Honoring Veterans with Gratitude: Memorial Day Yoga Practice for Peace and Reflection May 24, 2026
- rockbriarfarm
- May 23
- 3 min read
Many of us think of Memorial Day as the start of summer. There are parties, cookouts and parades. As New Englanders, we hope that spring comes on March 21 only to be reminded that winter lasts until May and often jumps right to summer (or not!).
The Memorial day holiday is meant as “a day on which those who died in active military service are remembered” although I generally think of it as a time to honor all that have or are honorably serving our country. During this time when our country is involved militarily in several areas, it is especially important for us to openly express our gratitude for all who served valiantly; those who are living and those who have passed on. During our practice on and off the mat, let’s take a few moments to express gratitude to our soldiers and veterans. I personally will also dedicate space to meditating on the importance of working toward world peace.
I talk about my dad often in this blog. We lost him in 2017. He was a literature professor and a self-proclaimed socialist. He joined marches for civil rights in the 60’s, protested against the treatment of farm workers in the 70’s, protested nuclear weapons in the 70’s and 80’s and, was a proud Air Force veteran (served in Germany in the Korean Conflict) and once upon a time a card-carrying member of the NRA. He was proud of his service and his fellow servicemen. I salute my dad, my father-in-law (a deceased navy veteran) and all my family and friends who have served.
Our Practice – Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
As we express gratitude this week, we will focus on tadasana/mountain pose. This pose is grounding and represents the steadfast strength and resilience of those who have served.
Mountain pose may seem simple, but it is far from it. I sometimes refer to it as one of the most powerful and most overlooked poses in yoga. I am passionate about spending time focusing on the pose, its alignment, especially the neutral pelvis. I have fun mentioning (and demonstrating) Carol Burnett as Mrs. Wiggins (sway back) and Mother Tuckers when I talk about the pose. For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, check out this funny clip!
To Practice:
Stand with the feel parallel, about hips width apart, or slightly less if it feels better.
Lift and spread your toes and the balls of your feet, then lay them softly back down on the floor. Move your body side to side and back and forth finding your center. Slow your movement coming to a standstill with your weight evenly balanced.
Stand tall, ankles, knees, hips stacked. Spine is long, chin is not jutting forward, core is engaged. Allow your shoulder blades to draw toward each other and down the back, away from the ears.
Let your arms relax beside your torso, palms facing where they naturally fall.
Balance the crown of your head directly over the center of your neutral pelvis with the underside of your chin parallel to the floor.
Breathe!
Meditation – Honoring Heroes
"A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom." – Bob Dylan
"Our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes that we can never fully repay." – Barack Obama
Nurturing with Food – Spring Greens from the Garden!!
Memorial Day weekend normally finds me making salad, my favorite food. I actually eat salad every day at least once! We are already enjoying greens from our garden and with those, a simple salad is best. Nothing better with these than a sprinkle of kosher salt, some fresh ground pepper, a splash of your “good” olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. With maybe a veggie hot dog on the side!🤣😅
No recipe required
See you on the mat,
Namaste
Julia Anne
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