"Big" Birthdays

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Soon, my mother is about to turn 60 (like, tomorrow).  That's a pretty big birthday.  It's not the biggest she or I would ever like to celebrate, but it's a big deal.  These days, though, 60 is positively "young" - Tom Cruise is just 10 years younger than that, and he's still doing hard-core action films.  Madonna is closer to 60 than she is to 50 (I think), and she's still traipsing around stage dressed like a "Carnival Stripper" (thanks, Elton John, for that spot-on analogy!), and don't get me started on the Stones and McCartney.  Some of my friends have siblings who are close to 60, and when I mention my mother is not even 60 yet, they can't believe how young she is (do I look THAT old, that you can't believe I would have a mom who is just turning 60?)

I don't have a "girlfriendy" relationship with my mother - partly a result of distance (we live about 3 hours apart - she, comfortably ensconced in the rural parts of NJ, me, happily running the rat race outside of NYC), but I think it's moreso a result of my independent nature, even from a young age.  Imagine a newly-married 21 year-old (gosh she was young!), excited about the birth of her first baby, looking forward to the cuddling and care-giving, only to find this baby fiercely willful and wanting to do her own thing.  Not long after, followed another baby; a "cuddler" - you know, one of those babies who never wants to be put down.  Ever.  That was my sister.  So there's my 23 year-old mother chasing down a 2 year old who liked to throw the contents of the medicine cabinet into the tub and mix everything up (hey, it was the 70's - before childproof caps!) while trying to placate the screaming 5 month old on her hip.  Next day, said 2 year old decides to climb into the crib and wake the baby from her nap by smearing her (and the walls) with peanut butter.  Man, I can't believe my mom didn't give me away after that.  She probably tried, but no one was stupid enough to fall for it.

This isn't anything several of us hasn't experienced, believe me.  Except my mom followed up with 2 more kids!  My dad was not a banker or highly paid attorney.  There were no nannies or mother's helpers.  There was no grandma around to help out - my parents moved away from their families in western PA when I was 4 or 5, to NJ, where we had no relatives nearby.  In fact, there wasn't even a station wagon!  When my brother was born (I was soon to turn 6) my parents had to buy a "bigger" car - a Ford LTD sedan (you read that right.  A sedan). We picked one in baby blue, because we had a new baby boy.  Not even 30, with 3 kids, my mom couldn't be a stay-at-home mom anymore, so she went back to work.  Except she had to work at night because my dad worked during the day.  And then she had another baby.  I was in 6th grade, had just turned 12, and my mom was probably shitting a brick.  33 years old with 4 kids!  

There are times growing up, especially as a selfish, whiny teen with no concept of the way the world works, where I thought my parents were unfair to me for having so many kids.  I wasn't able to go to sleep away camp.  We didn't go to Disney World every year like my friends did.  In order to go on the Latin trip to Italy, I had to raise my own money by selling M&Ms (that was A LOT of M&Ms.  I "sold" a lot to myself.  I was quite chubby to prove it!).  I remember my mom being my age now, getting ready to send her oldest daughter off to college.  My dad packed my every last belonging into our car (still no station wagon...by that time, he had upgraded to a Buick), and when we arrived on campus 6 hours later, he phoned home to let my mom know we had arrived.  She replied that the new "guest room" was finished!  I never lived home again after that.
Knowing what I know now, I no longer think my mom was unfair; I think my mom was brave (and maybe a lil' bit crazy).  Growing up, it never seemed like she sacrificed much to raise us, but it's glaringly apparent now that she sacrificed an awful lot to raise four kids (especially a pain in the ass like me).  There were probably lots of times that she wanted to have "date night" with her hubby, or go on a "girls weekend getaway" with one of her sisters.  Times where she wanted to go new clothes shopping instead of grocery shopping (again).  She probably wanted a cleaning lady to help out, but she had none of that.  Sure, she cajoled us into helping out now and again, but I know what my sister's bedroom looked like, and lots of those battles were losing ones.

It wasn't all doom-and-gloom raising us.  I know that there have been many, many rays of sunshine in her first 60 years, but my greatest wish for my mom's next 60 years is that they are filled with so much sun that she's gotta wear shades - and I hope they are the biggest, coolest, most stylish shades she can find!
Happy Birthday, Mom!  I know you never, ever read my blog, but I love you and I can't wait to celebrate your birthday with you tomorrow.
xxoo.

A little something different...

To say that I've been doing a lot of yoga this summer is a bit of an understatement.  Last Summer, I tried doing a "week of yoga" - where I would practice for 7 days in a row.  I wanted to see how I felt, to see if my body began to be transformed, to see if I became more committed (or worse, addicted!).  At the end of the week, I had managed to take 5 days of gym yoga classes and 2 days of home practice with DVDs, and while I was proud of myself, I didn't experience any magical transformations.  Maybe a little more sore in my shoulders, but I didn't suddenly have flat abs and amazing shoulders.  That sort of thing takes years of dedicated practice...not a solid week.  I can report that I felt more relaxed and centered, and realized how important yoga is to me...so perhaps I renewed my commitment to the mat, and yes, started an addiction.

This summer, in light of the fact that I am starting Yoga Teacher Training in a few short weeks, I set a new goal for myself:  To try as many different classes as possible this summer.  There are my faves - the gym standbys - and I make time for them every week (as long as I'm not in Paris!) because I simply can't make their classes when I'm working.  I have no idea if Josh and Heidy feel a bit happier when I show up with my mat, but I certainly am happy and grateful to be able to be there!  I'm also branching out and trying new teachers, new studios, and new classes!  I've done Iyengar, Hatha, Restorative, Vinyasa, and now "Family Yoga"!

A new studio opened in my town, and while it is technically a "Wellness Center" - offering a variety of "mindful" experiences (Meditation, Kirtan, Nutritional counselling, eco-crafts, etc) - yoga is the main focus.  There's teen yoga, yoga camp for kids, mixed level, restorative, vinyasa, and FAMILY YOGA!  I convinced my husband to join me and the boys for this fun, 45-minute practice.  It certainly was something different!

The main focus of Family Yoga was to introduce smaller people and their grownups to the practice and benefits of yoga.   The obvious benefits are easily understood by the grownups, but kids may be too "literal" to understand abstract benefits like improved focus, better balance, a more "centered" and "present" mind, so this was introduced to them through a series of fun postures and games on the mat.  There was no "organized" flow - instead, the practice was very organic.  The instructor (who happens to be a co-owner of the studio) skillfully led us through a few postures and when it was time to be silly, she let it happen.  When it was time to re-center, she made fun games to bring us back to attention.  This was great for my 5 year old, who can be a bit spontaneous and is not always the best listener.  My 8 year old had practiced before, and happily followed along.  My main concern was Husband, who sees me doing yoga videos in the living room, and was a bit unsure of how he was going to balance in Half-moon or Warrior 3.  He's not exactly the "patient" type, either, and that's a big part of a yoga practice.  Naturally, I was worried he might not like it.

After the class was over, I realized that my worries were for nil.  I'm not saying that Husband is going to jump right in and start yoga teacher training with me, but I can say that a good time was had by all!  It felt wonderful to support a new small business in town, but it felt amazing to share my love of yoga with my family.  The time spent together, parent and child, on the mat was precious. Helping one another into postures and interacting together in a gentle, physical way was time well-spent!  With time and regular practice, I can envision my spontaneous 5 year old building better listening skills.  Perhaps my 8 year old will become more confident.  Maybe, just maybe, I can see Husband becoming more patient.  What is for sure is the bond we build as we spend focused, family-centered time together will only become stronger!

Yoga while on Vacay? Sign me up!

I had my first session with a "Celebrity Yogi" while on vacation in California last week.  It was up to me to plan the itinerary this time, and I was so excited to take advantage of the extremely agreeable weather in Southern California.  Of course, we did the obligatory LegoLand visit for the kids (quick review:  Go while you can.  It's expensive, but it's worth it.  Lots for the 3 and up set to do, but it's not nearly as nicely maintained as Disney properties are.  "Miniland", which was incredible, already seemed to be showing signs of sun-fading and weather beating.  It might look like a dump in 5 years if they don't get a handle on that.), but I also wanted to explore some of the lesser-known areas (LaJolla and DelMar) and get in some physical fitness.  We did some light hiking at the Torrey Pines state park, which provided amazing views. 
It was great, but the highlight of the trip for me was the quick jaunt we took up to LA, staying in Santa Monica.  I did a little research on what to do in LA (besides eating at In and Out or Pinks - both on Husband's agenda), and found not only was there a YogaWorks studio there, but there was a class instructed by Sara Ivanhoe while we would be in Santa Monica.    Yoga while on vacation?  With a "celeb"? Sign me up!
My experience with Sara Ivanhoe is through her Crunch DVD, "Fat Burning Yoga", which I purchased shortly after the birth of my second son, when I was really getting into yoga.  I didn't buy it because of Sara.  I bought it because it said Fat Burning.  But I liked Sara's style of instruction.  She has a little sidekick in the DVD, who demonstrates the modified postures.  The "sidekick" is Natasha Rizopoulos, who I think is a little more well-known, which I always found funny.  Anyway, the Fat Burning DVD is good, and every so often I return to it when I'm at a loss for home practice.  I have never purchased any of Sara's other DVDs; in fact, I wasn't even aware that she had other DVDs.  After practicing with her "LIVE", perhaps I should look into them for more variety.
So, my experience with Sara in person was interesting.  It was a level 2/3 class, and I was anxious about the class all week.  I was looking forward to it, but unsure of my ability to "hang" with the level 2/3-ers.  I was nervous that the class would be so packed that I wouldn't feel comfortable.  Neither was the case.  The class had maybe 30 people in it.  Some of Josh's and Heidy's classes have that many folks in them, so I was totally at ease there.  The sequence of postures in Sara's class was also totally manageable - in a normal setting.  The class was quite a bit longer than I'm used to.  It went from 4:15 to 5:45 - so I definitely got my money's worth as far as time was concerned. 
I certainly got my money's worth as far as "kick-yo-ass" is concerned as well.  As I mentioned before, the sequence of postures was not unfamiliar to me at all...but the fact that there was no (ZERO) air conditioning was unfamiliar to me.  It felt like I was in a Bikram studio.  Except I wasn't taking a Bikram class.  I sweat more than I've ever sweat in a regular yoga class.  There were some postures that I didn't attempt - not because I couldn't do them, but because I was frightened that I would slip right off of my sweat-drenched mat!  The room had massive ceiling fans, and I'm not sure why they weren't utilized, although I have my theories.
Frequently throughout the practice, Sara kept asking us to close our eyes and focus inward.  I am sure that there was more to this than just focusing inward.  She did not practice along with us, instead walking the room and adjusting here and there (she even adjusted me in my triangle!).  It became clear to me that many people probably come to the class to see her, and that might prohibit them from getting the most of the practice.  If you're busy watching the celeb the whole time, you can't focus and practice properly.  I got that totally, and obliged whenever she asked us to close our eyes.  I wasn't focused on "Oh, it's Sara" the whole time.  I was focused on my posture - and also focused on how dang hot it was ("why the heck aren't those huge ceiling fans on?!?").  The Tom Brady look-a-like (obviously it wasn't him because the Patriots were on the field far, far away from Santa Monica) and Jared Leto look-a-like (still not sure if it was him, but he had a weird knotted hairdo, so it might have been him) next to me were sweating buckets.  My ponytail was drenched - you could honestly wring it out like I just stepped out of the shower!  My clothes were sopping, and my mat was slick.  My muscles were nice and loose, and I think if you asked me right then and there, I could have folded right into a double lotus followed by a Marichiasana bind! 
So, practicing with Sara was a lot of fun.  She was attentive to our postures, could have used a little more imagery, but overall I felt fantastic after the practice.  I'm glad and so grateful that I took advantage of the opportunity!  I only wish I had the courage to talk to her and let her know I enjoyed the session, had a yoga blog and would be writing about it so she could check us out!  In another lifetime...

"One sees clearly only with the heart.  Anything essential is invisible to the eyes." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Summer Solstice

Waiting in line for the Times Square
Solstice Practice!

Tuesday, June 21st was the 2011 Summer Solstice, which means it was the "Longest Day" of the year.  The day was still 24 hours long, but there were more hours of daylight on June 21st than hours of darkness.  Astronomically, this means that at noon on June 21st, the sun is at it's highest point all year.  Each day, the sun will be at it's highest point at noon, but on the Summer Solstice, it's the highest "high noon" of the year.  Calendar-wise, it's the first day of Summer, and also a highly celebrated day around the globe.  Apparently, the great Pyramids of Egypt are constructed so that the sun sets directly between them on the Solstice when viewed from the Sphinx.  I've been to all three, but not on the Solstice, so I can't verify this.  Famously, of course, are the druids' celebrations at Stonehenge during the Solstice. Again, I've never been to Stonehenge at the Solstice, so I can't bear witness.   Less well-known is the relatively new tradition of practicing Yoga in Times Square on the Solstice.  Now THAT's something I can attest to!
Lucy apparel and the Times Square Alliance joined forces this year to shut down portions of Times Square for a day-long extravaganza yoga practice.  They had a variety of sessions throughout the day, and I signed up to participate! 
Tuesday, June 21st was a beautiful day!  I normally wake up around 6 am so I can leave the house by 7:30 and get to work by 8.  I woke up a bit earlier that day (5:30!) because it happened to be the day my students were scheduled to take their NY State Regents examination, and I wanted to be at school a little earlier to prepare (turns out, they ALL passed!).  At 5:30, the sun was already making a strong appearance - so much so that I thought I might have woken up late rather than early!  Anyway, the sun was wide awake, and that helped me to get wide awake, especially knowing that I had a yoga practice to go to that evening!
I registered back in the beginning of May for the 6:00 pm practice, but the subsequent emails suggested I get there by 5:30.  Considering my train ride into the city and the walk over to Times Square, it was a little unreasonable to expect Husband to come home from work extra early, so my plan was to bring the kids with me and do an exchange at the train station.  Except that didn't happen.
Husband got held up downtown, so I ended up walking the distance from Grand Central to Times Square with the boys in tow (roughly 4 blocks west and 5 blocks north).  Not too bad, except I hadn't planned that into my travel time, so I arrived at Times Square by 5:45.  There were still piles of the free yoga mats (thank goodness, because I LOVE my yellow yoga mat, and didn't want to treat it badly by laying it down on the dirty, filty concrete in Times Square, so I didn't even bring it!) and goody tote bags filled with coupons, offers, and giveaways.  It looked like there were plenty left for me.  Except there weren't.

See, no space for
me OR my kids!

The line moved swiftly along, but when I got about 20 people from the front of the line, things stopped moving.  We waited, and waited, and waited.  It was getting closer and closer to 6.  And the line wasn't moving.  Turns out, all of the spaces were filled (see photo) and the event organizers were busy setting up another "pen" a little farther down Times Square for us "latecomers".  They finally finished setting up, and were ready for us to file down the block to set up...but they were out of mats.  They were out of goody tote bags.  They gave me a bottle of water and a photocopied map showing me how to get to the pen.  They made a joke about letting the kids do yoga, too, and had we been equipped with mats, I'm convinced they would have given it a go.  Instead we needed to wander past the groups, stopping to snap a few pics here and there (blog-worthy!), and just admire the beauty of such a large, outdoor practice.  It's easy to find serenity on your mat, but in the middle of the chaos of Times Square?  Absolutely possible, and with better planning, absolutely doable.
So, my Summer Solstice practice was a bust.  I didn't get to practice in Times Square...I was relegated to doing a few sun salutations in my family room...but I did get to participate (in a small way) in a pretty cool tradition!  Now I know what to expect, and can prepare better for the next go 'round.  Perhaps at the Winter Solstice?  As if it's not crazy enough to practice yoga in Times Square, who's ready to practice when it's freezing outside?  Hmmm...Maybe I'll be better off waiting until next summer...

"Make the best use of what is in your power and take the rest as it happens" - Epictetus

First day of Spring

Ahhhh!  It's finally here!  A change of season.  The vernal equinox.  The first day of Spring!  Where are you going to let your life wander during these next 90 days?  It's amazing to think that some of us are going to experience things that will irreversibly change our lives.  Some of us know that these changes are on the horizon, but as life is unpredictable, many of these changes will be unexpected.  How you respond to these changes is about the only thing that is controllable.  Of course, flexibility - physical and emotional -  is an advantage in these instances.  Yoga postures certainly  help achieve physical flexibility, but how do you work on emotional flexibility? 

Yama  is known as the first of 8 limbs of a yoga practice, and it recommends following 5 ethical "practices" in your daily existence.  You can follow these guidelines in your self-awareness, in your relations with others, even in your diet (which might be a challenge for some of you meat-lovers out there!).  Trying to keep these practices in mind will certainly give you some emotional flexibility, and influence how you perceive changes that happen to you as well as how you respond to them!
Ahimsa is the first ethical practice (it's also the subject of my most viewed blog entry ever! 82 pageviews and counting...)click here.  It stands for applying non-violence to every part of your life - this means not harming others OR yourself - ie, not pushing yourself too hard during a workout, not really eating meat (sorry, Husband), that sort of thing. 
Satya means truth; specifically, living according to your own truth.  Okay, got it: to thine own self be true. 
Asteya is fairly straight-forward:  non-stealing.  Hmmm.  Ironically, I steal many of the images used in this blog.  Note to self: perhaps I should devote a little more time and attention to this particular ethical practice of asteya...
And then there's Brahmacharya.  Uh-oh, I can already tell that this next "suggestion" is not going to go over so well.  This is the "ethical" practice of abstinance.  Yeah.  Containing your sexual energy is restraint, alright!  How this is going to help you with your Yama and emotional flexibility, I'm not quite sure...  Okay, dear readers, why don't we just keep moving along to the last ethical practice:
Aparigraha, which means non-grasping and non-covetousness (is that a word?).  This is one practice that can help you best deal with change.  Relax your grip on things, and just observe the world.  Keep your mind open to the change - reality is that change is going to happen whether you compel it to or not. 
While practicing Yama can present it's own challenges, it certainly puts forth a few guidelines worth considering.  If all else fails, or you feel as though yama just isn't cutting if for you, the best thing of all is to just breathe.  When changes come too fast or seem like more than you can handle, open your mind to all possibilities,  including the possibility that a negative change can be turned into a positive one, and B-R-E-A-T-H-E.

"When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love" - Marcus Aurelius

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

POW! - Pose of the Week

This week's pose: Crow - because we're not quite done with inversions!

Well, a lot has happened since I last posted a Pose of the Week for you. There was Christmas (totally ate too much!), there was New Year's (totally drank too much!), there were 3 sessions of Bikram (totally sweat too much!), and now here we are - finishing up my series on inversions. Before you think that I've totally inverted you too much, Bakasana (known as Crow or Crane) is only technically an inversion because your hips are above your head. Whenever I find myself in Crow, I don't think of it as an inversion so much as a balancing act!

Bakasana is a fun little arm balance which strengthens your wrists, forearms and abs (OH yes, you will feel your abs in this little pose - it's unwittingly half of the posture. If you aren't using your abs to support your core, there is no way you'll find yourself in Crow/Crane). This posture also improves your digestion (ahem, c-o-r-e-!-!) and opens your hips and back.

There are a lot of ways to get into this arm balance. Each time I am in class and an instructor shows a new variation on settling into this posture, I get psyched that I'll finally find the secret to Crow. I'll finally be able to fly. I'll finally be able to nail it. Then I get into the posture, and see how much of it involves the abs, and I'm just not as well "developed" in that region, so I can't hold the posture for long.

This past Wednesday, I was able to squeeze in one of Josh's classes, and how pleased was I that he directed us into Crow towards the end of the class, especially given my dissatisfaction with my Bikram sessions?!? It was great! (I dedicate this post to my bestie Liz, by the way. I remember when she shared that she had held crow for a few seconds and it felt so great. We all have had a similar feeling throughout our practices, so we all know she deserves to have that effort honored!)

So, this is how Josh brought us into Bakasana: We started with feel hip-distance apart, and began with a squat. Once comfortably in our squats, we placed our hands on the floor in front of us, with our elbows pressing against our inner knees. Using the elbows to press the knees apart while using the knees to hug the elbows together, we had to engage our abs in order to lift our toes off of the floor. One leg up was an achievement, but both legs up was quite the accomplishment! Yes, I nailed the posture for precisely 3.5 seconds - but I did it! And it felt like flying!

Will you go flying this week? Give it a try...you just might take off with a whole lot of grace!

Whether you give or share, are kind or not, never let your grace fail.

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!

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?

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!"

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.

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)

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!

POW! (Pose of the Week)

Pose of the Week: Utkatasana - because I hate this pose. Okay, okay, you're right. Hate has no place on a yoga blog. But I intensely dislike this pose, and we're going to work through this together.

Hi everyone (and I say *everyone* with confidence, because I've had a few friends stop by and I've even gained two new followers! WELCOME, Read on, invite your friends to stop by! Often!) I'm back with a new Pose of the Week, and with this pose, there is an interesting conflict. There are multiple benefits to the "Powerful Chair" pose: opening your chest, building focus and reducing stress, stimulating circulatory and digestive systems, as well as lengthening the spine and strengthening the feet, calves, ankles, and thighs. Wow! This pose almost does it all. The conflict is that it's such a shame that I hate intensely dislike this pose...

I haven't quite pinpointed my intense dislike for this pose...but I do know that whenever an instructor gets us into Powerful Chair, I am less than joyful to be there. I never quite feel like I have nailed it. The internal conversation begins: I don't know if my thighs are parallel enough to the ground. Are my arms high enough? Aligned enough with my ears? How much longer am I going to be in this pose? Is my lower spine curving too much? Is my tailbone pointing towards the ground? Are we done yet?

Maybe I'm not being patient enough in this pose...but at the same time, I don't feel like I have anywhere to "go" with this pose, and my presence in this pose is far from ideal. I know there are some poses that I feel like I am really making progress with, and some that I have a good mastery of. Don't get me wrong: there's always room for improvement in yoga. There's always another step to take to deepen a pose, and I know that there's somewhere to go. I'm just not anywhere close to feeling that with my Utkatasana. I'm stuck there, in awkward limbo, not quite in the pose, and definitely NOT comfortable, and the worst part is that I know my body has no clue how to get past this. There's no where TO go for me. At least it feels that way.

So for now, I'm not quite ready to give up on my Powerful Chair...but I'll be brutally honest: I'm not going to let it ruin my practice and I'm not going to stop groaning (internally) whenever my instructor brings us to this pose. I'll breathe deeply and dutifully follow along, but I'll tell you now, I'm not going to like it. Are there any poses that you're not "loving"?

Conflict may happen in your practice, but yoga's little conversations can help you work through it!