My 80th post!...and the end of mid-winter break

Entryway to the Temple

So, how did I spend this last-day-before-heading-back-to-work?  Husband had a great idea to take the boys to Flushing to visit a Hindu temple and grab a bite to eat, and a great idea it was!

First of all, the day couldn't have been more beautiful - end of Februrary in New York, sunny and approaching 50 degrees.  It was great to be out and experiencing something a little off the beaten path in our great city.  We got a little lost on the way, and had a rather loud, angry shout fest in the car...was it my fault for emailing and not providing directions, or was it his fault for printing-out shitty directions and being impatient with my phone's GPS?  It's un-germane (is that even a word?) to the point of the trip, and yes, I'm more than a little embarrassed that my kids had to witness that, but I think we'll all live.

We luckily got the directions sorted, and found the temple.  Even luckier, we were able to find on-street parking just around the corner.  The temple is actually under reconstruction, and much of it's facade was scaffolded off, but the website shows the ornately decorated top of the temple.  We strolled through the entryway, admiring the various incarnations of Ganesh, the Hindu god with an Elephant's head and human body (sometimes with multiple arms), before we found our way to the temple's entrance.  We needed to leave our shoes in the basement before entering the main temple.  We wandered the perimeter to check out the jaw-dropping statues of deities, each adorned with garlands of flowers and jewels. 
Fortunately, a ceremony was underway, celebrating the Maha Sivaratri Day (which is coming up this Wednesday), and we were able to respectfully observe.  We saw the food offerings, heard some chanting, and witnessed the adorning of the main statue with flowers.  Unfortunately, we understood very little, but it was fascinating to watch, nonetheless, and we felt quite welcome to peaceably observe.

After a bit, the growl of our tummies and the promise of some delicious curry called us to the Temple's Canteen (too much Star Wars had me accidentally calling it the "Cantina" more than once).  I have no idea what we ate, but it was a weekend-only special for $9, it was spicy, and it was good.  There was a potato curry, a pappadum, something creamy with carrots and okra, and a yummy grain with chopped greenbeans.  There was a sweet dish, and a side of yogurt.  We ordered a supplemental Paneer dosa (very spicy!) and a plain dosa which was delicious when dunked in the sweet dish.  I had an authentic chai (surprisingly quite a bit different from the chai my morning bag of tea claims to be), Husband had a coffee, and a quick stroll through the Temple gift shop ended our trip.  I'm glad we took this little adventure, and look forward to a return trip!

This mid-winter break has been a great time to relax, recharge, and reconnect. Thanks to the time off, I've also been able to make quite a few blog entries, and (happily!) increase the readership. Thank you for stopping by...I can't promise I'll keep up with as much regularity, but I'll give it an honest try, so keep checking back! 



The divine is universal.  "It makes no difference whether you worship God, Jehovah, Allah, Mohammed, Buddah, Christ, or Krishna - it is still and always one and the same God." - Swami Satyananda Saraswati

YATS "cooks"

TOTALLY unrelated to yoga, I recently read a dime-store novel (although it cost waaaay more than a dime!) called ‘Murder your Darlings” by J.J. Murphy. It features real NYC writers from the ‘20’s (Dorothy Parker, William Faulkner, Robert Benchley) enthralled in a fictitious event – a murder-mystery – set in a real place (the Algonquin Hotel – where we had High Tea when my mom was visiting last November). It put me in the mood to have a real honest-to-goodness drink. I’ve been on antibiotics for 10 days, nursing a strep-throat, but now that vacation is here and the course of meds is done, I can indulge a bit, pre-Prohibition-style!




The Can-Can Martini…in homage to the spirit of the super cheesy fiction and to celebrate the end of my meds, not to mention the fact that most of us don't have to be at work tomorrow morning.



2 shots Vodka or Gin (I tried both, and must say the Gin version is more palatable – On my way to draining Hubby’s supply of Tanqueray 10)

1 ½ shots St. Germain (elderflower liqueor. The bottle alone is worth it for it’s art-deco design - see pic above - Dorothy Parker would approve!)

¼ shot dry vermouth



Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with lemon or orange twist (I was lazy, and it was satisfactory without either). High-kicking, cartwheels and petticoats recommended, but purely optional. Hmmm….after a few, no yoga would be required to High-kick OR cartwheel.



I’m a damn good cook.

Product review: Aura Cacia Bath salts

Husband is going to love this one...
I was reading my latest issue of Yoga Journal, and one of the features in the March issue talked about products for the home, including bath products like lotions, soaps and body washes.  I've been feeling sore in my upper arms (too many Chaturanga, I suspect...) and in my right hip joint (thanks to a slip on some black ice a few weeks ago), and I've heard that a long soak in a tub with some bath salts can soothe away some of the stiffness.  A nice little tidbit to file away in the back of my mind...especially since everyone knows that a mother of young children *never* has time for a long soak in a tub!
When I was out doing some shopping with the kids in tow (of course), I decided to browse the body products section of the grocery store, just to see what was interesting.  The kids were fighting over preoccupied with the prospect of buying a box of chocolate sandwich cookies, so this harried mother took her chances.  I'm glad I browsed, because Aura Cacia sells pouches of bath salts, and they were on sale 2 for $4...normal price is $3.50, so this was a bargain.  The back of the mind tidbit of info about bath salts soothing away tired, sore muscles came fluttering to the front of my mind, and I picked up 3 pouches!

Packet one:  Tea Tree.  Like I said, Husband is going to love this (see my previous post on "What's that Smell?").  The kids' bathroom (only bathroom in our house with a tub) does have a bit of a strong smell - dare I say "hippy" smell? - but my muscles do feel better!  I was so eager to use it that I didn't even read all of the other ingredients in the sachet; whatever they were, I feel relaxed, refreshed, and decidedly less sore.

Packet two: Peppermint Harvest.  This one claims to be cooling, refreshing, focusing, clarifying, awakening, and inspiring.  Essential oils include Peppermint, Spearmint, Sweet Orange and Ylang ylang.  Seems like it would be good for first thing on a Saturday morning, before heading to yoga class.

Packet three:  Relaxing (with tangy citrus aroma).  Benefits include cheering, softening, nourishing, and relaxing (duh.  That's what the front of the packet says).  Sounds like something for just before bed, even with the peppy citrus scent, it also has oils of lavender, bergamot, ylang ylang, and uh-oh...sandalwood listed in the ingredients.  Sorry Husband.  Sandalwood is a dead giveaway for a St. Marks Place basement.

Aura Cacia sells lots of other products as well, and I'd say they're worth looking out for. 

If you desire a glorious future, transform the present - Patanjali, The Yoga Sutras

CD Review: Yoga Revolution

It's not often I get something for free.  And when I do get it for free, it's usually some useless sample size cosmetic tucked inside my Sephora order (3 free samples with every online order!)  How can I really tell if Kinerase "erases" crows feet if you only give me a 2-nights' worth?  Don't these things usually take up to 8 weeks?!?
Anyway, as a loyal subscriber to Yoga Journal (I sometimes think I'm the only non-instructor subscriber!) I had the chance to win a preview copy of this Yoga Revolution CD.  In reality, the fine copy hinted at the fact that this was a "Various Artists" series that would be debuting, and I could subscribe to receive the upcoming CDs as they were released.  Kind of "NOW that's what I call Music" for the yoga-set.  I sent in the postage-paid card, and waited.  By the time the CD arrived, I was pleasantly surprised, simply because I had forgotten that I sent away for it! 
The wait (even though I had forgotten I was waiting!) was well worth it!  This is a fabulous CD...I listen to it all the time in my car; I brainstorm which postures in my home practice would work for each track; I fantasize that I'm a yoga instructor putting together a class to these tunes; I daydream that I walk into a studio class, and my favorite track from this CD is playing (which favorite?  I have a couple, depending on my mood!)
The low-down on my faves:
The CD opens with a bang with Krishna Das and "For your Love".  It's a little Kirtan, a little Rock, and it works.  The second track, "Salala" featuring Peter Gabriel, is one of my true faves.  It's singable, and I just the love the guitar and bongos.  There are tracks featuring mainstream heavy-hitters like Sarah McLaughlin, Sting, Seal, and Ziggy Marley.  Sheryl Crow even shows up with a lesser-known song from her TuesdayNightMusicClub album, "I shall Believe".  People who aren't familiar might think it's a new song, but nope.  It's from 1993.  Another favorite is "Ganesha" by Wah! - completely singable, and "vinyasable".  As with all compilation CDs, it's a good chance to hear songs by artists you might not otherwise know about or be motivated to hear.  What's unique to this compilation is that just about every song is totally listenable!
I know I got it for free, but I'd say it's worth buying...whether you buy it for practice, for cruising around town, or just for chilling at home.  If they decide to produce more Yoga Revolution CDs, they have a tough act to follow!  Then again, I have Wah! and YogiMC on my Pandora, so the search shouldn't take too long to put together a decent set. 
Yoga Revolution is available NOW on Amazon for $13.61.

There's no joy like the joy of the sun coming in - "Salala" by Angelique Kidjo, feat. Peter Gabriel

DVD review: Stott Pure Vitality Yoga

Stott is better known for its Pilates Method...and this DVD is, as the cover claims, "pilates-infused" yoga.  It's also an  o-l-d-i-e (I think it's from 2002!).  My copy is actually VHS, and I was worried that it was out of distribution.  Luckily, you can purchase this on Amazon for $13.49! click here

I was all-set to get myself to a yoga class at the gym this morning, but a little snow got in the way of that!  I was relegated to a home practice - not an easy task with 2 boys hovering about, waiting for my down dog so they can run under the "tunnel" or swing from my legs.  Husband was so good as to enlist them as "helpers" for shovelling the front walk, and I was able to successfully complete this 43 minute practice with little to no disturbances (save one quick interruption to ask if they could play with their friend next door).
This is a very nice intermediate practice.  It begins with some gentle variations on sun salutations, which transition nicely into some twisted prayer postures.  P.J. O'Clair (the instructor) has an informed delivery; her instruction is not verbose and does not get in the way of your practice.  She offers much-appreciated modifications where she thinks things might get challenging, and reminds you to listen to your body - only take the poses as deep as your body allows.
And boy, is this welcome advice, because the second half of the program kicks it up a notch with some very challenging pigeon variations.  One Amazon reviewer asks "where's the pilates?", and it comes through in this sequence with the breath work.  Clearly, the reviewer isn't familiar with Stott's guiding principles of pilates: Focused breathwork with your movements.  Inhale to prepare, exhale on the effort.  O'Clair gives this guided instruction, and it really helps through the challenges of what she's asking you to do! The practice finishes with some shoulder openers and some gentle back postures, so you've stretched just about everything you could possibly stretch.
I haven't done this practice in a while, and I'm glad I rotated it in this morning!

The body is your temple.  Keep it pure and clean for the soul to reside in - B.K.S. Iyengar

What's that Smell?

Husband: "Something smells like the basement of a shop on St. Marks."  Me: looks around. 
Husband: "What is that Smell?  Is that you?"  Me: sheepishly shrugs shoulders. 
Husband: "You smell like a hippy.  I've spent my life avoiding hippies, and you go and pull a stunt like this..."

Yes, readers, this exchange happened on Saturday morning, before I left for my yoga class.  I had sprayed myself with some ayurvedic aromatherapy to "enhance"  my yoga practice...it was a scent that I thought was relatively un-offensive.  That is, until I stood next to Husband, who apparently didn't agree.  In truth, aromatherapy is a great way to enhance a yoga practice; it's well known that different scents are associated with different moods, so aromatherapy can help you focus during practice.

It turns out that Aveda (the natural cosmetics company that uses plant and flower essences to great results) has developed a line of "Balancing Body Mists" devoted to balancing the chakras and promoting a sense of wellness.

The body mists are moderately priced ($30 for 3.4 oz), so I couldn't buy them all.  I read the descriptions of the scents, and I selected Chakra 3: Intention - what you feel when the power chakra is balanced.  I figured this had the most "generic" effect of those offered, and could be used at just about any time, be it home practice, gym practice, or just hanging out.  The main scent notes of Chakra 3: Intention are Lavender, Balsam fir, and Lemon, which Aveda says will balance my center of motivation.  I happily purchased this, thinking it would surely motivate me onto my mat!  Incidentally, this color associated with Chakra 3 is yellow - the same color as my mat!  It does smell a bit like Christmas (thanks to the balsam fir), so I don't use it on a daily basis, but it does set me up for some good intentions on my mat.

The other mists, each associated with a different chakra, have other scent notes. 
Chakra 1 (root chakra) has patchouli and vetiver. 
Chakra 2 (pleasure chakra) has sandalwood, orange, and geranium.  Talk about a St. Marks Place basement!  Good thing I didn't choose that one! 
Chakra 4 (heart chakra) more sandalwood, mandarin, and palmarosa. 
Chakra 5 (throat chakra) has grapefruit, rosemary, and ylang ylang. 
Chakra 6 (intuition) features orange and geranium. 
Finally Chakra 7 (crown) contains angelica, elemi - whatever that is - and olibanum. 


Click here to experience Aveda's Chakra line of products!

Which Chakra would you choose to inspire your practice or outlook?

Joy's soul lies in the doing - W. Shakespeare Troilus and Cressida

Vacation time!

As a teacher in the Northeast, I have the distinct pleasure of experiencing "Mid-Winter Break"!  Growing up in NJ, no one went skiing, people went to Florida in the summertime, and certainly no one went to the Caribbean, so a week off in February was unheard of.  Even now, knowing the week off is there, I don't usually have my act together enough to plan something.  Once, 2 years ago, we did take a trip to Orlando, but that was at the hands of my darling husband.  It was lovely to be able to escape the cold, but sometimes I relish the time to just "decompress".  This year, more than ever, I really need to have absolutely NO committments for a week.  I even turned off the alarm clock!

It's been a non-stop stress fest around here since Christmas.  There is always so much running about involved with the holidays, and my in-laws came to visit for an extended (6freakingweeks!) stay (I'm still looking for shit they misplaced in my kitchen), so that was hardly relaxing.  While they were here, 2011 decided to show up with one stressful thing after another.  I don't need to go into the gorey details, just suffice it to say, I need this week off.  And I'd like to spend it doing yoga.  I'm quite content to live vicariously through my contemporaries and their Florida ski trips to the Caribbean.

I am off to a good start - I took the Saturday class yesterday to stretch-out a week of bad form on the elliptical, and it felt great.  Today, I think I'll try for a DVD, and I think I can make it to classes a few days this week.  Will I do DVDs on the other days?  Will I squeeze in a Studio class?  Will I rest my muscles a day or two?  I don't know, and it's not important right now.  I don't want to work myself up into a stress fest on my vacation.  One thing's for sure...it's going to feel SO good to wake up when my body is ready and not to the sound of a beeping alarm!

Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured - B.K.S. Iyengar

Sun!

It's supposed to reach 65 today here in the Northeast. While I must say I am reluctant to embrace Spring temperatures this early in the year (it's mid-February, need I remind my paddleboard-bound husband today?!?) who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth? I'm actually thrilled with the prospect of seeing grass emerge from the heap of melting snow in my front yard by the time I return from work today!
A few Sun Salutations are in order for many of us, I'm sure...In the meantime, I can't get this song out of my head, and I thought it would be good to spread the love!
Enjoy the song, and more importantly, enjoy whatever you choose to do with this lovely day!

YATS Giveaway Winner!!!

Congratulations to Rebecca!!!  Rebecca, you are the winner in the 1st ever YATS giveaway, and now the soon-to-be happy owner of Seane Corn's DVD "Vinyasa Yoga Flow". 
Thank you to everyone else who "Followed" and "Commented" to be entered.  I had a total of 25 entries (11 followers each receive 2 entries, and each commenter received 1 entry).  I visited random.org's random number generator to input my values, and #6 was my random number.  When I checked my list of entrants, Rebecca was #6, so Congrats!

More blog entries to follow, more giveaways in the future!  Thanks everyone....

Teabag wisdom:  You are Infinite.

Yoga Journal - March 2011 Issue

   Well, the March Issue of Yoga Journal has arrived, and while I feel a bit silly blogging about a magazine that you yourself could pick up at the newsstand or better yet, subscribe to, I noticed that some of the blogs I frequent make posts that announce emails from retailers they adore.  I figure if that sort of stuff is blog-worthy, then giving you an inside peek to the latest issue may be warranted...

Do you subscribe to Yoga Journal, or ever pick up a copy on the newsstand/bookstore?  What are you looking forward to reading this month?

We are here to love each other, serve each other and uplift each other.

POW! Pose of the Week

POW!  This week's pose:  Bird of Paradise or Svarga Dvidasana, because I alluded to it in a previous post this week, and I thought you might be wondering what the heck it is!
Turns out, a Google search on Bird of Paradise reveals there are all sorts of things that are a Bird of Paradise, in addition to the familiar flower.  There's a napkin fold (I have seen this on a cruise ship - done with towels, though), a yarn (?!?), and of course, a very challenging yoga posture!   
Bird of Paradise is an advanced posture, so I am not even going to attempt to describe the steps you take to find yourself in this pose.  Instead, I'm going to direct you to a 2 minute eHow tutorial, which is surprisingly quite good! (the image above is also from e-How - crappy quality due to a video still...but you get the idea.)

http://www.ehow.com/video_2365972_extended-side-angle-bird-paradise.html

This is a posture that I am struggling with (on a good day).  It requires a lot of diligence, committment and flexibility (in the hips and shoulders), not to mention terrific balance.  Needless to say, you'll find me working and practicing at it...
What postures are you struggling with these days?

READERS - Don't forget to enter your comments in the YATS Giveaway post below!  Better yet, join us at YATS by "following" my blog.  It's your chance to start (or enrich) your home practice by winning Seane Corn's Vinyasa Flow DVD.  I promise she won't twist you into Bird of Paradise just yet... Entries close at midnight tomorrow.  Good Luck!

YATS cooks!

Want a cost effective and delicious foray into Indian cuisine?  Try it yourself at home!!

Here at YATS, we do it all...yoga poses, media reviews, fashion, and now:  COOKING!  Don't get me wrong...I've always cooked - I just never blogged about it before.  Then, when I was fixing up dinner last night, I looked down at the table and decided it WAS something worth writing home about.  Heck, it was even something worth blogging about!  I know you'll appreciate it:

So, the key to this evening's meal was this TastyBite "Good Korma" simmer sauce, which I picked up for the low-low price of $1.99 at Fairway last week.  All of the TastyBite simmer sauces were on sale, but this one had a catchy name, AND I was pretty sure I could get my kids to eat it.   While I was there, I also picked up a package of Garlic Naan (already made - I just needed to warm it up) and some Basmati Rice.  All other ingredients I had at home (and purchased at Stop & Shop for a fraction of the cost at Fairway.  Fairway is great for specialty foods, but terrible for other things...it's just a matter of whether or not you have time to visit another grocery store to find out if saving the 5 bucks is worth it to you.  I'm on a tighter budget these days, and I have the time to shop around, so I did).  Here's a list of ingredients along with what they cost, so you can get a sense of what a bargain this meal was for my family of 4!  My standby curry place lists Chicken Korma at $16.95.  I think it comes with the rice, but add in the Garlic Naan at $3.95, and you're talking over 20 bucks, and there's no guarantee that would feed 4, let alone with leftovers!

Here's what you NEED for a home-cooked curry, YATS-style:

• TastyBites "Good Korma" sauce ($1.99 on sale)
• Garlic Naan (2 large pieces $2.99)
• 6 Frozen boneless chicken tenderloins (we call this "magic chicken" - it cooks from frozen and never disappoints!  The HUGE bag costs $5.99, and I only used 6 pieces (about 2 breasts' worth).  There's plenty more in the freezer for several other uses!)
• Frozen cauliflower florets store brand "steam in bag" variety ($1.79 - I only used half the bag)
• Basmati Rice ($4.99 for a 1 lb. bag...pricey, but this is the variety of rice you need for an Indian cookup!)
• 1 can Swanson fat free chicken broth (.79 on sale)
• Cardamom pods (I had these in the pantry...don't remember how much they cost)

Here's what you DO:

1.  Place 1 cup plus 2 Tbs.  Basmati in a medium-sized microwavable bowl.  Add the can of chicken broth (1 3/4 C), stir to mix, and toss in 4 or 5 cardamom pods.  Put the bowl, uncovered, in the microwave, high power, for 5 minutes.  Once that's going...

2.  Heat 1 Tbs. Olive oil over high heat in a saute pan (I used a braiser, actually).   Add frozen chicken tenderloins, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 3 minutes.  By this time, the microwave is beeping.  Give the rice a quick stir, and cook uncovered for 12 more minutes on 50% power.

3.  Turn your chicken.  Cook for 2 minutes, remove from heat.  The chicken will not be cooked through OR browned - and this is how you want it.  Cut the semi-cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.  Return to braiser and add the 1/2 bag of frozen cauliflower.  Cover and steam over medium heat for 2 or 3 more minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

4.  Add the Good Korma simmer sauce and stir to coat all the pieces.  Let this simmer at low heat until the rice is done.  Meanwhile, on the next BARE burner, gently toast the Naan.  You are doing this over an open gas flame, so your undivided attention is necessary.  I just let the naan sit right on top of the burner and it does the job nicely!  When I see the bread smoking, I use tongs to lift it and move it to a new spot.  Once toasted to your liking, turn off the flame and transfer to serving dish. I cut mine into 4 pieces, otherwise the kids would leave "naan" for us - :P

5.  By now, your rice is done (to perfection, I might add!).  You can toss the cardamom pods or leave them in as garnish.  Don't eat them.   Transfer your curry to a serving dish, or plate onto dishes right from the pan. 

Yum!

So, how did it turn out?  See for yourselves:

As you can see, I did have the expectation that my kids would eat this meal...but I was realistic about it.  The little one needed some apple slices because there was no way he was touching the cauliflower.  He did dog the rice and naan, though.  The older one tried everything, and took an extra spoonful of chicken.  He, too, probably could have done with some apple slices since he didn't eat much cauli, either.  Hubbs wasn't in the mood to eat very much, so we ended up with a lunch-sized leftover...perfect for bringing to work during the week.  All in, this meal probably would feed 2 hungry adults, or 2 sorta hungry adults and 2 picky children :)

Not bad for a Saturday night; it was easy, tasty, and wallet-friendly!  I paired it with a glass of chianti - not my first choice, but it was already opened. 

So, comment and let me know if you would attempt this, or better yet, share your own meal ideas!

Sunny Saturday Yoga

Holy Chaturanga was class a challenge today!  And I'm not just talking about the postures!
I'm on a bit of a tighter budget for the time being, and "extra" expenses, like Studio Yoga classes, are out of the question right now.  I'm lucky enough to belong to a gym, though, where I am usually quite happy to get my fill of classes.  In fact, I have a week-off coming up, and I'm looking forward to challenging myself to squeeze in a class everyday, if possible!  I sense a post coming up about that...
Anyway, the Saturday class I can get to is one that used to be taught by Diann - and regular readers know how I feel about Diann ♥  Her feet are tiny, but she has some big shoes to fill!  The gal that's been filling them for a while now is Kathy, and she's good, but her voice has a bit of an eliteness to it as she's instructing, and can be a little off-putting.  She does a great job of challenging the class, and while she does walk around the room as she instructs, she very rarely gives hands-on adjustments.  Believe me, I know I need them now and again!  She also has a "front-row crew" of yoginis who love to strut their stuff, and she doesn't mind pointing it out.  Case in point:  today we're in extended side-angle, she offers that those who can do so, have the option of "binding", and suddenly, she's talking about "Bird of Paradise - just look at the beautiful front row..."  I come out of my bind to admire, and realize they're doing something that Heidi had us doing a few months ago in a Sunday class.  I just didn't know it was called a bird of paradise...and Heidi gave a bit more instruction on how to get there!  Thankfully I've been practicing for a while, otherwise, I'd might be intimidated.
There is one fellow classmate, though, who I wish WOULD get intimidated and not show up on a Saturday (or at least show up on the other side of the room)!  She's being coming to the Saturday class for as long as I have, probably longer, and she is probably a more reliable attendee than I am (she who shows up once every 2 months...ahem...).  But honestly, I don't know why she bothers.  She's such a nut, and she inevitably ends up setting up her mat somewhere near mine so I have her, annoyingly, in my peripheral vision whenever I do a Saturday.  I know she has every right to be there, and it's very un-zen of me to pick apart someone else who's just making her peace on the mat, but those of you who know me KNOW that I can't let something like this go without commentary...
What makes her so nutty?  Oh, where do I begin?  Is it the chatting with her buddy before class begins and all the way right up until the instructor starts?  (Once she came with a guy (her son?) and they exchanged dialogue throughout class - not a single posture was left without comment between the two.)  Perhaps it's the fact that she always is in need of a pedicure, cracked heels, chipped nailpolish and all.  I'm not saying you need to sit in the chair, but come on, use a pumice in the shower once a week if you're going barefoot at the gym!  It shouldn't be a big issue, but when you're that close to my mat, I don't want your ancient feet accidentally stepping on my mat. 

Oh, I know, I'm being petty.  I should be commenting on the fact that she doesn't even follow the postures that the instructor is giving.  Kathy does give modifications to the postures...but when we're in down dog, and you're in side plank, I don't think that's what she's going for.  We're in Chaturanga, you're doing some Warrior I modification.  Times like these, I wish Kathy did come over and do a hands-on adjustment for this classmate.  The coupe de grace?  All the huffing and puffing she does, followed by sighing at inappropriate times/postures.  Today, it happened twice.  We were resting momentarily in child's pose, and she starts doing Lion's breath (3 sharp inhales, followed by a sighing exhale)  WTF?  At the end of practice, we're in Savasana, and she's audibly moaning with her exhales....like she exerted herself so much that she's completely and utterly done.  Kathy worked us hard today (lilke I said, Holy Chaturanga!  Like every other posture), but there's no need to moan about it.  Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention, and this lady's own improvised routine was a lot more acrobatic than our vinyasa, necessitating the sighs and moans over there.

Whatever the case, we can't control who is on the mat next to us any more than we can control the weather.  What we can control is our response to it.  My response, of course, is a childish derision of the person behind her back.  In reality, making the situation humorous IS my way of dealing with it.  Next time I'm in Saturday class, she'll be there, and I'll be ready for her.  Who knows, maybe she writes her own blog and at this very moment is blogging about the annoying girl and her dirty yellow mat...  (It's well-loved, lady.  Well-loved)

"In truth, it matters less what we do in practice than how we do it and why we do it." - Donna Farhi

HEY, READERS!  Don't forget to comment/follow on the YATS Giveaway post (below!).  You only have until Wednesday to get your name entered in my drawing to win Seane Corn's Vinyasa Flow DVD!  Good Luck!!

YATS Giveaway!!!

Well, I've realized I've been at this for quite some time now, and my lil'ole' blog has 11 followers!  I'm hoping I have many more readers than that, however, so I'd like to encourage some of you lurkers to stand up and be counted as followers!  Or at the very least, commenters.  What better source of encouragement than a little incentive like the chance to get something for free!

In honor of my 1,300th pageview (that's right, readers have visited YATS to read a post or two 1,307 times to be exact!!!) I'd like to introduce the first ever YATS giveaway!  I'm assuming you visit my blog in an effort to learn a little bit more about yoga or perhaps, like me, you struggle with your practice (on and off the mat), and reading a kindred spirit's perspective makes it a little easier to accept what's going on.  Maybe you're just my "friend" on Facebook, and you click on my link whenever I post it.  Whatever your intention, I'd like to draw on your perspective to improve my blog!

All you need to do is leave a comment letting me know why you visit YATS and what you *love* about it.  Okay, I'd settle for what you like about it, too, if that's the way it has to be.  If you'd rather tell me what you'd like to see more of, I'd love to hear about that, too!  More Yoga Fashion posts?  More DVD reviews?  More POW!s? (yeah...about those...I've slacked for a few weeks there...I'm well aware...I'm working on it...but only if you enjoy reading about them!). 

So, leave your comments, and I'll gladly enter your name in a drawing to win my DVD copy of Seane Corn's Vinyasa Flow Yoga by Gaiam.  The DVD includes 2 complete program and practice options and a 75-minute segment on Vinyasa breathing technique.  It's a SUPER DVD for someone who's just starting out with a home practice.  Seane Corn is affilliated with YogaWorks (a nationally recognized yoga teacher training program) writes for Yoga Journal, and is scheduled to appear at the upcoming Yoga Journal Conference in New York (this May...).  She's down-to-earth, knows her stuff, and has the most amazing, cascading curls on her head!



Available at Gaiam for $19.98 (and it gets a 5-lotus rating!)

click here to view the product page...  
Sounds like a great prize, right?  So go ahead...leave your feedback and get one entry.  Take it up a notch and "follow" YATS, and I'll give you TWO entries! (current followers already receive two entries - thanks guys, for joining without bribery!) Now we're talking...
You have until next Wednesday, February 16th to comment/follow.  Good Luck!

Put out into the deep water and let out your nets for a catch - Luke 5:4

Yoga fashion - "tops"

"Dahling, it's better to look good than to feeeeel good..."  Billy Crystal has never uttered truer words (cue my 3 inch JCrew peeptoes).  Except for those of us on the Yoga Mat.  The whole reason we're there on our little rubbery 2.5 by 6 foot rectangles is for the sole purpose of  "feeling good".  I've never heard everyone mutter after class "Now I feel like complete and utter crap".  But when you're feeling good, sometimes it *does* help to look good, too.

The workout-gear industry has capitalized on this, and we usher in the designer yoga togs.  We have cute graphic tees by "No resistance",  burn-out and dip-dyed tunics by "anjali", ruffly camis (like the one pictured) by "HardTail" - how do you do yoga in that, btw?  Looks more like a cami for PJs rather than something for on the mat - and my pet fave, slogan tees by "Postitive Thought Brand" (love the ones that say "set your intention" and "just breathe" - positive mantras that easily work off the mat as they do on the mat!).

So how much do you have to pay for style and comfort? Well, of course, that depends on the brand.  The great online yoga gear emporium http://www.yoga-clothing.com/ runs the gamut from $106 yoga tunics (really?  Really!) by Yogi to $28 basic thermals (sale price!) by Alternative Apparel.  The crop lace tank by HardTail, by the way, is on sale for $28 this week.  The average price for these "Yoga Tops", however, seems to be in the $30 to $40 range, even at other e-retailers like http://www.londomondo.com/ .  Luckily, most of these tops (particularly those by Postive Thought Brand) can transition from yoga class right into relaxed-wear that you wouldn't be embarrassed running errands in. 

Of course, regular old t-shirts will do...but why make due, when you don't have to ;)  Fashion is fun, never to be taken seriously on the mat:

Knowing all objects to be impermanent, let not their contact blind you, resolve again and again to be aware of the Self that is permanent. - Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya

Drishti

In order to work through a balancing posture (on one leg, on your arms, or even on your head!), you need concentration.  Afterall, if you're steady in your posture, you will find steadiness in your mind.

When you're in posture, this focus and concentration is referred to as drishti (or gaze).  When you fix your gaze on a steady point, you can increase your focus in a posture.  Many times in class, instructors will ask you to focus on a spot on the floor in front of you, and never on your gaze in the mirror or (worse!) the person in front of you.  This is because the floor is not going anywhere.  It's steady, it's reliable, it's more grounded than anything else nearby.  If you start gazing into your own reflection, you'll meet your eyes, and this will allow your gaze to wander.  When your drishti wanders, so, too will your balance in the posture.  Likewise, if you gaze at the person in front of you, if their mind wanders and they wobble, you, too, will wobble and lose your posture.  If you're concentrating, it can quite naturally lead you to meditation.

So, where are some good places to focus your drishti?  Of course, there's the aforementioned floor in front of you, but how about at the tip of your nose?  That's not going anywhere, and you'll save yourself from wondering if that speck on the floor is dirt or a mark in the wood.  What about Candle Gazing?  This can still your mind and deepen your concentration.  NO matter where you choose to focus your drishti, allow it to help you maintain balance...whether in posture or not.

Who looks outside, dreams.  Who looks inside, awakens.  -Carl Jung

DVD Review: Shiva Rea Fluid Power

Our bodies are 90% water, making sense for Shiva Rea to capitalize on our "Fluid Power" in this DVD.  Shiva says this fluid power "is often an untapped reservoir of energy and joy", so she sets out to help you grow stronger and flexible with grace.  This DVD is another wonderful addition to my arsenal of home practice materials.  Just like my other Shiva Rea DVD from Acacia (Yoga Surf Soul), it has a customizable matrix format, so you have the option of creating a custom practice according to the segments you wish to do.  There are 20 segments for you to mix-and-match and the 24-page program guide, included with the DVD case, gives a description for each segment.   On the other hand, so many choices can be overwhelming when you're just starting out, so you can select from one of the 6 pre-set programs (which range from a 26 minute meditation sequence to a full-on 108 minute active practice). 

Today, I elected to do one of the pre-set practices, the "Lunar Flow for Flexibility".  I had less than an hour to devote today, so this 41 minute practice fit the bill.  I also like the fact that the Moon (sanskrit: tha) is the feminine side, and with tomorrow being Chinese New Year, it just felt like the right practice to do. 

The Lunar Flow started with a crazy Prana Flow meditation.  It began simply enough with breathing exercises, but it took a bit of a turn after a bit, with some loose direction to just go with the flow of your joints (getting that Fluid Power moving, I guess...).  Forward Bends and Hip Openers ensued, which included my fave: Pigeon Pose. (Yoga Journal recently advertisted a promotion on Facebook to send in a picture of yourself in your favorite pose.  If your form is good enough, they'll enter you in a contest to appear in an upcoming photo spread!  I contemplated photographing myself in Pigeon...for all of 30 seconds)  After this was a Prana Yoga Slow Wave, again some loose direction on stretching while on your back, followed by Shavasana.  It was a great practice, and before the Shavasana, I paused the DVD and did a warrior/vinyasa sequence that I devised to round it out.  Don't get excited readers; it was nothing special...but perhaps worthy of it's own post when I get around to it. 

So, I'm looking forward to playing more with this DVD...with over 3 hours of yoga, I have my work cut out for me as far as mixing and matching sequences to try them all.

I purchased Shiva Rea's Fluid Power DVD directly from Acacia for $19.99 (because I was purchasing other items, and it just made sense to order everything together and pay shipping once), but savvy shoppers can order from Amazon for $14.49 or from Overstock (!) for just 13.91.

Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water.  Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it.  The flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful - LaoTzu

Gong Xi Fa Choi - Happy Chinese New Year

Book Review: 1,001 Pearls of Yoga Wisdom

1,001 Pearls of Yoga Wisdom Take your practice beyond the mat  by Liz Lark

I'll admit it, it was the subtitle that got me on this one...Taking practice beyond the mat can be a big struggle!  Despite the conscious recognition that it can be nothing but beneficial, many a yogi struggles with limiting their practice to asana.

A while ago, I purchased a translation of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, and although I can't say I've studied it, I can say it made me aware that practicing on the mat is but one limb of yoga called Asana.  So many people think that this IS yoga, but it's only a small part!  Yoga is a way of life...apparently this stretching, lengthening, and strengthening is just preparing the body to be more receptive to these other "limbs" that are off the mat.
So, Ms. Lark's book here is a little 3 1/2" x 5" gem that gives 1,001 tips, hints, and, as the title suggests, "pearls", to help you in your daily yogic quest.  What sold me on the deal was the fact that some of these 1,001 ideas are quotes which I thought would be useful for my blogging purposes (longtime YATS readers will know that I like to end my posts with a quote or thought to meditate on)
Inside, the book is divided into 7 different foci:  Starting your day well, Throughout your working day, Time for yourself, Relating to others, In times of trouble, Winding down, and Ending your day well.  These all seem like times  when a bit of  wisdom could help!
In the introduction, there is a simple explanation of the 8-limbed path set forth by Patanjali (helpful, because most translations of the Yoga Sutras get a bit wordy and complicated!), an explanation of the major Chakras, and some brief enlightenment about the five Koshas (energetic layers of the body).  Peppered throughout the text are short sequences to help with some of the foci of the book.  To end the book, there is a glossary of key terms and an index so you can turn right to the aspect you're looking for.
All in all, 1,001 Pearls seems to be a useful little book.  The only problem I have is the size of the little tome.  It's over 380 pages long, and owing to it's small size and cardstock-like pages, it's quite hard to hold open to read.  Had the author used a regular-size page, and more environmentally-friendly paper, we might have a clear winner here.  I don't think it's too academic, but it's not completely dumbed-down, either.  It's a cute little buy.
1,001 Pearls of Yoga Wisdom was first published in the US in 2008, and I purchased it at Barnes and Noble for $10.  It was on the "buy 2, get one free" table, but I couldn't find 2 other books I wanted, so I just bought this one.

Today, I'd like to dedicate my post (and eventual home practice - I'm committing to getting around to it today!) to someone close to me who is facing trouble at work and feeling less resilient lately:

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall - Confucius

Gong Xi Fa Choi everyone!  Chinese New Year starts Thursday.