I feel it’s time to reflect on post-pandemic life. For me, a return to more in-person gatherings has been meaningful and fun! I’ve also discovered a new way to experience yoga and fitness classes in a Far Infrared heated studio that provides a variety of benefits from detoxification and improved circulation to stress management.
Sweating is the body’s natural way to heal and stay healthy! FAR infrared heat raises the body’s core temperature in a natural, comfortable way. Without blowing dry air or humidity, I find it to be a great environment to sweat in and the result is a detoxifying sweat at the cellular level. FAR infrared also supports relaxation and stress reduction.
The gentle heat and soothing effects of the heat, combined with yoga and mindful movement help to relax our body and mind, leading to reduced stress and improved mental well-being. It also enhances blood circulation by dilating blood vessels and promoting better oxygen and nutrient delivery to cells, which may help with the healing process and supporting overall cardiovascular heath. Another benefit is pain relief. FAR infrared heat penetrates the tissue, joints and muscles which can relieve minor aches and pains, speeding up injury recovery and reducing symptoms of chronic pain and stiffness.
FAR infrared can also help with weight management; as the body works to cool itself, there is substantial increase in heart rate, cardiac output and metabolic rate. The combined benefit of practicing yoga & fitness in the FAR infrared studio is it causes the body to burn more calories. I find it helpful to take electrolytes and make sure to drink enough water. In addition, the FAR infrared heat feels like a beach!
This fall I had the opportunity to train in FAR infrared Oxygen Yoga & Fitness studios and experience the benefits first hand. A new studio opened up in our neighbourhood and it’s wonderful to feel more connected with our community here at The Beaches. While I have 25+ years experience teaching, discovering a new environment to teach in with the added benefit of FAR infrared heat makes it feel like a new beginning. Learning to teach in a new space provides a sense of renewal and circling back to my last blog, it’s one of the new things that I’ve integrated into my week to feel more fully engaged with life! In addition, it offers a new challenge as teaching in the infrared heated studio requires more stamina! Sweating in the FAR infrared space is also a way to let go, and we can all benefit from more letting go. I also appreciate the affirmations that OYF shares each week. I’ve always been a fan of affirmations that support positive energy! And it’s great to feel part of the bigger OYF community as they continue to expand in Canada and branch out to the U.S. as well. For more info on Oxygen Yoga & Fitness-The Beaches, click here.
My interest in health & fitness began when I was 4 years old. I was in the hospital for a month, in a wheelchair post-surgery, and apparently almost died there. Surviving a life-threatening situation at any age is an opportunity to wake-up and get in touch with our intuition. Since then I’ve been more sensitive to many things, in touch with my heart and also more intuitive. When I got out of the wheel chair and practiced walking, I felt so happy to move freely again and my love for physical activity increased. Being able to move through different spaces and get outside became more important. The hospital can be tough at any age, particularly as a kid when I just wanted to play and move around. For me, the pandemic brought back memories of feeling claustrophobic in that hospital room at four years old. Later as an adult, I was told by the doctors that I needed to have another surgery and once again I faced that hospital environment. The thing that got to me most was not being able to open the windows in the hospital room. Having to wear the mask during the pandemic also made me feel claustrophobic. As with any challenge, there are opportunities to take a deeper look at what’s going on.
Anyone else feel a bit claustrophobic during a certain time of your life or during the pandemic? The fear of being trapped or confined, or “unable to escape” that underlies the feeling of claustrophobia may reflect a deeper fear of being trapped by current circumstances in life, whether involving a career that needs a sense of renewal, or any situation that feels confining yet would require substantial risks to move beyond. Avoiding spaces, places and situations that bring on claustrophobic feelings may reflect a deeper avoidance of the very risks that are necessary to realize our full potential and life purpose. When we find something that gives our life a greater sense of meaning along with taking the necessary risks to embrace it, we may just find that we start to feel less confined and more free. During the pandemic when the gyms closed in Toronto, for those of us that valued our fitness environment as our second home, it was natural to feel confined. Moving to The Beaches helped me to feel more free. The “outside gym” that I experienced on The Boardwalk and by Ashbridges Bay also gave me a sense of belonging and community.
Feeling confined in small spaces can come about for various reason. For me, ever since I was 4 years old in that hospital, being in a space that feels small or confining in some way brought about a feeling of discomfort. It wasn’t every confining space…for example I feel very free in airplanes up in the sky. However, being in certain rooms continued to feel uncomfortable and I did my best to reframe these situations as an opportunity to practice stress tolerance. One amazing thing about the Oxygen Yoga & Fitness FAR infrared studios is that I feel relaxed in the heat and the door closed actually makes the room feel bigger! As we heat up from the inside out during each movement, I find it’s easier to stay in the present moment and sense more space both inside and outside of our body. Our awareness is a big space in which to reside, and rather than feeling confined in this heated space, I actually feel more free! As I’ve put my self in this closed door space more often, I’ve gained more stamina in the heat and continue to improve my ability to feel more free and fully alive throughout the day!
2024 has also been a year for me to reprioritize what’s most important for this next phase of my life. While administrative leadership and program development was important to me for over 2 decades during my previous work, in my 50’s I’m happy to focus on wellness coaching, continuing to lead trainings & workshops that are experiential & interactive. One wellness workshop that I particularly enjoyed leading was a hybrid format for the OISE U of T Mentorship Program. I had been delivering more virtual presentations since 2020 and it was great to come back to an in-person experience with the mentors and mentees set up in a circle at OISE, while others participated virtually at the same time. Being an OISE alumna, the workshop was extra meaningful and I appreciated the opportunity to integrate mindfulness practices while keeping it experiential and interactive.
Like many people, the pandemic inspired reflection and inspired a shift in my values. Post-pandemic, I’m committed to prioritizing quality of life. Wellness strategies continue to be a theme including more time with family and friends, enjoying healthy activities and time in nature here at The Beaches, planning more vacations, and continuing to provide wellness coaching through trainings & workshops. I still enjoy virtual opportunities to learn, train and share, however I have a new appreciation for opportunities to engage with community in person. I look forward to more opportunities to enjoy face to face communication and to move together mindfully, let go of stress, let in more joy and create a life that we love!
