Bikram? Part 1

Happy Christmas, readers! Hopefully you've been enjoying a bit of the magic that seems to come calling this time of year. We have an unanticipated (by me, anyway) blizzard warning for the area where I live, and being housebound is likely to enable me to enjoy some much needed snuggle time with my boys (all 3 - BIG one and small ones included!).

Every year, I have about a week off for "Winter Break", and it's always fun trying to plan out fun activities that we don't normally have time or inclination to do. This year, I thought I'd squeeze in a little "me time" among the other fun stuff by scheduling some time to take yoga classes - I do try to write a blog about it, afterall... There is a Bikram Yoga studio in a nearby town that is offering a "newcomers special" - 1 week of unlimited classes for $30! Seeing as a normal class is $25, I only have to go twice to amortize it and get a real bargain. So I decided to give it a go...

Most people know of Bikram Yoga as "Hot Yoga" - where you practice yoga in a room that is heated to 100 degrees. It is supposed to be a specialized sequence of 26 asanas, developed by Bikram Chowdhury (pictured above - love the skullet, dude), done in a "scientific order" to cleanse the body of toxins and deliver fresh blood to every last organ. I tried Bikram once about 10 years ago - before I was "into" yoga and practiced regularly - and was completely intimidated by the extreme athletes who were in the class. I'm talking ultra-competitive, less than 3 oz. body-fat athletes. I was completely out of place, and not really knowing what "regular" yoga was all about, this one Bikram Class almost scared me off. Thank goodness I didn't let it prohibit me from trying other disciplines of yoga, or I wouldn't be here today, writing my blog, trying out Hot Yoga again - all for the sake of "researching" and "commentating" on it for my readers (all 3 of you - thanks Kara, Evelyn, and Liz. My own mom doesn't even read my blog, so you guys rock.).

So Bikram Yoga is indeed "hot". The room is in fact 100 degrees, you feel it as soon as you walk into the room. The class that I took at 9am on Christmas Eve was also "hot" in the sense that it was p-a-c-k-e-d with people - at least 45! I haven't been in a class that packed since Diann was teaching Saturdays at the gym. There were college kids, there were grandmas, there were long, lean aggressive yogis, there were rounder, softer, go-with-the-flow yogis. Some people looked out of shape, but did every single posture, and some people looked like hard-core athletes who needed to sit-out a posture now and then. And there was me, tucked into the corner with my bright yellow mat and bright red face, sweating profusely, just trying to stay in the room for the whole 90 minutes. I did. Barely.

I attempted every single posture, and we did all 26 of them. Twice. The first time you visit a posture in Bikram, you hold it for 1 minute. You break, then return to the same posture for 30 seconds. If you do the math, you can see you're barely in asana for 40 minutes. Yet the class is 90 minutes...and you sweat enough for a marathon. I mean, it's logical that you'd sweat, and I seem to be making a big deal about something that makes sense, but I sweat from places I don't normally sweat from. My ankles? My shins? Under my eyes? It was weird. I started sweating right away. At first, the science teacher in me thought it was condensation forming on my skin - the room was so hot, and my skin was so cold that I was like a glass of lemonade on August 1st - but when it started dripping into my eyes, I realized it was honest to goodness sweat. But was it sweat that I had "earned"? Not so much. The heat was forcing my body to cleanse itself, but I think I prefer to cleanse my body the old-fashioned way - by drinking lots of water and doing regular old twisting postures that squeeze the kidneys and liver. The heat made my muscles warm and pliable, but I think I prefer to get my muscles warm the old-fashioned way - by slowly building up heat with a series of gentle postures.

So, I titled this post "Bikram? Part 1" because I think there's more to come. I'm not looking forward to it. At one point during the class, it felt like I was breathing in fire because it was so hot in there. My eyes were red. My face was red. The time spent in the 26 postures didn't even feel like I had been to a yoga class. But because every single article I've read explains that the benefits come after a few classes, I have to practice due diligence and give it another go. Plus, there was *one* really cool thing - after the class, my skin was actually steaming. I was driving home and the steam rising from my arms was steaming up the car windows so I had to roll the windows down. It was like 36 degrees outside, and I'm some loopy old broad driving down the road with the windows down. I must have looked crazy. I must BE crazy to do it again. All in the name of research, readers. All in the name of research...

"And looking back it was easy, easy, easy. 'cos I know that I can sacrifice" - Groove Armada

Ha ha ha. Good one, Groove Armada, good one.

POW! - Pose of the Week

My series on inversions continues...This week's pose: Sirsasana - because I certainly feel like I've been turned upside down lately!

What a week! I celebrated a birthday (twice), dealt with an aging dog who may or may not be developing Alzheimers, baked cookies and breads for the holidays, braved the stores, and also trudged through the regular day-to-day routines with my boys. Yes, I only WISH this turning myself upside down were serenely taking place on the beach, gazing out over the ocean instead of being metaphoric.

Despite the dizzying prospect of a headstand, turning yourself upside down certainly has it's benefits. Much like the previous inversions I've suggested, Sirsasana ironically improves digestion, strengthens spinal muscles,arms, and abdomen, improves circulation, and reduces varicose veins while relieving stress and anxiety. Sounds like I can use a bit of that this week...

Of course, this is quite a daunting posture, and I actually "cheat" and do this pose against the wall. I *have* (once or twice) done it free standing - away from a wall - but that was in the summer, when I was practicing daily and had a great sense of balance. These days, I'm lucky if I get in a session once a fortnight, so I'm using the wall. I'll build back up to a free headstand, but for now, I'll go with the flow, supporting my postures where I need to, and that's exactly what Yoga is all about. So don't feel daunted, get yourself near a wall, and surprise yourself by attempting a nice little headstand this week!

I have seen Sirsasana presented two ways: one with the forearms on the floor, hands hugging the crown of the head and the other as you see in the picture above, with hands forming a triangle with the crown of the head and forearms are parallel to the floor. Either way, you will reap the benefits of the posture. I'm most familiar with the method of forearms on the floor, so that's how I'll get you into the pose...

Kneel on the floor about an arm's length away from a wall. Interlace your fingers, forming a nice little cup where you can tuck your crown for support. With your forearms on the floor, place the pinky side of your hands down, anchoring yourself - this will become your base. Still kneeling, tuck the crown of your head inside this cup and slowly straighten your legs and begin walking your feet toward your head. Allow your hips to come into alignment with your shoulders, keeping a straight back. Bend your knees, and use the strength of your abs to lift your feet off the floor, extending the legs straight up in line with your hips, spine, and shoulders. Use the wall for security and support. With more and more practice, you can play around with the pose and gradually find yourself less and less dependant on that wall.

Concerned about compressing your neck and vertebrae while in Sirsasana? There are actually sophisticated props you can purchase to help you maximize the benefits of the posture. Gaiam has a "BodyLift" contraption on offer this week (just $99!) that can assist you with the posture. You avoid compressing the neck and can also use the prop as a mediation seat, but you will lose the benefit of pressure on the crown of your head (which stimulates circulation to the brain). Some people may find this pressure uncomfortable, so the "Body Lift" may be the prop for them. A video clip of the prop in action is linked below:
http://www.gaiam.com/text/videos/95-9225_video.html

Will you try a headstand this week? Are the holidays already turning you upside down enough? Maybe this will cancel it out and be just what you need to set your world right-side-up again...

The world looks different from upside down. Go ahead and give it a try!

Yogic Wisdom...

...from a tea bag:

"Let your manners speak, your deeds prove, and your delivery impress."

I'm here, dear readers! I haven't abandoned you, and I'll return as soon as I'm able. I have poses of the week, "props" and tools to help motivate you, and DVD reviews to share. It's just a little rough to carve out time during this season, but I did want to wish you a thoughtful, reflective Winter Solstice.

The holidays are really keeping us all busy and I'm sure we all find ourselves caught up in various matters. It can be overwhelming, it can be frustrating, and like me, you may be struggling to maintain balance. So now, in your seemingly darkest hour, know this: with the Winter Solstice, we are at the shortest day of the year. Looking forward, as I tend to do, that means that from here on out, we'll see the sun for more minutes each day. Those minutes will bring warmth, hope, and of course, light! Certainly something to look forward to!

Namaste!

POW - Pose of the Week!

This week's pose: Plow (Halasana) - because I'm only halfway thru my inversions series! There's more to come...

Well, dear readers, it's been quite a week! In the past 7 days, 3 of the 4 members of my family have been bedridden with a high fever accompanied with a runny nose and sometimes nasty cough. The only reason it wasn't all 4 of us is because the youngest one had it first, before Thanksgiving! I'm on the road to recovery...and thinking all the while, I should be practicing my inversions! Won't that clear out my sinuses? Well, it turns out, not really.

Halasana is nice for relieving backaches, stretching the shoulders and strengthening the spine and stimulating those neck glands (Thyroid and Parathyroid). Noses? Not so much. On the plus side, it will calm the mind as you focus, and thereby reduce some of the stress and anxiety you may be faced with this time of year.

I included two images for you this week (shamelessly ripped from the internet) because they show subtle variations...and the first image actually shows improper form! Notice how the model in red seems to be looking down the left side of her body. You should never turn your head while your feet are above your head. Keep your head and neck on the floor to maintain the natural curve of your spine and prevent any strains or injuries!

I think Plow is a slightly easier posture than last week's pose (Shoulder stand)...in fact you can easily transition from one to the other and back again, and FYI all you moms out there, doing this simple maneuver will actually give your abdominals a very nice workout.

Lying flat on the floor with your arms resting alongside you, raise your legs up so you look like a capital "L". Next, keeping an eye on your toes, then knees, and ending with the tops of your thighs, slowly roll your legs forward over your head. Keep your shoulders on the ground, and bring your toes to the floor above your head. As you can see in the first image, you can choose to point your toes or as in the second image, plug your toes. At this point, your hips should be aligned with your shoulders.

Stay here for several breaths, really settling in, OR, using abdominal control, slowly transition back and forth from Halasana and Sarvangasana. In plow, you can choose to clasp your hands together (extra shoulder strengthening) or not, you can choose to raise your hands above your head and gently pull your toes (extra calf stretching), or you can choose to bend your knees so they drape over and hug your ears a bit (extra lower back stretching). Enjoy, and breathe. Maybe those sinuses will open up for you, anyway.

This week, I leave you with a little bit of "tea wisdom":

You can run after satisfaction, but true satisfaction must come from within.

POW! Pose of the Week

This week's pose: Shoulder Stand - because we're having fun with inversions!

Sarvangasana is an inversion pose, meaning that the toes are at some point above the head. You'll be focusing on your toes, but they'll be up in the air, so there's a nice little change of pace. Instead of looking to the ground, you'll be looking to the heavens. Sarvangasana improves circulation, relieves sinus pressure (head-cold sufferers rejoice!), and reduces varicose veins (bring it on!) while strengthening the neck and shoulders, calming the mind, and reducing stress (Black Friday crowds and Cyber Monday crashes be damned!).

Remember in this inversion, never look to the left or right; keep your focus on your toes the entire time. Doing this will prevent injury and help ease you into the posture for maximum benefit.

Begin on your back with your feet flat on the mat (this means your knees will be bent). Straighten your legs, raising your feet above you, so that you resemble the capital letter L. Gaze at your toes, and from this point on, do not let your gaze waver. Tighten your abdominals and use their strength to lift your legs up and over your head. You may have the flexibility to touch your toes to the ground above your head (this is another inversion called Plow). Now you may bend your elbows and bring your hands to your lower back as support. With your torso off the mat, supported by your hands, lift your legs upward and lengthen your tailbone towards your feet. Try to keep your elbows parallel to one another and not angled out (this is something I'm still working on!). *Sometimes it helps to have your instructor position your upper arms properly. Arrival!

Don't forget to dedicate part of your "practice" to trying new things. It could be a new posture, a new dish at a restaurant, or a new lipstick shade. Shake it up a little!

Who owns Yoga?

You do, Bi-otch! (*at least that's what I say, but it turns out not so many people would be pleased with that...)

After a very satisfying Sunday practice (a new studio opened down the road, locals!) I rescued the paper from the lethal barbs in our hedge out front. On the front page (bottom fold, though) of the Times this morning is an article about the Debate over Yoga's "Soul". With great interest, I fixed myself a cuppa Chai and settled down with my newsprint. It seems that there's an Indian-American group that is looking to "Take Back Yoga" and it's ruffling some tail feathers. The misunderstanding, though, is that the group is not looking to convert people to Hinduism. Granted, the campaign does seem to hint at a sense of ownership over yoga, but I think awareness is more their intent. It is not demanding that those who practice yoga become Hindu. Instead, it's intent seems to increase awareness of yoga's connection in the religion's ancient traditions - the same connections yoga has with many religions. There are a lot of assumptions people make when Hinduism is referenced, and this group is looking to clarify that their religion is rooted in some of the same traditions (non-violence, do unto others, respect all beings, etc) as other world religions. As the Times article references, "it's not just some faith of castes, cows, and curry".

Now, here's where I get lost, because I was not a religion major, nor do I claim to know a great deal about many religions. I am a Christian who practices yoga. Do I feel a connection with "the universe" when I practice? Yes. Does this take me away from my Christianity? Not in the least. For me, yoga is a time to reflect inward, to feel gratitude that I have given myself the time to practice and to feel gratitude that my body has given me the flexibility to practice. Sometimes, focusing on this gratitude is all I have to get me through a difficult posture! With this in mind, my time on the mat each week (or day, depending on the time of year!) has a great calming effect on me.

Now, taking this feeling off the mat and into my life is up to me. I try very, very hard to bring the feeling with me. I know a great many people who compete to be the best in the class (yoga isn't even about that for me...but to each his/her own!). I know a great many people who leave a great class, and rush out the door to rush into their cars to rush home and honk at anyone who gets in their way as they barrel on out of there. Kinda missing the point. But I've also learned that I'm not there to judge OR to be judged. I'm there to do my own thing. Whatever it is. Yoga has taught me that acceptance of myself, and hopefully a smidge more tolerance for others. These are very similar principles to my own religion, however, I see my yoga practice as a calming fitness routine rather than a religious routine. It has a lot in common with my religion, but it's separate from my religion. It's just another mode to help me to keep these tenets in mind in my daily life.

Well, there are a bunch of influential people who aren't even happy with that. Deepak Chopra, guru to the stars, has spoken up to say the campaign is misguided and focused on Hindu Nationalism. Really? Perhaps you should take a moment to get off your pedestal and see that the campaign is more about enlightening people to Hinduism...so that westerners don't think it's all about curry and folding yourself into a pretzel. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president says that Christians who practice yoga have their souls imperiled. Really? God would have a problem with me feeling thankful that I'm looking after my physical fitness in a gentle way that's mindful of accepting others who are sharing the planet with me? Well, thanks for that enlightenment.

So, Who owns Yoga? When you're on the mat, and you've nailed that shoulder stand (look out, Pose of the Week!), you own it, baby! When you're on the road, and you calmly and generously give way to another car who is incorrectly trying to merge, you still own it, baby! And when you're at work, and once again your boss has forgotten to tell you how much gratitude he/she has for the fact that you are a reliable part of the team, you most definitely own it!

When ego is lost, limit is lost. You become infinite, kind, beautiful.

POW! Pose of the Week

This week's pose: Dolphin - because it's fun to be inverted!

As the Calendar year draws to a close, and in the spirit of the craziness of the coming days, I thought it would be nice to do a series on inversions. Inversions are any poses that turn the down-side up. Inversions improve mental focus, and improve stamina of the upper body. They also have a positive effect on hormones and the lymphatic system, sending the body fluids "against the flow". There are SO many inversions and they bring great benefits, so I have several weeks' worth of material to share...

The anatomical focus of Dolphin pose (another pose with no sanskrit name) is the upper back, and it has multiple benefits. The first is that it's an inversion that I can actually do! It relieves headache and fatigue, the hallmark benefits of most inversions, it stretches the shoulders and improves digestion! PS - check out the picture. Notice the lady is doing Dolphin at what looks to be about 3pm, since you can see the sun setting. Is anyone else getting bummed out by the lack of afternoon daylight these days???

anywayTo find yourself in the Dolphin inversion, it's easiest to start in table, with your hands underneath your shoulder and your hips above your knees. Slowly transition forward onto your forearms. Next, curl your toes under, just as you would for downward facing dog, but keep your forearms on the ground. Lengthen your tailbone up and away from your pelvis, reaching for the sky with your hip bones. You can keep your knees soft or straighten your legs as is comfortable for your hamstrings.

For full inversion benefits, try to hold the pose for up to a minute. This will give the body fluids a chance to wash towards the head and reenergize the brain.

**Please be careful with all inversions. Like all yoga poses, if done improperly, the risks may outweigh the benefits. However with inversions, since you are going against your natural balance and orientation, there's an increased risk of maintaining a posture improperly.

Inhale to energize, exhale to calm.

POW - Pose of the Week

Hello Dear Readers! I hope you're not terribly disappointed, but I don't have a Pose of the Week for you this week.

You see, I've been feeling quite rushed the last two weeks, and worse, I haven't had time to "surf the net", let along BLOG, while at home! I've had to, quelle horreur, do my blogging from work...something which I'm sure the administration would frown upon. For the record, I blog during my lunch hour (or should I say 40 minutes), and as far as I'm concerned, that is *my* time, and I should be able to spend it how I wish. Most days, it's entertaining students who elect to come to my classroom rather than the lunchroom (who can blame them?!?), but on Tuesdays, I've been taking a few minutes to write my blog. What's resulted is rather uninspiring posts...posts that are done just to say that I made a post this week and I'm therefore "maintaining" my blog. It's so much better when I put more thought into things.

So this week, I'm bucking the trend and not blogging a Pose of the Week. I'll make some time to do proper research and have a Pose for you next week...so don't despair...please stop back. This week, I thought I'd do a bit of musing instead.

I purchased a new brand of tea about a week ago; "Yogi Tea" was jumping right out at me from the Fairway shelf. I don't mind trying a new flavor now and again (although a hard favorite is Twinings French Vanilla Chai, I must admit!), but this tea comes with an added little bonus: The teabag tags have little quote of "wisdom". So far, 90% of them don't make sense (Don't seek out disappointment, but don't be a source of disappointment" - Huh?!?), but every 10th cup of tea or so, I get a nice little gem.

Last week, I had one that read, "For every change, there is chance for a new positive". At first, I thought "meh". Then, I set aside some time in my schedule last Sunday to take Heidi's yoga class at the gym....only to find that Heidi is no longer teaching that class! No explanation, no sign on the door, no reason really. Just a new girl is there saying she doesn't know what is going to happen to the class. Now, Heidi has been my go-to girl since Diann stopped working at my gym, so this revelation has the potential to be traumatizing for me. But I paused, remembered my teabag tag, and took a deep breath. I could do this. I could give the new girl a chance; for every change there is a chance for a new positive. Too bad one of the other people in the class didn't think so - she just got up about 15 minutes into the practice, noisily gathered her mat, flopped her shoes on and briskly walked out. It was so rude, but fascinating at the same time. The teacher wasn't awful - she actually had quite a soothing voice and gentle, nurturing insistence that we might not be able to get into a pose today, but we'll build on it and get there maybe next week or next month. Anyway, this woman stormed out, and I couldn't imagine what was so offensive about this teacher other than the fact that she wasn't Heidi. That student needed some Yogi Tea, for sure!

This morning's teabag tag, by the way, said "Your life is based on the capacity of energy in you, not outside of you". I haven't decided yet if this tag falls in the 10% category of "useful thoughts", but I'll get back to you on that.

POW! - Pose of the Week

This week's Pose: Tiptoe pose - because I mentioned it last week, and didn't want to leave you hanging!

As you can see, a Sanskrit name has been devised for Tiptoe pose. Samatvam means balance, so this translates as "balance pose". Aren't ALL asanas balance poses, though? Like I said, this is a pose the appearance of which suggests many hours of practice, yet the Sanskrit name doesn't suggest that at all. I could argue that Tree pose is "balance pose", or Half-Moon pose is "balance pose". Anyway, this is a challenging pose with many benefits - including great satisfaction once it's mastered!

Tiptoe pose is a deep hip opener that requires balance (duh!) and focus. You will strengthen the spine, ankle and legs, while also opening the shoulders. This is one of those poses my friend Lauren says is "Pretzel Yoga"...and I can sort of see it with this posture. It certainly is an advanced pose.

Start in Mountain pose, and focus on an unmoving point in front of you. Bend your left leg and bring your left ankle (holding on to it, if necessary) to your right hip crease. Breathe deeply to help achieve this hip opening stance - it's only the first challenge, dear Readers! Keeping that ankle in your hip crease, fold forward into Standing Forward Bend. Frame your right foot with your hands (2nd challenge!). Once you're ready, bend your right leg and sit on your right heel. Remember your left foot is still in your right hip crease. Slowly, as you have your balance, bring your hands into prayer position.

So there we have it...3 poses in one: Mountain, Standing Forward Bend, and Tiptoe! Oh, and by the way, don't forget to hit this on the other side so you're really "balanced"...we wouldn't want one side to be looser than the other!

"Yoga is the study of balance, and balance is the aim of all living creatures." - Rolf Gates

POW! Pose of the Week

POW!
This week's pose: Simhasana - because I think I've eaten too many Kit Kats from Halloween!

I dressed as a cat to take my children Trick-or-Treating around the neighborhood, and when we came home, Hubby and I needed to "confiscate" the KitKats from their bags...mumbling something to them about the wafer allergy we thought they might be suffering...so with all of this "Cat/Kat" talk, it's only fitting I chose Lion Pose as this week's Pose of the Week.

Guys, this is a real posture, with a real Sanskrit name and everything, and as goofy as the picture seems, this is, in fact what the posture looks like. This is the antithesis of "Tiptoe Pose" - that lovely, challenging posture that actually looks like a yoga pose, yet has no Sanskrit name. I'm sure if you gave a yogic scholar half the chance, they could approximate a Sanskrit name for ol' Tiptoe, but nothing original.

So Simhasana it is, dear readers, a stress and anxiety reducing pose. Yes, just what we need now that Halloween is over and Christmas is in it's full-on red, green, and silver swing. Lion pose is nice for the head - it relieves jaw tension, exercises the facial muscles, improves blood flow to the head, can help clear nasal and ear passages, and maybe even relieve dry/sore throats. Ah, doesn't that sound nice for cold and flu season?

Begin by kneeling on the floor and resting back on your heels. Lean your upper body forward so you can "cage" your fingertips and place them on the floor about 1 foot's length in front of your knees. On your next exhale, allow your breath to "roar" as you open your mouth wide and stretch your tongue out as far as possible (can you touch the bottom of your chin?). Roll your eyes inward and upward to look at the point between your eyebrows (can you see that hair your tweezerman missed?).

When you relax after this pose, you can actually feel the tension between your eyebrows melt away, and the stretching of the mouth/tongue has helped to drain out those nasal and ear passages. I will say this, after your kids are done laughing at you, you'll be relaxed enough not to strangle them!

Roar!

Soundtrack

I feel like such a lucky girl this week! I was able to take 2 yoga classes this week! Josh on Thursday, and Diann this morning. I always feel so happy after a yoga class, and this week, especially, I feel so grateful when I'm able to practice with some old favorites!

I still maintain a practice is so much more fulfilling for me when I'm able to breathe deeply, separate myself from the outside world, get in a class, and just focus on the instructions given by the class leader. One of the things that really helps me lose myself in a practice is the music... I'm listening, but not really listening. Unless, of course, the pose is difficult and just focusing on my breathing isn't enough to help me "let go". I can listen to the music and it helps to keep my mind from thinking I can't hold a posture for one.second.longer.

Every instructor has their own preferences; some go for the obvious, sitar-laden "yoga class" jam band tunes ala Krishna Das, others are a little more avante garde and choose Yogi MC. I've heard Josh use some Supreme Beings of Leisure, Diann has been known to mix it up with some Madonna or LedZeppelin now and then, and Heidi even went with John Mayer last Sunday!

Music is a fairly big part of my life - Hubbs is really into tunes, and keeps me current by loading my iPod with new music, and is very good about getting me CDs when my favorite artists have a new release. In fact, I take him for granted about this and don't thank him nearly enough for hooking me up with good music. If not for him, my only exposure to fresh music would be my Pandora app!

Anyway, when I hear new music I tend to categorize it according to its purpose: Would this tune be good for working out? Would this tune be good for driving? Sometimes it's surprising to hear a song that I envisioned as music for one purpose being used for something else, such as background music in a commercial (I'm talking about you, Train: "Hey, Soul Sister" - which is currently hawking everything). Back before we had kids, we would make the odd mix-tape here and there (now I suppose we'd be relegated to "Playlists"), so I've never really lost the habit of picking out good tunes for a mix. I often find myself hearing a song and thinking "This tune would be awesome/interesting/a fun twist/relaxing in yoga class!"

So what songs would I put on my ultimate yoga practice Soundtrack? Well, that's quite a question to answer! Frankly, it's reason #562 "why I could never be a yoga instructor": I don't know what I'd put on my class soundtrack! I think the class would have to be hours and hours long just to accommodate all the music that I think would be "great" in a yoga class. Some of the music I hear would be a pleasant "surprise" to hear in a yoga class (Hello Macy Gray: "Beauty in the World"...and I'll admit I quite liked the John Mayer last week. It wasn't terrible...). Some music is classic, while other music isn't so traditional, but as you hear it, you think, "I could get into this..." (Hubbs recently introduced me to Bittersweet, and I would be up for that in a yoga class).

Interestingly enough, today the sound system wasn't working, so my yoga soundtrack was nothing but Diann's voice...and that worked out just fine, too.

What music is on your Yoga Playlist?

POW! Pose of the Week

Hello Dear Followers! Sorry I didn't have a Pose of the week for you last week...things have been busy in "real life", and I truthfully haven't had (or should I say "made") the time to devote to my practice, let alone blog about it! I actually went to a class on Sunday, and halfway through, I realized I hadn't been on my mat in over a week! That's an eternity, considering I was spending an hour on my mat at least 3 days a week this summer. No wonder the stress feels like it's mounting and I'm not being as efficient as I like. Perhaps devoting some time, even if it's just 15 minutes every other day, to practicing might turn things around. For now, I'm back with another Pose of the Week!

This week's pose: Parivrtta trikonasana, or Revolved Triangle pose - because you've had two weeks to work on Triangle, and I wanted to throw you for a loop! At least this pose throws ME for a loop!

Revolved Triangle is a wonderful, cleansing pose thanks to a pretty intense twist. It certainly improves your balance, lengthens your spine, and despite the twist, opens you up all over! (hips, chest, groin, you name it!)

The most direct way to find yourself in this posture is to begin in Mountain pose, and step one foot forward about 3 feet, angling the back foot outward, about 45 degrees. This is similar to the open leg stance you find for regular Triangle. Instead of holding your arms out at the shoulders, however, this time, bring both of your hands down to frame your forward foot. If your rear foot wants to lift, that means your stance is too wide, so adjust accordingly by shortening your stance. Once comfortable, slowly raise your opposite arm from the forward leg, twisting your waist, shoulders, and if balance permits, your head to gaze at that raised arm. Be sure to use your core to hold your torso and use your leg muscles to keep the small of your back level with your spine. Hold for several breaths, and slowly untwist and switch sides. This is a pretty intense twist, so feel free to use a prop (ie, a yoga block) to help support your posture.

So that's it for this week...more post ideas are percolating, so hopefully it won't be so long before I see you again!

C'mon baby, let's do the twist! Namaste.

POW! - Pose of the Week

POW! (Pose of the Week). This week's pose: Uttita trikonasana - because we can do so much with this! Trikonasana (or Triangle pose, to just about everyone!) was one of the first, truly memorable poses for me in Yoga. I remember the instructor gently talking us through what was, for me, a seemingly simple pose. I was able to touch the ground right away, both legs straight, one arm raised, and I couldn't believe that others in the class were having such trouble. This taught me a LOT about practicing yoga. One pose may come easily to me, but be incredibly challenging to someone else, regardless of outward appearance. Likewise, other postures which are easy for some, can present huge challenges for me. Fat people can do yoga, skinny people can do it, young people can do it, old people can do it, athletes can do it, I (not an athlete, by any stretch of the term) can do it...and I love the humility this brings to my work on the mat. By the way, Trikonasana was also the first posture name I learned in Sanskrit - it just sort of sticks in your mind, once you hear it.

And now, let's get into the nitty gritty of what this pose does for us - I love the gentle hamstring stretch I get in my forward leg. You may find yourself loving the opening you get in the hips or the shoulder, maybe you'll notice a strengthening in your thighs, legs, and ankles. Less obvious is the stimulation it gives to the digestive system and the stress relief it offers. There are also lots of variations and add-ons to deepen this pose for you, and help you get the maximum benefit.

Like the seemingly endless variations, there are also endless ways to find yourself in Trikonasana. You can push up from the ground, you can spiral open from a lunge, or your could straighten out of a side angle. I'm going to bring you there simply. From Warrior 2. Your hips are already open to the side, your front foot is out, and your back foot is anchored at a 45 degree angle. Arms are stretched to either side at shoulder height. Keeping this outward openness, lean forward with your outstretched arm, and stretch your torso as far as you can over your front leg, keeping parallel to the ground. Once you've leaned as far as you can go, keep your arms in one plane, and tilt the forward arm toward the ground. If your arms are kept in line, your back arm will automatically tilt up to the sky. Reach up for the clouds with the back arm. Reach down to root into the ground with your front arm.

If you're lucky enough to practice in front of a mirror, you will see several triangles in your posture: The one with an apex at your top hand. The one with the apex at your groins. The one with the apex where your forward arm brushes alongside your forward leg. If you're a math teacher, you might find even more ;) Lose yourself in the pose, trying to find as many triangles in your posture as you can. Triangles symbolize a trinity, and you could also lose yourself pondering who is in your trinity. Before you know it, it will be time to inhale to come up and out of your Trikonasana. Until next the next posture...

Namaste.

Macy Gray is underrated...

Hope you enjoyed this gorgeous East Coast Saturday! Beauty was everywhere...

..."Shake your booty, boys & girls, for the Beauty in the World!"

Meet my Guest Blogger - Elizabeth Adams!

The town where I live seems to be filled with people who have amazing life experiences. It's an incredibly social town, and at any gathering, you are bound to come across someone interesting who makes good, inspiring, informing, or just plain fun conversation!

My guest blogger is no exception! Despite the fact that our children began kindergarten together last fall, I never had the fortune to strike up a conversation with Elizabeth until our kids were on the same t-ball team this past Spring. Once I did, I soon found we had some interesting things in common, and really should have struck up conversation sooner. Especially since she was about to move. To India. Talk about life experience! This is not to say that Elizabeth's transition (it's ongoing!) to life in the Eastern Hemisphere has been a walk in the park. She's been great about sharing some of the eye-opening and jaw-dropping day-to-day experiences, and to say the least, she's going to emerge quite a bit stronger at the end of this. But looking on the bright side, as Patanjali would have us do, she has an amazing opportunity ahead of her, especially when the subject of practicing yoga in the "Motherland" comes up!

So, after reading her commentaries on Facebook, I had the great idea of asking her to be a guest blogger on lil' ol' YATS, and she graciously agreed! Full disclosure, this is more like an interview, rather than a "Guest Blog", but it's still an experience I wanted to hear more about, and I thought it would be fun to share on the blog. Elizabeth, of course, was game, so here goes!

Me: I'm assuming you did a yoga class or two before heading over to India. What brought you to the mat the first time?

EA: I actually took yoga in "Super-Saturday" classes in my town when I was about 5-6 years old, but I didn't start again until I tried Bikram (hot yoga) in my early thirties in London. But, Pilates was my true passion for a long time. I got slowly back into yoga in NY when I found a good teacher with challenging flows and nice, quiet energy.

Me: So, do you practice yoga at a studio? I saw your pictures of your new place (on Facebook), and you have a "Yoga House"...what's that all about?

EA: Currently, I practice in a multi-purpose room at the American Club. I intend to start at a yoga studio close to my house which is run/owned by Indians. I do have a yoga house, which is the perfect place to have private lessons - haven't used it as such yet. It's definitely not the norm to have that.

Me: Now that you're on the mat in the Motherland, how has your practice changed? ie - do you feel physically or emotionally different?

EA: My practice hasn't changed so much in India, but my dedication has. The vinyasas are very challenging (chaturangas galore!) and inversions (which are my weak point) keep me humble and striving to improve.

Me: Is it a national "pasttime" of sorts? ie - is everyone doing yoga, is it a way of life there?

EA: There are billboards around on how to live a healthy life - don't smoke, don't drink, do yoga. It is definitely THE go-to exercise regimen. ie, you don't see joggers on the streets of India! Then again, I don't know how many people are actually practicing here - a huge percentage of people live on very little money and don't have much free time to dedicate to yoga.

Me: When you take a class does it feel like they have "dumbed it down" for Westerners?

EA: I am not noticing any new asanas, but there are tweaks about proper posture/positioning that I find varies from teacher to teacher, whether in the US or India - everyone teaches yoga a little differently.

Me: Magazines and books in the US tout yoga's calming benefits. If so many people in India are practicing, are they a nation of chilled-out people? ie - is it obvious that they subscribe to a yogic way of life?

EA: I wouldn't say that - Indian people can lose their cool just like any other society, but they are also very accepting of circumstance (karma) and dutiful. Maybe yoga fits in there somewhere.

Me: In India, is it more spiritual-based rather than fitness-based?

EA: I would say yes - since most Indians are Hindus, the quiet and stillness you can cultivate with yoga is promoted to get more in touch with the spiritual, and the goal is to break the cycle of Karma/rebirth. No one ever talks here about losing 5 lbs or reshaping the body - it's not about that.

So, that's about it. I'm so grateful that Elizabeth was willing to share this small piece of her experience of being an expat in India, and I hope you enjoyed reading a bit about it, too (even if it was through the lens of my questions)!

Thank you SO much, Elizabeth! The light within me salutes the light within you. Namaste.

POW! Pose of the Week

POW! This week's pose: Utthita Parsvakonasana - because we're still opening those hips!

Extended Side-Angle pose is yet another pose you can easily transition into from Warrior 2. As simple as this pose looks, there are lots and lots of subtle variations that make this a pose that I am still working on (and may be working on for some time!) Yes, ALL asanas are postures to "work on", but this, similar to my much-reviled chair pose, is a posture that I have not gotten perfect. I haven't nailed it yet, not even for a second. I have several postures that I really like my progression with, and this is not one of them.

Like all postures, it has its benefits: Building focus and willpower, it opens the hips, strengthens the ankles, calves, knees, and thighs, lengthens the spine and (here's a new one) increases lung capacity! Interesting, because as you see from the picture above (shamelessly plagerized from some website), the open ribs seem like they could just iniflate and puff right out with your breath - which is what I do. But, my teacher always comes around and adjusts me so that I'm straight as a board on my open side, at which point, I don't dare inflate to break the line from ankle to wrist, but then I lose balance, or start to straighten the front leg, or lift the forward arm, or shift the top arm, and Oh-gosh-darn-it, we've moved on to another posture, and another week passes and let's just say this won't be one of those poses I'll be nailing on the Standup Paddleboard...

So, coming into this posture is quite easy from Warrior 2 (see 2 weeks ago, "POW" for reference). Let's start with the Right leg forward, left leg back, slightly angled out, arms raised shoulder-height. Instead of facing forward (as in Warrior 2), keep the head and shoulders in line with the hips, opening outward. Bend your forward knee 90 degrees, and anchor the outside edge of your left foot onto the mat. Reach downward with your right fingertips so that your wrist is in line with your ankle, shoulder alongside your knee. Extend your left arm up and over your left ear, and look up towards the sky, as if peeking out from under your bicep. If you are like the model in the photo, your entire left side will be a straight angle from your left ankle to your left wrist. Good luck with that.

Create balance and honor your spirit...

POW! Pose of the Week

Pose of the Week - This week's pose: Virabhadrasana III - because you knew it was coming! Warrior 3 is the final pose of the Warrior series (thank goodness, because after this, you can only imagine what could be next!). Of course, it improves your balance - how else could you form a Capital letter T with your body? - and improves your posture, but it also strengthens your ankles and shoulders while toning your abdominals. Believe me, you are not going to be able to support this posture without using your abs!

You can find yourself tipping into Warrior 3 from standing (mountain pose), leveling out from Ardha Chandrasana (half-moon pose), or swooping out from Trikonasana (triangle pose). In this way, Warrior 3, though extremely challenging, is versatile! It turns out, that this month's issue of Yoga Journal has an article that discusses the "stories" behind some of our favorite yoga postures. Much like the Greek and Roman legends describe the formation of the Constellations, there are stories and legends to explain the origins of the Sanskrit names for yoga postures. The author of the article didn't go into the legend of the Warrior series, but a simple online search revealed the story behind Virabhadrasana (a powerful hero born from the hair of the god Shiva), and the story almost compels you to follow the asanas in order (Vira. I, Vira. II, and finally Vira. III), so that's how I'll take you there!

Starting from where we were last week, Virabhadrasana II, your front knee is bent, toes pointing straight ahead, looking to the future. Your back leg is straight with the foot at a 45 degree angle, hips are open to the side. Arms stretch forward and back, palms facing down. Sweep your back arm overhead and bring it in line with your forward arm while rotating the hips and back foot forward. Place your weight on your forward foot, and lean into it. Balance on the front leg while you allow the back leg to lift off, coming parallel to the floor. Your torso also will tilt forward in line with the back leg, parallel to the floor. Wrists, shoulders, hips, and ankles should all be level. From the side, you will look like a giant, capital T. Now you're flying!

Allow the balance of this series to help you seek balance and happiness in your life!

DVD review: Yoga for Weight Loss

Yoga for Weight Loss is produced and distributed by Gaiam, that yoga/pilates/fitness emporium, and it is one of the first yoga DVDs I ever purchased. It was my main exposure to yoga for a long time. Since I started taking yoga classes with live teachers at yoga studios and my gym, I don't have much time to practice with DVDs, and found that I prefer a "live" person over a recorded practice, where you can predict exactly what's coming next.

However, I have a friend who has recently expressed an interest in learning more about Yoga, and asked if I wouldn't mind "showing her around" a mat a bit. I happily obliged (I do, afterall, have a deep seated fantasy that I someday will be an awesome yoga teacher who leads packed practices like Diann or Josh), and I recommended that we start with this oldie but goodie.

My thought was that she could practice with the DVD, and I could monitor and make subtle adjustments to her posture. But once the DVD got started, I remembered what I liked about it, and I ended up jumping right in! Of course, not without a few laughs - my friend promptly pointed out that Suzanne Deason (the instructor) strongly resembles Samantha from Sex and the City (she's right! Watch and see!) and then we laughed that the youngest and seemingly fittest of the 3 models demonstrating modifications needed the most modification. I judiciously explained that appearance can be deceiving, and that someone who looks "fit" may not necessarily be as flexible as someone who is a seasoned yogi, but we laughed anyway.

This is a great DVD for home practice beginners. The scenery is breathtaking, Suzanne's voice and instruction are smooth; postures are gentle enough without modification, but if you actually *can* follow Suzanne, you'll certainly get a nice stretch. She's not "show-offy" at all! And believe me, I have a DVD where the instructor flares nostrils and loves to show that she can easily do more than you can and is dumbing-it-down for the DVD (I'm talking about you, Natasha Rizopoulous!). In Yoga for Weight Loss, there are 3 levels of modifications for you to follow; you can choose to watch only the modification level you are following, or you can watch the full practice and see what all 4 women are doing. I love this feature, because you may be able to follow Suzanne for some of the standing poses, but need modification on the floor, in which case you can follow one of the other women.

The DVD also has bonus features, where Suzanne herself models some of the more important modifications on the main postures. There's the standard "disclaimer" about consulting a physician before starting a new pnysical regime, and a bio of Suzanne, but that's not what you bought the DVD for. You bought it to practice yoga at home, and this DVD is a fine starting point. I remember liking it so much (and Suzanne's instruction) that I returned to the website to purchase more of her DVDs (I have at least 2 others with Suzanne as the instructor, and she's leagues better than the other instructors on Gaiam media).

Yes, I FAR prefer a live practice in a studio or at the gym, and while this DVD is more for beginners, it's still a great practice to revisit when I'm feeling low on energy and want an gentler practice or just would like to brush up on my basics. Thumbs up!

Letting go doesn't mean "losing your grip"...it means relaxing enough to make some space.

POW! - Pose of the Week

This week's pose: Virahabdrasana (II) - because we can benefit from a little wisdom, courage, and unwavering focus. Just look at this posture! This is a woman who is "ready". She has courage, and she's looking intently towards her future. Her back foot, however, is grounded in the past, so she's gained insight, wisdom, if you will, so she's looking to the future with clear focus.

Warrior II is another of those poses that you can approach from endless angles. You can approach from standing or you can approach from the floor, but I'm going to get you there from Warrior I, because that's where I directed you last week. Building on that pose, Warrior II will strengthen your legs, stretch your groins, chest, and shoulders, and can help increase stamina. It's another of those muscle-building poses that helps with osteoporosis and can relieve backaches and sciatica. Let's get started!

Beginning in Warrior I, your front foot is directing your energy forward and your back foot is angled slightly (45 degrees) outward. Your hips are facing forward with your shoulders stacked above, and your arms are raising with purpose to the sky. Your ears are between your biceps. Keeping your gaze forward, you are going to open up to the side, and shifting your hips ever-so-slightly to face outward. If your left foot is forward (as in the picture above), you accomplish this by swinging your right arm backward in an arc, holding it at shoulder level. Your left arm will come down, level with your left shoulder. Shoulders swivel and open out to remain steady over your hips. Your gaze remains intent over your left arm and forward left foot. Arrival. (don't forget to hit it on the other side!)

Let go...

POW! (Pose of the Week)

This week's Pose: Virahabdrasana (I) - because I've had you sitting on your arses for too many weeks now.

I think your hips are sufficiently opened by now...you've been in easy pose, half-lotus, full-lotus. Let's get up off the floor and try some standing poses. Besides, Virahabdrasana (I) is also known as Warrior 1, and we must always be ready for battle (especially when facing 8th graders at 8:00 each morning!)

Vira (I) physically strengthens the legs, opens the chest and shoulders, and now that you've excelled at opening your hips, helps with stability and balance. Mentally, you'll build focus, and readiness, raising your arms with intention. The sheer confidence radiating from this posture is quite a powerful image, and you can see why it has the nickname of Warrior 1.

After practicing all summer, I've found that there are sooooo many different ways to arrive in Warrior 1. Half of the fun of practice is to find how you'll get there. What new and inventive ways will the instructor help you arrive?

Once you have arrived, you'll find your arms raised high up with intention, elbows in line with your ears. Your shoulders will be relaxed down your back, and centered over your hips. You should not be leaning forward or back. Your front leg will be bent 90 degrees, knee stacking over ankle, and your toes will be pointing forward. Your back leg will be extended long behind you, straight, with nothing more than a microbend in your knee (ie, don't lock the joint straight!). I have seen Warrior 1 with the back heel raised. In this instance, your toes will point forward, and you'll be balancing on the ball of the back foot. I've also seen Warrior 1 with the back foot flat on the ground. In this instance, the heel will be angled back at a 45 degree, with the outside edge of the foot especially flat to the ground.

Once you've arrived, you'll be ready for anything!

Be the change you wish to see in the world. ~M.Ghandi

Surf Yoga Soul - DVD review

♥ Well, dear readers, my shipment of yoga DVDs came this afternoon, and without delay, I ripped right into them and hopped on the mat for a test drive. This DVD, Surf Yoga Soul is subtitled "the ultimate flow yoga practice", and it's lead by Shiva Rea, yogini extraordinaire. {It seems to be produced for (or even by) Acacia, unlike all of my other yoga DVDs, which are from Gaiam.}

I purchased this DVD to support my hubby's dream of me doing yoga on his SUP. After trying this practice, I can say with all honesty that I am not hopping on that Paddleboard any time soon. My first impression is that this DVD is awesome, and it is definitely NOT for beginners. My previous experience with Shiva Rea's offerings on DVD was her Pregnancy Yoga DVD by Gaiam. That practice wasn't the best, but the offerings for Pregnancy Yoga are slim pickings, so I found myself practicing with Shiva a few times a month throughout each of my pregnancies. Surf Yoga Soul, on the other hand, has gorgeous scenery, a hip soundtrack, and a very cool "matrix" format, which means I can customize my workout! It has 7 different segments of varying length, and the viewer is able to pick and choose the segments, organizing them however suits, and voila! the practice is set.

To start, I chose a 17 minute segment that worked the arms/shoulders, an 11 minute segment to stretch, and finished with a 2 minutes Savasana. The first segment was so challenging, the second segment stretched it out, and the third segment finished beautifully. I was so pleased with the flow I put together for myself, that I went back and tried the 20 minute "balancing" segment. I can tell I am going to get a lot out of experimenting with the different segments in different orders, which is so motivating!

Bottom line: This DVD is going to be a staple in my rotation! Highly recommended for people with a firm knowledge of and experience in advanced level poses (crow, Warrior 3, Pigeon, and King Dancer, to name a few).

More to come... ♥

Namaste.

POW! (pose of the week)

This week's pose: Sukhasana - "Sit easy Pose" - because we're starting over ;)

Sit easy Pose helps to focus awareness on breathing. It's great for starting a practice as it gently opens your hips and strengthens your lower back. Yoga Journal admonishes that if you're used to sitting in chairs all day (hello, Desk Jobbers!) even this simple pose can feel uncomfortable at first and take some getting used to.

So, why are we starting over? Summer is ending (for us teachers, it's our first day back from the summer break, so Summer is already over. September 21st is just a formality on the calendar...) The change of seasons always present us with a new beginning, a chance to set up a new routine, and with this, it's always good to revisit the "classics" in your yoga practice, just to make sure you're keeping up with good form.

Sukasana is one of the most commonly used yoga poses, and many instructors begin their practices in this pose. It's "easy" - you sit on the floor, buttocks grounded with your sitz bones aiming downward. You cross your legs and keep your spine lifting upward to the crown of your head. The chin is kept level. My older son says this is the "criss-cross apple sauce" way of sitting, but Sukasana lends a little more dignity to the start of your practice. Sit as long as you wish, but if you visit this pose often, be sure to alternate the way you fold your legs, just for balance.

Namaste

My summer practice comes to an end...

*sigh*
Labor Day must be a teacher's least favorite day of the year. Summer is ending, the anticipated return to work, the chance to "start anew" with a new group of students - as you can imagine, there is a wild mix of emotions. This year is no exeption for me. After several days of prepping my classroom , I'll admit that I AM ready to return to work, and I'm truly looking forward to the chance to work with a new crop of kids, to see if we can work as hard as last year and achieve the same successes, and perhaps some new ones!

What's new for me this year is that I'm lamenting the end of summer for a completely different reason. Frankly, I'm ready for autumn because I'm thoroughly done with the crazy heat we've had this year. What I'm most despondant about is the fact that I KNOW I am not going to be able to practice yoga nearly as often as I've been able to this summer - and I'm unsure what the repercussions are going to be!

I've practiced more regularly than I've ever practiced before - ie, I've not missed more than 2 days in a row since July. For this reason, I've been able to notice unprecidented growth in my practice. I feel centered and calm (and it has more to do with yoga than it has to do with having the summer "off"). I've realized benefits that I truly don't want to see diminish - I'm kinda liking the way my deltoids look: thank you plank, chaturanga, and up-dog! I don't want this hard work to turn right back to flab. Plus, despite this hard work, I still haven't been able to say adios to my 5 pounds from Mexico. Will those 5 pounds turn into 10 now that I'm not doing yoga as often? Talk about a nightmare!!!

In preparation, I did order a few new DVDs to help tide me over and at least encourage me to get on my mat(I promise to give reviews once they come in and I give them a go). I am going to keep an open mind about practicing this way, but realistically, I know the challenges I am up against: kids and their jungle gym climbs on my posture, finding time, having committment to do it after a long day at work, the usual obstacles working folks have. I AM hopeful that my blog will keep me focused and motivated to continue with a home practice, and I know I am at least committed to keeping the gym's yoga schedule memorized so I can get to class whenever possible.

This should be an interesting few months. I encourage you to check back and read about my progress (and DVD reviews), but more importantly, I encourage you to drop in and SHARE your experiences. How do you deal with your workout obstacles (whether your workout is Yoga or something else)? What tricks and tips do you have to offer for staying committed to the mat? What DVDs are really working for you? How is your home practice coming along? Share away, dear readers!

Namaste.

POW! (Pose of the Week)

This week's Pose: Tiptoe Pose - because it's nice to know you can always take it a step further!
I am not sure of the sanskrit name for this pose. Different sites list it differently: Pada Angushthasana. Samatvam. Prapadasana. All I know is that it's taking last week's pose (full lotus) one eencie, weencie step further, and this is how you progress in yoga. With each practice, you bring yourself one gradual step further, and eventually, you're flying in crow, or binding in Marichiasana (My eventual goal! Ha!)

So, Tiptoe pose it is for me today (and has been for a while). It lengthens your spine, really improves your balance, improves digestion and circulation, strengthens all those things that Lotus does, but steps it up a notch and relieves symptoms of sciatica! Whew! Just when I was losing hope there that this pose might not do enough...

Ever so slightly different from Lotus, this pose starts from Mountain Pose (tadasana). You balance on one leg - let's start on the Left today - and bring the right foot to rest in your left hip crease. This is a standing half-lotus. You were reading about half lotus on my blog 2 weeks ago, so this is old-hat. Big deal. But NOW, bend forward at the waist and touch the floor. Woah, nelly. That's a different sensation. You're still keeping that right foot in half lotus. Breathe a bit, it will get easier. NnOoWw, keeping your hands in contact with the floor, bend that supporting left leg, and come to sit/balance on the left heel. You will really feel this in your right hip, and as and when you're ready, you can balance by bringing your hands up to prayer. Tah-Dah! When you're ready to come out of the pose, you reverse all of your motions and repeat on the other side.

This pose is challenging, to say the least, and I am still working on it, after being introduced to it about 3 weeks ago at a Saturday practice. It's fun, though, and I like the fact that I'm nudging myself forward in my practice. Some days I can balance for a few seconds, other days, I can't balance at all...but that's the nature of the beast!

Today, remind yourself it's okay to take risks; even little ones can pay off!

Why do you do Yoga?

Queridos cincos pesos, we first met, reluctantly, in Mexico. Since then, you've grown on me. Now it's time for us to say "Adios". I'm headed back to work in a week and I have some pencil skirts I'd like to squeeze into (and not look like Joan from MadMen!)...

Weight loss? Toning? Improve flexibility? Calm? 5 dang minutes to yourself? An instructor (Diann) once asked rhetorically during class, "Why do we do yoga?" Cheekily, I replied, "So we can shave in the shower..." But really, why do YOU do yoga?

When you enter a yoga class for the first time, you go with some sort of purpose: Hey, you're going to check out this "Om" stuff; a physician recommended it as part of your physical therapy; your friend who does yoga looks amazing; you've been spying on the class through the window while you run on the treadmill, and everyone looks happier leaving an hour of yoga than you do leaving a 40 minute run...

The reasons are countless, and it doesn't matter why you "try" it the first time. What matters is your reason for coming back. What keeps you returning to the mat, again, and again, and for me this summer, again? (obviously, since those 5 pounds from my vacation are still hanging around, I'm not doing it for weight loss benefits! And since I still don't look like Gwyneth Paltrow, I'm not doing it for toning, either! Then again, I do have a healthy appetite which she doesn't seem to have...)

I attended a class last Tuesday morning - it was an 8:30 class, and while countless people wake far earlier than 8:30 to begin a practice, my joints weren't quite lubricated enough yet, and I was hoping for a little gentle flexing and stretching, building up to some movement, but nothing as intense as one of Diann's or Josh's classes. The instructor, whom I remember from last year, opened the practice with an almost diatribe on how she expected people to participate in her class. "Sitting one out" if you didn't like the pose wasn't going to cut it in her practice that morning. She expected everyone to try and take it as far as he/she could because that's the intent and spirit of yoga (she's right, but was this the time?) It was borderline lecture on yogic theory, and while she may have been trying to educate us on a subject she obviously loves and knows a great deal about, 8:30 in the morning at a gym is not the time or the place. This went on for the first 10 minutes of the class, and she ended by impressing upon us on the need to clean up after ourselves, should we have to leave class early to head out to work or pick up children from childcare. Really? We only get 1 hour, and you've spent the first 10 minutes lecturing us, so I don't think we'll be ducking out early. Then, almost as if to make up for lost time, she launched into a rapid fire practice that didn't have many poses, but some were quite challenging for the beginners who she felt were present in enough numbers that needed "enlightening" at the beginning of class.

My point in telling this story, other than to get a minor gripe off my chest, is that I have been practicing yoga for a long time, and this instructor is hardly going to scare me off with her style. Someone walking in off his/her treadmill, however, might not have the patience for the "mumbo jumbo". I will be back, again, and again, and again (in fact, I'll be on my mat later this morning...), because I have my own purpose in doing yoga. The truth is, it is therapeutic to me (my mind, my joints, my spirit), I am proud of and love the growth in my practice I have accomplished this summer, and now that I'm headed back to teaching in just a week, I have no idea how I'm going to keep attending classes so ardently!

Yes, in the back of my mind, I'm constantly reminding myself that with patience, I'll get that long, lean yoga body - but the fact that it has yet to materialize is proof that I'm on my bright yellow mat for a different reason entirely. Is it those fleeting moments to myself? Is it the chance for the world to stop and move more slowly by? Is it a chance for me to feel the edges of my skin? It doesn't matter, because it's all of these and more. With every new practice, another reason arises, and that's why I'll be back...

Namaste.

POW! (pose of the week)

Pose of the Week: Padmasana - because we're building the next level! For me, Lotus pose is one of those "definitive" yoga poses. It looks so serene, peaceful, inwardly connected. Despite all this "ease", Lotus is also a pose that takes many, many baby steps to get right - which is why I've taken the time to build up to it over the course of the last three weeks.

Padmasana has many physical benefits: Clearly, your hips are going to be opened when you're sitting with opposite ankles resting in your hip creases - but did you also know that it will actually lubricate your knee joints, possibly preventing arthritis and (for us women who are prone to it) osteoporosis?!? Sitting up tall will strengthen abdominal organs and promote good digestion. Mentally, this pose will focus your mind (making it an optimal pose for meditation), reduce stress, and bring about mental clarity.

Begin sitting in staff pose (L-shape, with legs out in front of you). If it helps, sit with your back against the wall the first few times to encourage your spine to lengthen upwards. Slowly draw your left heel up to your navel, and bring it to rest in the right hip crease. Draw the right heel up to your navel, and set it into the left hip crease. Rotate the hips and thighs and widen them out to the sides. Breathe easy and sit as long as you like. As Diann reminds us in class: Just when you feel you need to "jump out" of a pose, breath deeply into the pose, because that's when it's beginning to do it's work! Every so often, break your dominance, and find yourself into the pose in the opposite order (ie, do the right side first, then the left).

Please do not rush into the pose all at once. Build up to it gradually. Begin (as I did 3 weeks ago) by practicing Sage (siddhasana), then when that's comfortable, work your way up to a half-Lotus (ardha padmasana) before attempting full Lotus. With baby steps, gradually working your way into this pose, you'll find that even someone with the stiffest hips out there, with diligence and intention, can make his/her way into Lotus.

And just when you thought Lotus was "arrival"...tune in next week to see where we're going next with this work!

Be the change you wish to see in the world.

POW! (Pose of the Week)

POW! This week's Pose: Ardha Padmasana - because we're half way there!

August is half way over, can you believe it? The second half of summer always flies by much faster than the first half for us schoolteachers...

I think that Ardha must Sanskrit for "Half" (Half moon is Ardha Chandrasana, Half lotus is Ardha Padmasana - seems logical, right?). This week, I've chosen to build upon last week's pose, making a progression in the last few weeks of summer (Ardha August, anyone?). Last week, I shared Sage Pose with you, and you'll notice the biggest difference between Sage and Half-Lotus is the width of the knees. Half-Lotus positions the knees ever so slightly closer together, but in doing so, you'll open the hips quite a bit more. See the picture, above left, featuring Siddhartha, the ultimate Yoga Celebrity! Transition from one pose to the other, and you'll notice the difference I'm talking about.

Half Lotus is a super posture to take for meditation or to use for breath work, but it also has intrinsic benefits of its own: It will open hips, lubricate knee joints, tone the abdomen (when you sit up tall!), and magically, it actually is regarded to prevent arthritis and osteoporosis! So keep popping those Viactiv all the while taking this posture ;)

Begin with your legs out in front of you (from the side you'll look like a capital letter "L". Draw your right foot to your navel, rotating the leg outward, then gently place the top of your foot in the hip crease of your left leg. Sitting up tall, gently tuck your left leg under the right, and relax into the pose. Enjoy the benefits!

Until next week:

Be the change you wish to see in the world!

Diann ♥

I was in upward facing dog, I could feel the back of my deltoids actually burning, sweat was forming on my brow, and it was less than five minutes in, only the second pose of class! This is yoga with Diann, and so many of us love her for it! At long last, I can compose my first dedicated post to one of my "fave of all time" yoga instructors...

I've been practicing yoga all summer long, countless upward facing dogs have been performed, and not once have my muscles burned. I attend class with quite a few talented, challenging teachers...and they're all gifted, but not like Diann! So if a second-pose-up-dog is making my shoulders burn (totally in a good way, readers - I've blogged before about the need to not feel pain in yoga - this burn was warmth. I was arriving. I was building necessary warmth for the practice to come)...you must want to know what the first pose was.

Chaturanga! We held it for a loooooooooong time, too. Supported on blocks, of course, but the reason for this was for Diann to guide us into picture-perfect alignment. Then we visited the pose 3 more times within the practice (with and without blocks), to progress in the pose. Many of my "usual" instructors guide us and demonstrate perfect alignment and sometimes walk around and make subtle adjustments, but with Diann, she will talk you through the subtle adjustments until your muscles and bones are in the proper places, help you make those adjustments and not stop until she's satisfied that everyone is mastering the pose for their practice. Yes, there's luxury to do this in a small class, but I recall this about her guiding instruction when I was often a student in a 4o+ person class "way back when", when she taught at my gym, and of course, this is what got me "hooked".

So, Diann and the gym have parted ways - in fact, when it happened about a year ago, I just couldn't believe it! - and practicing with her now is a luxury in so many ways! She kicked my butt, and I don't think she'd mind me saying so, but I never leave class defeated. I feel I've grown, I've "tweaked" a pose or two, and I have an idea where my practice is going to take me next (if not physically, then definitely metaphorically). It's a great luxury to leave a practice this way. It's a great luxury to fit it into my weekend (practice is 70-75 minutes, and I don't always know if I have that long to practice or babysitting covered). It's a great luxury to be enriched by her vast knowledge of poses, yogic history, and wholistic philosophy. She's never preachy, but shares an outlook that makes you appreciate a lot of things you weren't even thinking about before. I've taken away a lot of how I feel about yoga from practicing with Diann - my love of the grace in each pose, my tendency to do a pose with intention, and the knowledge that this is a journey - just as I've "arrived" in one place I'm able to see where I'm going next!

Thanks, Diann, for a super practice today, and hopefully, I'll see you again before the next change of season ;) Familiar words to end a practice (or a blog entry):

Honoring the light above me, honoring the light below me, honoring the light on my right, honoring the light on my left, honoring the light within me, allows me to honor the light within each and every one of you.

POW! (Pose of the Week)

Pose of the Week: Siddhasana - because we're building on something here...

Siddhasana, or "Sage pose" is a nice little pose to work on once you've warmed up quite a bit in your practice. It will help focus the mind and reduce stress, but it's also going to open the hips and elongate the spine while toning the abdominals as you focus on proper breathing techniques.

I've been seeing quite a bit of Lotus pose lately (online, in Yoga Journal, in books), and it's definitely one of those decievingly advanced yoga poses that you have to work up to. Whenever you see a photograph of Lotus, the practitioner looks calm, and at peace, like he/she is totally relaxed in the moment. In fact, Lotus is a common pose that people take when meditating, the ultimate practice of looking inward towards the third eye and/or heart center.

But Lotus is a very challenging pose, and I think Sage pose is a good pose to practice in order to ready yourself for Lotus. Begin seated with extended legs and bring the sole of one foot to the inner thigh of the other leg. Gently bend your other leg, bringing that foot and ankle to rest on top of the opposite calf muscle. Let the legs and pelvis feel heavy as you breathe deeply into the belly. Relax here for as long as you like, before switching to repeat on the opposite side. With regular practice of the Sage pose, soon, you'll find yourself ready to try the half Lotus, and finally Full Lotus poses.

Namaste.

Updates...

Just a quick post today...

First, I felt I should give an update on my "Do Yoga Everyday for a Week" goal. I am a teacher, and during the school year, I don't have the time (a more dedicated yogi would say, "oh, you just don't make the time...") to practice as often as I like. I do squeeze in a class whenever I can, but once school is in session, classes at 9am during the week just aren't going to work, nor are evening classes at 7pm, which is precisely bedtime for my two littlest boys. Weekends are relegated to grocery shopping, cleaning, and laundry, plus kids' sports and other committments. It's hard to practice.

SOOOOO, I take full advantage of the summer and the more flexible schedule I have as a "sSAHM" (seasonal Stay At Home Mom), and practice as much as I can. At the start of the summer, I made a pledge to myself that I would take at least one week and try doing yoga every day, and I was finally able to accomplish this goal. So, why the insistence on every day? Well, I do read a lot of celebrity rag-mags, and everyone with a fab body always chalks it up to Yoga. Madonna, Gwyneth, Jennifer, you name the celeb, they name yoga.

My results? No, I don't look like a celebrity. It's going to take a lot more dedication than one week (and a LOT less M&Ms). But I feel happy, which is probably more than I can say for the aforementioned celebs! The accomplishment of meeting a goal, of course, gives you a bit of a "glow", but I do feel more limber, and I feel like it's almost part of a routine now...I just knew each day that I was going to find myself on a mat at some point during the day. After my dedicated week, I did take a 2 day break (Thursday and Friday) from yoga...but I still did some cardio at the gym. Today, I think I'll hop back on the mat and look forward to some more opportunities this week. Maybe by September I'll have that celeb bod...

Speaking of celebrity rag mags - in the latest issue of "Life and Style", who is pictured paddling down some river on an SUP (stand up paddleboard - see last week's post)? And speaking of SUPs, what was featured, front and center, in the New York Times Style Section this past Thursday? And where were the paddleboarders headed? To do Yoga on the beach. Sometimes the connections we can make are a-m-a-z-i-n-g.

As I mentioned last week, our SUP has been ordered, and as my final update today, it is due to arrive on Monday. Will I hop on and paddle on over to my SUP yoga class? You'll just have to check back and see ;)

Connect with your spirit on the mat. Soon. I promise it will feel good...

Tried and true vs. Mixing it up!

Well, it's Wednesday, and I was able to participate in quite a challenging class today! The instructor really mixed things up and had us all over the mat. We did traditional poses (down dog, plank, warrior, crocodile, chair - ugh, triangle, pyramid, etc), but not in the "traditional" order.

For example, we were in Mountain pose, and stepped far back into a high Warrior 1. Later on, we got into plank, lowered into crocodile, then pushed up again into plank before down dog - mixed up, for sure! The focus was definitely on balance, though, and the biggest "doozy" of all was lifting from Warrior 1 into a standing side twist on one (!) leg. I was proud of myself for mostly following along and doing my best.

This was quite a difference from Monday's class, which presented challenges of it's own. But the challenges on Monday were the same ones they were last Monday, and the Monday before that, because the instructor seems to follow a tried and true sequence that works for her. It's almost formulaic. We do a few sun salutations, some Warriors (1 and 2), Triangle, some half-moons, some Warrior 3, Tree, Camel, Gate, and Boat. If she's feeling sassy, she'll throw in a Bridge, Pigeon, or Crow, but that's pretty much the extent of the variation.

Now, each style of instruction has its benefits. I like the Monday class, because I know which poses are going to make an appearance, and sometimes I know the order they're coming. Sounds a bit boring, but it's better than a tape because she does get us into some challenging poses - poses I haven't quite nailed yet. Knowing that these poses are coming up in the practice gives me security in that I'll definitely get another chance to work on them, deepening my practice! To her credit, the instructor *does* vary the way she gets us into poses. Sometimes she brings us in from the bottom and others we come down from the top, and that variation is helpful. Maybe we have trouble in the pose from one direction, but we get a second chance in the other direction.

Wednesday's class is a Vinyasa class, and I love the way the instructor builds us up to the flow he's decided on for the day. I usually know the poses...but I rarely know the order he's going to use. "Mixing it up" has a lot of benefits for deepening my practice in another way. When I don't know what's coming, I am forced to listen intently; my focus is there, in the moment. I don't have time to worry about who is wobbling around, I don't have time to check the clock, there's really no time to think about anything else but the practice. I'm truly "in the zone".

So, let's weigh in on which style of instruction you prefer, and why!

No matter why you practice, practice to purify (purify the body through asana, purify the mind through focus and intention, purify the soul through meditation) - paraphrased from Patanjali

ps - I've done it! I've done at least 45 minutes of practice everyday for 7 days. This garners another post in the coming days...