Chakra
The fourth Chakra is the heart chakra, the Anahata Chakra, located at the heart. The element here is AIR. Unconditional love and compassion allow us to be of great service to our fellow beings. The heart chakra is the place of moving beyond our own needs and putting our efforts toward serving the world and our planet.
Through the “Fun and Healthy Lifestyles” practices we explore the MIND as the intelligence that knows we must take care of ourselves in order to take care of others. We exercise our BODY, as a way to stay healthy so we can give to others, and we serve others with our SPIRITS.
Exercise
People either love to exercise or they hate it. Very few of us are in between. Yet, movement is an essential part of our lives. Our bodies were designed to move in thousands of ways, and there are obvious consequences for not doing so. The most important aspect of exercise is finding one that you enjoy, or at least are open to enjoying, or to giving it your best shot with an open mind.
As a fitness professional over the last 20 years, I have tried almost every sport out there, from basic walking to extreme sports like kite boarding. I find, the one I keep coming back to is dancing, free movement. I find I keep coming back to yoga, mindful or purposeful movement; and dancing, free movement.
Dancing is a great way to exercise. If you enjoy dancing, you most likely get into the music, and allow your body to move freely. This is one of the best ways to exercise without feeling like you are exercising. It’s easy to do in the privacy of your own home, and fun to do socially. (I do recommend dancing without drinking.) Allow yourself freedom of expression, letting go of how you look, so you can move authentically. Dancing can be a deep connection integrating body, mind, and spirit.
Explore various types of music to discover what will get you off the couch and onto your feet. Check out music from your past. Try the Oldies but Goodies from the 50’s & 60’s, or go for the disco era, or the bebop of the 80’s. Whatever gets you moving, dedicate at least 20 minutes of straight dancing. Set the timer and move continuously until it goes off. If you need to stop, do so, just to get a drink of water or stretch a little bit.
Got kids? They love to dance and move, so invite them to join you in a living room dance party. Or, you can take them out to a Kirtan (Sanskrit for chanting and singing), like they did in the movie, “Madagascar.” Whatever you do, “Just Move IT!”
If you are not sure if you’re working out hard enough, whether it’s dancing or traditional exercise, try a heart rate monitor. Heart Rate monitors are great tools to help you count the calories you are burning, to see if you are challenging yourself enough, and to track workouts and be accountable. Ask me how to get a discount today!
Service
Our heart is where we experience compassion and love for others. When we move though life caught up in the brain and the ego, we can find that we become numb to the feelings of others, and of our own lives. Through the practice of being of service in our thoughts, words, and actions; we can experience a shift in our lives that allows us to be present and awake to the glory of really being available to others.
Be creative in finding ways to serve others? Start your own dance or exercise group with friends, helping them to become more active. Participate in fundraising bike or walkathons, or you could even create a dance-o-thon fundraiser and raise money for a cause? Sky’s the limit!
