mackenzie Kizer

Ujjayi breath

~ (ooo-jy [as in ‘eye’] -eee)~

Photo by Valeria Ushakova on Pexels.com

The Ujjayi, or “ocean sounding” breath, also called “victorious” breath is a breathing technique commonly used in yoga. The exhale of the ujjayi breath creates an audible sound and gives the technique its name as it sounds similar to the ocean. This breathing technique helps to create focus during yoga practice.

To practice ujjayi. . .

-Find a comfortable seated position. With your lips closed place the tip of your tongue on the back of your front teeth and allow your tongue to float in your mouth. As you inhale through your nose imagine you are saying a “saaaaaa” sound.
-As you exhale, constrict the back of your throat as you would in a whisper and imagine your are saying a “haaaaaa” sound. This is the same type of exhale you would use if you were fogging a mirror.
-The breath should not be forced. If you find that the back of your throat is becoming irritated, ease off on your exhale or even take a break from the ujjayi breathing technique and breath naturally.
-Repeat, inhale and exhale for as many cycles of breath as is comfortable to you. A 10 minute cycle is a good way to meditate and energize your body and mind.

You can practice ujjayi anytime, not just during yoga! Try it at your desk or while you drive, but stay focused! Eyes on the road at all times 😉

~Peace and Namaste, Sonnia