Everything Yoga

Spring Favorites

This year in particular the symbolism of Spring has extra meaning for me. I'm all about new beginnings and rebirth these days. It's an exciting time and I'm feeling particularly buoyant. For many, surfing the waves of change can be intimidating at best and downright frightening at worst. I always come back to -- and recommend to others -- yoga and meditation to deal with the vicissitudes of life.

Here are this Spring's favorites in terms of yoga and meditation (and yoga-related goodies that I am in love with right now):

Good Yoga

• Spinal Flex -- I love combining breath and movement (I know, I know -- this is one of those "duh" statements) and Spinal Flex is one of my favorites. I recommend 3 minutes of Spinal Flex first thing in the morning to wake up the body. Start veeery slowly and work your way up to a quicker (keep it to a medium pace and focus on your breath and the movement of the pelvis) but comfortable pace. Personally, I use Spinal Flex throughout my day. It's particularly good when you're feeling stressed or tired or in need of a boost.
• Tadasana -- The classic version of Tadasana is something that I do when I find myself procrastinating or I feel scattered or overwhelmed. It slows you down, calms, and makes you feel great. Stand with your feet roughly hip distance apart. On an inhale, raise the arms up from the sides, palms coming together at the top of your head (actively press them together) while simultaneously raising your heels off the ground. By the time you reach the top of your inhale, your palms should be pressing together and you should be standing on the balls of your feet (a good rule of thumb is to start lifting your heels off the ground when your arms reach shoulder height). On the exhale, lower your heels and arms down to your sides. Do this 5 times. If you'd like to add in a little variety, bring the backs of the hands together at the top of the inhale.
•  Alternate Nostril Breathing -- The balancing properties of this breath make it perfect for daily practice. Again, if I'm feeling stressed or overwhelmed, a few minutes of Alternate Nostril Breathing puts things back into perspective.
• Chant and Movement -- Another favorite of mine for soothing the overwhelmed, tired beast (or cranky yoga girl) is adding a simple chant to standing forward bend. Inhale the arms up from the front and on the exhale chant NAMAHA while folding the body and bringing the hands down towards the floor. [Be sure to go easy on your back by reaching through the finger tips on the way down and up.]

Good Stuff

• Ahnu Shoes -- Ahnu, a shoe company named after the Celtic goddess of balance between well being and prosperity, offers a variety of comfy, stylish shoes that offer the perfect balance between performance and aesthetics. In addition to casual shoes, performance shoes, boots, and sandals, Ahnu offers two yoga-inspired shoes -- Karma and Zen. 

I adore these shoes! I got a pair of Karmas and I wear them all the time. They are comfortable, they look great (I get compliments on them all the time), they're easy to pack, and I love the color (I got Mood Indigo). Yes, they are the perfect shoes for wearing to and from yoga, but these cute and functional shoes go well beyond the yoga studio. Because of the straps and closed nature of the shoe (I hate getting blisters), I went a half size up from my normal size and there was no breaking in period. 

They have become my go-to Spring shoe and because I loved them so much, I bought myself a second pair. If you're looking for an all-around great shoe without breaking the bank, check out Ahnu Shoes. And if you need a little incentive, check out all of the great things that this company is doing. I don't know about you, but I like supporting companies that do good in the world. 

• Nadiflow -- This company offers affordable, eco-friendly stylish yoga clothing and boasts one of the largest selection of men's yoga clothing. While I love all of their stuff, my favorite piece right now is the Watercolor Tunic. This top is comfortable, flattering, and beautiful to boot. It's lightweight and looks just lovely with a camisole underneath it. Everyone asks me where I bought it. And it's made in the US.
• Alex and Ani -- A dear friend of mine recently gave me a lovely gift -- a set of Alex and Ani bracelets. I feel in love with them immediately. Not only do they have meaning and look lovely on (they also fit perfectly thanks to Alex and Ani's expandable technology) but they are eco-friendly. These bracelets are reasonably-priced and make great gifts. Just watch out -- they are sort of like Lays Potato Chips -- you can't buy or wear just one.

And on one last Spring note -- if the season inspires you to clean and clear your clutter, check out these brief articles from my friends at YogaMint: 

• Clear the Clutter
• Clean Up Your Act

Namaste!

 

Relief for The Stuffies

For the past week or so I've had a case of The Stuffies, as I affectionately call it. It sounds cuter than saying I have a cold, right? Mostly it's just been uncomfortable, leaving me with a heavy, stuffy head feeling. I've changed up my yoga practice to work with my physical symptoms rather than against them. Here's what I'm doing to get some relief from The Stuffies:

• Starting in wide knee Child's Pose, I slowly roll my the top of my head on the mat until my crown is resting on the mat. This is a less intense version of Rabbit Pose. I repeat this move a number of times, feeling the acupressure points on my head getting a nice massage.
• From there I'll come onto all fours and do a number of  slooooow Cat Cows.
• Then I'll come up into Downward Dog (or Dolphin Pose, depending upon how I'm feeling) and rest here for a moment, perhaps pedaling my feet slowly.
• From here I come back down into Child's Pose (sometimes I'll repeat the head roll).
• I come to a comfortable seated position and -- after blowing my nose -- I'll do a few minutes of Breath of Fire out of my left nostril. If I'm too stuffy for Breath of Fire, I'll do Alternate Nostril Breathing.
• I finish with a few minutes of Bhramari or Humming Breath.

Rather than use a Neti Pot, this time around I relied on a Neti Stik from The Himalyan Institute (I've been using one for years and I love it!). Ahhhh...take that Stuffies!

May you all breathe easy and be free from The Stuffies!

Namaste!

 

Clearing Space

When I first started practicing yoga, I had to jockey for position between a coffee table and a CD rack. I didn't have a lot of space, but I had a big desire for a home practice. Years later, I found myself with the ultimate luxury -- a whole room devoted to yoga. I had hardwood floors uninterrupted by coffee tables, and I didn't have to worry about crashing into a couch if I fell out of Half Moon pose (yes, this happened to me early into my home practice). These days, I'm somewhat in between -- I no longer have a dedicated space but I have more space then when I first started.

On the more metaphysical hand, I have much more space than I did when I first started praticing yoga. My mind is quieter, I have more self awareness, I am better able to observe myself and my behavior. I suppose you could say that I have more mental space. Patanjali talks about fluctuations of the mind and yoga being concentration. Yes, yoga definitely changed the quality of my mind. 

So in the battle of space, I cleared the physical space for a yoga practice to occur and then yoga cleared the mental space for my practice -- and myself -- to evolve. Nifty the way that happens, isn't it? 

As a former English major, I appreciate irony. For years I had a space devoted to meditation. I suppose you could say that I adopted the Field of Dreams mindset -- build it and they will come. I figured if I set up a meditation space, the meditator in me would appear. No such luck. Or, at least, not such luck for an extended period of time. So imagine my surprise when I find myself meditating daily these days -- despite the fact that I don't have a dedicated meditation space. In the mornings, I mediation on my bed and in the evenings, my favorite spot has become my couch. I sit daily, regardless of the absence of a cushion or an altar.

So what comes first -- you clear space so that a regular practice can evolve or you create a regular practice and the space naturally appears (both mental and physical)?

What do you all think? 

I'm currently in the process of clearing email clutter as well as throwing excess stuff away and I'm already noticing space opening up. I now spend more time on what's important to me. Heck, it's easier to remember what's important when I'm not distracting myself with other stuff. 

Soooo...space in regards to your yoga/meditation practice. Have you created the space in which a practice can thrive? And once you practice regularly, do you notice more space opening up in your mind, heart, soul? A little something to ponder...

Namaste!

 

Harajuliah

Core, Hara, Dantien, 3rd chakra -- these all refer to than center point in your body, your core source, if you will. Many believe this is where one's power lies. There are postures to strengthen it, exercises to bring awareness to it, and meditations to engage and bring one's focus to it. 

These days, I've been doing a lot of core strengthening, so my favorite postures tend to be:

--Plank (I alternate between palms on the floor and elbows on the floor, depending up on how my wrists are feeling)

--Boat Pose

--Goddess Pose (with arm movements)

On days I want a quick core warming practice, I'll start with Tadasana and some Sun Salutations with 30-60 second Plank holds. Then I'll do a few Crow poses before rolling back into Boat Pose. After a few dynamic bridge poses (along with arm raises), I'll come up into Goddess Pose (which I'll alternate between static holds and Goddess Pose with arm movements). Then I'll come to a seated position and either do Breath of Fire for a few minutes or I'll do some some Kumbhaka Pranayama with exhale retention.

If you'd rather focus on straight pranayama for your core, try Hara Breathing. 

I've always enjoyed core work, so practices like this are fun for me. Imagine my surprise when I discovered Oramaki, which is what makers of this Hara wrap call "a hug with history." This nifty body wrap (made of seriously soft, natural micro modal) is said to:

• Warm you up
• Reduce back pain
• Provide comfort during your mentrual cycle
• Modify menopause symptoms
• Enhance your immune system functions
• Provide support to your core organs

Quite a list, eh? And calling all pregnant yogis -- the Oramaki provides excellent support for you whether you're practicing yoga or going about your daily routine (and, later, it can serve as a breast feeding cover up). Frankly, I was a bit intrigued by the following selling point: "world's softest hug" Maybe it's just that I'm Italian and we like to hug, but I was sold when I read that. Yep, I didn't hesitate to plunk down $47.95.

I've been wearing my Oramaki for about a month now, and I have to say that it was worth the investment. I wear it when I'm practicing yoga and when I'm not...come to think of it, I like to wear it a lot. It does keep my core warm and it feels darned good (hmmmmm...perhaps it's the swaddling effect???), and while my menstrual cramps aren't usually awful, I did notice an improvement last month. Yes, I have a happy Hara these days. 

If you'd like your own little soft core hug (HA!), I recommend checking out Oramaki. I just bought a light weight one so I can wear it in the warmer weather. 

Here's to a strong and happy core!

Namaste!

 

Heart & Head

I've been thinking a lot about love lately. What do I love? What do I think I love (what have I convinced myself that I love)? How far will I go for love? What do I do when love bumps up against self preservation? How does the experience of love differ when I'm coming from my head vs. my heart? Yep, there's been a lot of navel contemplating lately! The best part is that I don't have any answers. Or maybe I do...love is always the answer. 

My beloved yoga practice has changed throughout the years and yet my love for it has not. As this wonderful article by Sally Kempton says, love is sadhana. I couldn't agree more with this -- love IS a practice. For the many days that find me resisting my time on the mat, I practice love. These days, practicing love has been both challenging yet at the same time the easiest thing in the world. That's the funny thing about love -- just when you think you're broken-hearted, you're actually broken open. It's quite the experience.

I just had an experience in which I dove in with my heart rather than my head and the result was...unsuccessful, I guess you could say. Funny how I don't agree with that judgment. In fact, I find it a victory for me -- I'm so very proud of myself for choosing my heart over my head. That's loving for the sake of loving rather than for the desire to get a certain result. And isn't this why our love of yoga, our practice, keeps us coming back to the mat? We continue to show up for the sake of love, not for some goal. Yes, it's nice to be able to fly in Crow or put your hands on the floor in Standing Forward Bend, but is it why we practice?

Why do you practice? 

Just the other day, I lay over a bolster, my chest stretched open and asked myself the question: How can I love more? I'm thinking that the answer is simple -- practice.

Namaste!

 

No Fixing Necessary

There's a lot of talk about living your best life and being your best self and improving yourself. Take a look at the Self-Help section in the bookstore. Whoa -- that's a lot of books! While I appreciate the desire to improve oneself, I can't help but ask if this has been taken to the extreme. Where's the line between self-acceptance and wanting to be a better person? Does this set us up on the cycle of more, more, more, better, better, better? Is it a case of being so focused on the destination that we lose out on the beauty of the journey?

This happens in yoga quite a bit. We want to get better -- we want to be more flexible, we want to master a pose, we want to improve our strength, our body, our mind. I'm not saying that striving is bad, but it sure can be exhausting. What if we balanced it out with a little rest -- a resting into who we are now and how we're showing up on the mat today. Acceptance balanced with striving -- what a concept!

If you'd like to transcend the "I need to fix it" mentality, check out this free yoga download, Yoga to Support Optimal Mental Health with Amy Weintraub. It offers a side of acceptance with your striving.

Enjoy!

Namaste!

 

Fear of Engagement

A few weeks ago, I was telling someone about the time I went on a 10-day silent retreat. The response I got almost made me roll my eyes, because I tend to hear it all the time: "I could never be silent for 10 whole days. How did you do it?" The short answer (albeit a bit of a snarky one) -- I like my own company.

The truth is, I do plenty of things by myself. I have been blessed with a number of wonderful friends, but I don't always need to be in the company of another. I go out to eat by myself (yes, in public -- GASP!), I go to the movies by myself, I take workshops by myself, and I got on vacation by myself. It doesn't matter whether I'm single or in a relationship. I take myself out and show myself a good time (yep, I am one hot date, that's for sure).

Frankly, I don't understand the big deal about this. I find that doing things on my own is fun and it gives me the opportunity to meet other people. I have a made a number of friends this way. To me, it's not about being alone or with a friend/lover but about engaging in life. I like to engage life whether I have company or not.

Last week, I went to dinner by myself. I was craving the yummy tuna tartare mini tacos at one of my favorite local restaurants. Between the live music and the food, I was in hoggy heaven. It was a party in my mouth and a party for my ears. Yep, I was loving it. What I wasn't loving was something disturbing that I observed -- many people dining together were interacting with their cell phones more than each other. I had to laugh at the irony -- society would normally pity me, the poor girl eating alone, but I would much rather be alone than with someone (friend or lover) who wasn't engaged or present. 

Why is everyone so afraid of being present, anyway? What's so scary about the present? Heck, it's better to be in the present than the past or the future -- it's a lot less stressful. 

Let's bring this back to yoga (come on -- you knew I was going there; I always do). How are you not being present in your practice? Do you zone out by focusing more on your neighbor or the teacher's words or the view from the studio window? Speaking from personal experience -- zoning out during yoga=injury. 

Before I go on, I must make a personal disclosure. I am certainly not the here, now champion of the world. What I am good at, though, is bringing myself back when I realize that I have zoned out. I still have my, "Doh! You know better than this" moments, but on the whole, I strive to be compassionate with myself as I gently bring myself back to the present.

Right now I have some decisions to make regarding my future and I have a hard deadline in which to make these decisions. When I start zoning out into the future, it's the same as what happens on the yoga mat -- ouch! I find my body contracting, my breath accelerating, and my mind starting to jump around from one scary scenario to another. In short, it stresses me out. 

If you find yourself lacking in the present moment engagement department, try this (incidently, this is something I learned on that nifty 10-day silent retreat):

--Take a comfortable seated position
--Begin to notice your breath. Don't try to change it or judge it in any way. Simply notice the quality of your breath (shallow or deep, slow or fast, etc.)
--Now bring your focus to the gaps between inhalation and exhalation.
--Stay focused on these gaps and simply bring your attention back to them if your mind wanders.

Try this for 5-10 minutes and notice what happens when you're done. Congratulations -- you've just engaged with the present moment. Feel good?

I love technology, but I'd choose the present over a fancy cell phone any day.

Namaste!

 

What's it Worth to You?

As a friend of my recently pointed out, I can be a bit of a wild card in how I spend my money. In some ways, I can be frugal (dare I say downright cheap) and in other ways I can lean a bit more towards extravagant (gotta love my organic food habit). Nope, my car ain't fancy and my clothes ain't fancy, but...in some ways I spare no expense on myself. I love learning new things and enjoying new experiences, and staying healthy so I often have no trouble dropping cash on workshops, courses, teleconferences, trainings, organic food, supplements, etc.

Sure, I justify it by saying it's about my professional and personal development, but what I'm really saying is that I think that I'm a worthwhile investment. Yeah, I know -- it sounds a bit overinflated, doesn't it? I don't care, really. I don't pick on someone dropping thousands on a piece of jewelry or tens of thousands on a fancy car or hundreds on one pair of shoes, so why should I feel guilty for spending money on something I deem pretty darned important -- myself. After all, if I'm not juiced and happy, then I'm not exactly making others happy, now am I?

All this being said, I notice that I have a "no way" line inside that refuses to spend what she deems "too much money" on something. A few years back I really wanted to take this 6-month course but the price felt not right to me. I could have charged it, yes, but I just knew in my gut that the price was ridiculous and that I wouldn't feel good taking the course. If a gut check results in a "no," then I listen. No 6-month course for me. Ironically enough, here I am a few years later VERY happy that I didn't take that course. 

One of the things I like about yoga is that it doesn't cost a lot. Some hobbies cost quite a bit in regards to travel, equipment, etc. Regardless of what marketers would have your believe (full disclosure -- I worked in Marketing for years), you can get yourself a yoga mat for $20 and you're all set. If you want to spend a little more, you can shell out money for classes at a fancy studio, get yourself some fancy yoga duds, purchase an array of yoga props you'll probably never use and/or spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a yoga retreat that will have you feeling great for about a week or two. I suppose yoga costs as much as you allow it to.

Personally, I had a lot of ramp up costs -- I started small with DVDs. Then I moved to classes and workshops. Then I moved up to a few big daddy yoga trainings. Yes, I even got those over-priced pants that make my butt look great while in Downward Dog (yep, you gotta laugh at yourself). These days I spend very little on yoga. Perhaps that's why I'm skipping the Yoga Journal NYC Conference this year. There's something about the $495 main conference price (that's post early bird discount, which would have cost you $460) that doesn't sit right with me. I've been to a Yoga Journal Conference before. Sure, I enjoyed it. Was it worth the money though...Maybe.

The $495 price tag buys you three 2-hour classes on both Saturday and Sunday long with two morning meditations and lunchtime events. Yes, I realize it's New York and yes, I realize it's Yoga Journal, but seriously? It's roughly $80 per class, not to mention the "hidden costs" (that phrase was coined by a good friend of mine who understand the economics of workshops/conferences/classes better than wide-eyed ole me) of travel, meals, and whatever else you might be tempted by in the conference marketplace (better bring your $$$$ because there sure are a lot of vendors selling lots o' stuff). 

Granted, the experience of going to a yoga conference is pretty darned cool. You can meet some great people, enjoy some wonderful yoga classes, learn something new, soak up some good energy, and learn about yoga accessories that you don't really need but really, really want. I speak from experience. I've been, met, enjoyed, learned, soaked, and bought. But not this time.

I've decided to save my duckets this year and invest in something else for -- ironically enough -- that very same weekend. These days I'm a bit more picky about how I spend my self interest fund. I ask myself what's going to get me more bang for my buck. I check in with my gut and see what it thinks is worthwhile. I ask myself what it's worth to me.

What is it worth to you? How much is too much to spend on yoga? Where do you allocate your funds and why (which, in these tough economic time might be only on essentials)? And how can we invest in ourselves without actually spending money?

Thoughts???? Let's here 'em!

Namaste!

 

Stabilizing Your Pelvis

Lately, I've had a hitch in my giddy up. I've got a hip/lower back/Sacrum/Psoas (and I'll throw in the IT Bands for good measure) thing going on. In the spirit of physician heal thyself (or in this case, yoga therapist heal thyself), I've decided to get serious about working on it.

It's ironic really, as a friend of mine was experiencing some serious pain that went undiagnosed by her doctor and could have been attributed to sciatica, lower back/sacrum/psoas issues. I worked with her a bit and sure enough, non-traditional stuff helped (as well as time). Now I find myself doing for myself what I helped another do.

In a nutshell, I've gotten up close and personal with my pelvis. I've focused on stabilization, stretching and strengthening. Here are some resources for you to help you do the same:

• Pelvis stabilization
• Lower back, psoas, and sciatica stretches
• A little something for the more advanced yogi (for the rest of us, I recommend using lots of props for this one)
• A gentle but effective chair sequence
• A yoga sequence focusing on lower back health (scroll down for the practice)

And one thing to remember when dealing with a hitch in your giddy up -- patience and persistance are key. 

Namaste (or should I say giddyup!)!

 

Faith Lost and Found

I have a confession to make -- I'm not up on the latest Anusara Yoga/John Friend hulaboo. I've heard rumblings about well-known teacher defections and sexual advances and I did see an announcement that a new CEO was taking the helm (I still find it funny to read about yoga empires that have CEOs -- seems like a bit of an oxymoron, stress on the moron). My response to this? Here we go again...

This reminds me the phenomenon that happens with sports endorsements. Invariably, some advertising person thinks that more products will be sold if endorsed by the flavor of the month in the professional athlete world. Said athlete hawks said product, lots o' products are sold, money is made and everyone is happy. Until said athlete has an oops. It could be in the form of a DUI charge or a rape accusation or an extra-marital affair or wild and rowdy behavior...oh, just look at the headlines and you'll see plenty of examples. Suddenly, the manufacturer of the product starts freaking out because they've conned people into buying into the face of the product rather than the product itself. And when the face takes a fall, so does the product (and sales).

Welcome to guru-land -- a place where people in a place of power step over boundaries or violate the boundaries of others when they get a wee bit too big for their spiritual britches. Or maybe it's more a function of the people around the guru putting him/her in a place of over importance. When someone is put on a pedestal, it's a long way down. Stephen Cope tells the story of Amrit Desai and Kripalu. Many know the story of Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman. And now we have the story (well, I don't exactly have it, but it's out there) of John Friend. This is nothing new -- it isn't the first time this has happened and it won't be the last time we hear of yogis behaving "badly."

I've never had a guru, so I don't know the disillusionment that comes from the fall from the pedestal. I did, however, have a similar experience with a teacher whom I respected. Or perhaps I should say that I wanted to respect her. She had studied decades in a lineage that I had a great respect for. I admired her teaching ability and her commitment. Still, I felt that something was a bit off when I interacted with her. I pushed those feelings down and continued on as her student until, one day, I realized that I was trying to apply infinite traits to a finite being. 

This teacher was human. I could still admire her skill and her depth and breadth of knowledge, but that didn't mean that I had to agree with her methods (nor did it mean that I had to study with her for an extended period of time). After coming to grips with my feelings about her, I stopped studying with her. I still have a great deal of respect for her teachings, but I don't care to be her student. Did I lose faith in yoga because of this experience? No.

I have faith in yoga and the practice of yoga. I have respect for teachers -- some more than others -- but ultimately I go with my gut. I feel that faith is often heaped unfairly upon the teachers of yoga rather than the art of yoga itself. And that's where the trouble arises.

For me, it's very similar to relationships. I firmly believe that one should not rely on another to make him/her happy. That's an inside job and putting that Herculean task onto another person is not only unfair but it's a recipe for disaster and disappointment and expectations that couldn't possibly be met. It's one of the reasons that I cringe a bit at the term "soul mate." I've noticed that this word implies a whole host of thing that no human could possibly achieve -- mind reading, 24/7 romance and passion, 100% compassion and unconditional love, inspiration, love, and happiness. I don't know about you, but if I had to provide all of this to a partner 100% of the time until death do us part, I'd fail miserably. I'm human. I make mistakes, I don't get it right, I can't make a person do or feel anything. 

That's not to say that I don't have an enormous amount of faith in love because I do. Yes, love is many a splendor thing. It's us humans that tend to mess it up with ego and need and a whole host of other stuff. Truth be told, if I could banish one movie line from the group think of this culture it would be, "You complete me." BLECH! Talk about setting relationships up to fail...

Which beings me back to yoga -- where is your faith? Is it in your teacher or a guru or in yoga itself? What are your expectations of your teacher/guru? 

I heard an amusing story from a teacher, which I am going to paraphrase here: a student freaked out when seeing his guru smoking. "You're smoking?!?!? I can't believe you're smoking!!!! You can't be smoking, you're a guru!!!!! You shouldn't have an attachment to cigarettes!" The guru's response: "I see you're attached to my smoking." 

Ahhhhhh...touche!

Namaste!