Yoga and the 7 Dwarfs

Do you feel that some days that you go through the personalities of the 7 Dwarf's (and then some) in the matter of a day,a hour or mere minutes? Trust me your not alone

Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy and Dopey....Sassy, Worn-Out, Snarky, Exuberant, Sad, Relaxed....if I missed any feel free add them on.

To quote Timber Hawkeye (I think that's his real name) author of Buddhist Bootcamp "You can't calm the storm, so stop trying.  What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass". 

How do you learn to calm yourself.....that's where the magic of yoga comes in.  Before we proceed I feel we need to have a little bit of clarification first. In the Western world when we hear the word yoga we think that it's all about the physical practice (Asana), and that's it.  But in reality the word Yoga (which means to join or yoke) encompasses a whole lot more. Meditation, breath work (Pranayama), chanting, study of spiritual texts (Swadhyaya).  I may have mentioned this before in previous blogs but the importance of it is worth mentioning again and again.

What the true essence of yoga does is help give you the tools to calm yourself so can get through the storms of life that are inevitable.  I have been reading the book "The Five Things We Cannot Change...and the Happiness We Find by Embracing Them" by David Richo. He lists the 5 things we can't change as: 

1. Everything changes and ends.
2. Things do not always go according to plan.
3. Life is not always fair.
4. Pain is part of life.
5. People are not loving and loyal all the time.

When I first read them I said to my self "no duh!" and then I was instantly reminded of my reaction the first time I heard the first of Buddhas' Four Noble Truths...the first being Life is Suffering. It was the same reaction "no duh!". But then Buddha then goes on to share with us The Eight Fold Path to end suffering, he gives us the tools.

We need guidelines, we need the right tools to help us calm ourselves through the storms, the suffering in our lives. Not really into Buddha, that's OK, read Mr. Richo's book. Learn breathing techniques, learn to meditate (both by the way are suggested in Mr. Richo's book). Read Mr. Hawkeye's book. Come and join us a Santohsa Yoga on the 3rd Sunday night of each month to learn how to meditate or just re-charge the practice you may already have.  It's really not as weird as you may think. Learn how to stop feeling as if you are alone lost at sea and your life raft has a hole in it.  Look around you, ask for help and guidance.Come to a yoga class and discover it so much more than getting a strong core or yoga butt. Stop the madness!

I could suggest so many different ways to help you calm yourself and not have to become so different personalities to get through your day, which can be soooo exhausting. But you have to want to change, you have really want it, you have to believe that you have the capability to change, which we all do. To quote Anais Nin "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom"

Take that first big step, you will never look back.....and most importantly don't forget to breathe.

Hello? Hello? Where are all the men in Yoga?

Well....where are all of the men when it comes to practicing yoga?  I am still waiting for an answer. Hello? Anyone out there?  Still no answer?  I guess I will have to throw out some ideas of my own.

First of all a little history about men and yoga. Way back when yoga was traditionally  practiced only by men, women had to practice in secret. In fact Master teacher and healer, Sri Krishnamacharya had to be somewhat strong armed by the Maharaja of Mysore at the time (1938) to accept a woman as his student. Indra Devi went on to become a renowned guru in her own right, passing away in 2002 at the age of 102.  There are a few theories out there as how this shift in gender may have happened. One is that Indra Devi moved to Hollywood in 1947 and opened her own studio and became teaching the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Greta Garbo. She then became friends with makeup guru Elizabeth Arden and the rest is history.

Now that you know the back story lets get on to the original question at hand, where are all the men? First of all you don't have to wear spandex to a yoga class in fact we highly recommend that you don't wear spandex! Just messing with the men out there, just wear something comfortable for you.  My stepson, who is in the Navy, finally tried it when he was home on leave and loved it.  I asked him what took so long since he gets a great family discount, his response....he was afraid of farting in class.  We have all passed gas (that's what us ladies call it)  in a yoga class at one time or another.  It's the effect of all of the wonderful twists that we do that aid in our digestion.

I think that some of the reluctance has to do with the ego, men come into class and see a 60 year old woman doing poses they can't do.  My first yoga class was 15 years ago and I couldn't do them either. It's a process guys just like anything else. Concerned that you might be uncomfortable with all those women doing down dog.  Well, your not suppose to be looking at them, your suppose to be paying attention to your breath, your practice and your mat.  Trust me, we're not looking at your down dog.

Are you aware of the many benefits that yoga will have in other aspects of your life!  Did you know that yoga can improve your golf swing, your flexibility and strength, greater mental focus and improve your balance. How about for basketball which is a total body and mind sport that requires you to be both physically and mentally quick.

Yep, even Elvis did yoga!

Baseball?  Again improving your swing but also increased range of motion for all of you pitchers out there. The 2014 FIFA World Cup for Soccer starts this week in Brazil. Soccer players tend to have tight leg muscles because of all of the running, yep yoga can help that as well as increasing stamina.

For all the musicians out there, front man of Maroon 5 Adam Levine is a yogi.

Don't believe me, I will share a blog with you written by a man who tells us  7 Reasons Men Should Yoga.

OK men here's a challenge, I am throwing down the gauntlet, come on and fly in the face of the unknown....or whatever macho phrase will get your attention. Come on give it a try and you just might be surprised!!!

And I almost forgot (not really) the most important part of yoga.....just breathe!

Hot Yoga Isn't for Everyone!

I have been debating about writing this blog for quite some time now and keep on putting it off for various reasons but I can't hold my tongue still (or my fingers) any longer.

First of all for all of you who just love hot yoga, bless your hearts but let me share a revelation with you...it's not for everyone!  It's fun but it's not the whole package.

I can't ever begin to count the number of times someone who has never,ever done a yoga class before chooses hot yoga to be their first yoga experience and usually their last.  It's a fast paced class, with challenging flows and oh yeah, it's 95 degrees in the room (but we're not Bikram) so it's hot.  I talk to them before class and give them a head's up ask if they drank a lot of water, etc. and the rest is up to them. They leave class sweaty, exhausted and sometimes never to be seen again. They usually don't come back to try other classes and take advantage of their free week.

Well meaning hot yoga fans bring their friends, sister's, spouses to share with them what they enjoy but again it's not for everyone.  It's not like sitting in a sauna and chanting "om" you are moving people!  Stories, I could tell you stories....so I will. The daughters that bring their moms who haven't done any type of physical activity in a very long time to try out the class, never to be seen again. The bodybuilders who think it's a piece of cake, never to be seen again.  The boyfriends who were ambushed and weren't even told it was a hot yoga class, never to be seen again.  The first time students who didn't know they were suppose to hydrate or not eat heavy prior to class come out of class early (which is fine) but never to be seen again. 

I have taken a few hot yoga classes myself and I have decided that I sweat just fine in a Vinyasa or Ashtanga style class thank you very much.  One size yoga does not fit all. So it's wonderful that we have so many different styles and levels of yoga to choose. For most of us hot yoga is something that you need to work up to. I wouldn't run a marathon or even a half marathon without training for it, I wouldn't bench press 100 pounds without starting at a lower weight.  In a hot yoga class you are using different muscles groups and a lot of stamina and endurance.  You want to get your mom, spouse, etc healthy and off the couch? Do you love them enough to attend a basic/beginners class with them as a show of support? Come on a give it a try you might even find that it's a nice balance with the hot yoga class.

Some of you may be saying that I am biting the hand that feeds me (pays my rent, utilities, teachers, etc) by discouraging students from coming to hot yoga.  Not at all!  I am encouraging them to start out at a level that most fits their needs and take it from there.  Then you can get your asana kicked in hot yoga with your BFF's (does anyone even say that anymore)?

Hot yoga, are you really ready for it?  Don't let it be your first and your last experience of what yoga is really all about, a truly amazing experience inside and out.

....and don't forget to breathe no matter what style of yoga you practice.

It's Not Always About the Numbers

Which I first started teaching yoga, I would judge the worth and quality of my teaching skills by the numbers of students I had in my classes which in the beginning weren't very many at all. As time went on and I gained more confidence the sizes of my classes increased.

When I first opened up the studio 5 years ago there were many, many a day when only 1 or 2 students showed up for a class or non at all. This time I knew better, that this too shall pass, that it was part of the process of growing and learning. I gained more control over my ego regarding my teaching. If only one person showed up I saw it as an opportunity for both of us, giving and receiving the benefits of a private class.   

Thankfully over time word spread of the many gifts that my wonderful teachers and myself have to offer the community which I am truly grateful for. My landlord is also grateful since I am able to pay my rent as well as my teachers! I have heard from students and teachers about their experiences at other studios or gyms that if only a few students showed up for class they would either cut the class short or cancel it all together. I don't get it, the teacher made the effort to show up and the students came because they needed a yoga class. Again I understand, as a  business we have bills to pay but what kind of message does that send to the students?

Everyone once in a while I feel that I need to be reminded that it isn't always about the numbers, but how we can make a difference.

I subbed for one of my teachers last week who was out ill.  She teaches the chair yoga class which usually doesn't have big numbers because it's such a speciality class.  It's a few minutes before the start of class and no one has showed up yet. I start to close up and regroup the rest of my day in my head when in comes a student for the class.  She apologizes for being late and when she realizes that she is the only one there, proceeds to get ready to leave.  I assure her that the class will be held regardless.

We had a great time!  She has MS and we were able to address those issues one on one.  We shared a lively exchange of questions and answers and I showed her a few more things that she would be able to do at home in between classes. At the end of class, which flew by, she told me that she had dreamed of being able to do a private class one day and she couldn't believed that it had happened.  She was just glowing. Students come to yoga because they need to. Teachers need to remember to teach with the same energy, love and dedication whether its one student or a full house. I needed to be reminded and humbled that it isn't always about the numbers, its about changing peoples lives, one student, one breath at a time....so don't forget to breathe.

Bad Rap for Chair Yoga???

I keep on telling everyone that yoga is for everyone. Which it is. We have kids yoga. We have restorative yoga.  You want to really sweat, we have hot yoga (more on that in a future post). If you are recovering from an illness or surgery, you can lay in bed and practice pranayama (breathing) that's still yoga. So why do some people bristle when I bring up chair yoga.  

"Whoa....that's not for me....I am not 110 years old and infirm, I don't need no stinking chair yoga."  Really? Let's put our ego's aside for a while (a long while) and clear up a few things.  Just as with any other style of yoga, it depends on what your body needs at the point in life that you are at.  It's not attached to an age. It's your physical ability.  Maybe your are recovering from surgery and can't get up and down off the floor. Chair yoga. Maybe you have MS. Chair yoga.  You have vertigo and your balance is off. Chair yoga. You  have really cranky knees and it hurts to kneel on them. Chair yoga. Not one of those examples did I see where an age was attached.  Because it's not about the age it's about the need.  

Do you think that sitting in a chair that you won't get the same benefits?  Sure you will, you still breath, twist, and forward fold. Boat pose anyone?  Yes you can still do navasana in chair yoga and with the same core benefits.   The chair replaces the yoga mat and becomes an extension of your body allowing you to take full advantage of yoga’s amazing fitness and health potential. 

I have several students, depending on what their body is telling them, that practice both chair and traditional style yoga and they agree that the benefits are the same. In fact one student told me that the last chair yoga class she took kicked her butt (in a good way).

Are you an office worker that sits in a chair all day, do chair yoga at your desk.  Even if you are in a wheelchair, you can still practice yoga. 

Ok, I will be honest with you that most chair yoga students might be senior citizens, but at least they are doing yoga. They are breathing, moving, increasing circulation, strengthening their lungs, they are off the couch and on the chair. So now that's your learned the truth about chair yoga, what's your excuse...get off your couch and into a chair.....and just breath!

East Meets West at Santosha Yoga

This past weekend we hosted two workshops at Santsoha but both with a common theme and great information.

Saturday we had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Joel Kahn. Dr. Joel is a good friend of Cindy, one of our wonderful yoga teachers. He is a cardiologist out of the Beaumont Heath system and just authored the book "The Holistic Heart"  and a columnist for Reader's Digest.  He is also a yogi and a vegan. He told me once that he wants to be put out of a job, wouldn't it be great if there wasn't' a need for cardiologists. He quoted many, many studies and research that supported what a plant based diet (not necessarily vegan or vegetarian) can be for our health and longevity. How exercise, moderation in all things and that even a class a wine a day is good for you (the crowd loved that). Dr. Joel isn't saying that there wont' always be a need for his type of medicine, but that he is "extending his tool box".

On the flip side, Sunday Meena Puri from the Ayurvedic Healing Center in Milford.  She came armed with information that taught us what "dosha" or body type each of us were and how to use food to heal our bodies. How if we change just one thing with our diet and life style it can shift everything.  That our bodies "talk" to us all the time but we usually don't listen.  That constipation shouldn't be ignored, our biggest meal should be in the middle of the day, that we can prevent diseases, another fact that Dr. Joel also told us.

It was one of those weekend where I wished I had recorded them because the was so much going on and taking notes just scratched the surface.

But even though they both came from a somewhat different angle, they both ended with the same message. Diet, yoga and meditation.  Both Dr. Joel and Meena stressed their importance and benefits. A student who attended both talks asked me why aren't more people getting it....I didn't have an answer for her....why aren't people getting the message.

Oh...one more thing they both agreed on an important part of a healthy and stress free life style....

don't forget to just breath!

Watch Your Thoughts!

I have a dear and wonderful person in my life whose has been though a lot in his life,  I mean he has really have been through a lot.  I don't want to go into great details so you are going to have to trust me on this one. 

Whenever we talk and I am just the least bit negative (don't be so surprised I told you that I am not enlightened yet, but a work in progress)  he spins it right back into a positive.  Sometimes it's like a ping pong match back and forth back forth with my friend always having the winning point.  I come away from these conversations feeling good but also a little ashamed.  

After a recent conversation with him, I sat down to journal and just let the thoughts and words pour out on the pages.  The pen drifted to my friend and I then had a ah ha moment. Ah ha moments are the best, one of the many benefits of journaling and meditation which both help the dust settle in your mind so you can think clearer. OK, back to my moment. Because of what my friend has been through I always sense that he is teetering on the edge of keeping it together or losing it all together. His defense mechanism for keeping it together is to always have positive thoughts and positive people around him. That was my ah ha moment. 

It reminded me of the teachings from Buddha.  After he came out of 49 days of meditation he told his followers that life is suffering but he also told his followers that he had a plan to help us find happiness which he called the 8 Fold Path.  Number 3 on that path is "right speech: clear, truthful, up lifting and non-harmful communication". 


That is what my friend is try to do to end his suffering.  We really don't pay attention to or realize how much our words not only affect us but everyone we communicate with.

"Watch your thoughts; they become words, Watch your words' they become actions.  Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character.  Watch your character it become your destiny."     ~Laozi~
So the next time you go to open your mouth.....pause.....and just breath.

  

Human Perfection...it doesn't exist.

Belated Happy New Year everyone!

"The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection..." ~George Orwell~

When I first stared blogging, I checked out other yoga related blogs for ideas and would find blogs that hadn't had a post in months, years and thought to myself that's not cool. And now here I am, 2 months since my last blog with karma biting me in the butt.

Let's do a little review over the last few months.  My 88 year old mom had two back surgeries in 3 weeks prior to Thanksgiving , Christmas, New Years, running a business, writers block, procrastination (blah, blah, blah)  and then red-faced because it had been so long.  Sound familiar?  I know that I am not alone in this cycle, we all start something with the best of intentions and life just gets in the way. But the problem isn't that we get side tracked.  It's when we come to the red-faced part of the cycle and just quit.  Just like that.  Sound familiar?  No judgment here by the way.

We are so hard on ourselves, expecting perfection where perfection doesn't exist, forgetting that we are human after all. 

Buddha gave us The Four Noble Truths, the essence of his teachings. It was these four principles that the Buddha came to understand during his meditation under the bodhi tree. The first one is life is dukkha, that life is suffering. But before he even gets to the second one, he breaks down the first one with what he called six occasions when life is pain that applies to everyone, rich, poor, young old.

1.      The trauma of birth.

2.      The pathology of sickness.

3.      The morbidity of decrepitude.

4.      The phobia of death.

5.      To be tied to what one abhors.

6.      To be separate from what one loves.

Wow that's intense. I know it's a lot to take it but he reminds us that's OK not to be perfect, we got a lot stuff going on. The moral of the story?  It's human to get side tracked and red-faced, it's ok.  Just get back on the horse, or blogging, or yoga, or eating healthier.  Or whatever your intention was, don't stop trying.

To help get you back on track of whatever path you are on I am sharing a link to "10 changes you didn't know you were making by practicing yoga".

I'm back.....and don't forget to breathe.

A Quote a Day.....

"Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year' to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow". 

                ~Edward Sanford Martin~

I love quotes. I am a self confessed quote junky! They help put into words what I am feeling. They put me on track or back on track with their wisdom and thoughts. When my mind is in chaos about something or someone in my life, I just google and I always find a quote that speaks to me.  Some of the authors names are familiar, some come from the most unusual sources (ie: comedians & politicians ) but it doesn't matter as long as the quote speaks to me.

So when I was searching for a Thanksgiving Day quote I came upon Mr. Martin's quote (he was a poet who was born in 1856, I googled it) and of all the ones that popped up at that point in time, for that breath, for what I needed at that moment I chose him.

Why? Because everyday should be a day of thanksgiving not just once a year.  Not just for the length of time between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. Why? Because they is so much to be grateful for there is no way in hell you can fit it all into those 30 odd days.Why? Because it should be impossible to do so.

I woke up the other morning well before I needed to and his quote came to mind so I just layed there in the silence of the world not yet stirring and started to make a mental list of all the things I am thankful for in no particular order:

• My family, my husband, children, siblings and everyone else that fits into that category.
• My friends.
• My practice of yoga.
• Santosha Yoga.
• The teachers of Santosha.
• The students of Santosha.
• My health.
• The health of my children, especially my two sons who have both battled and won the fight of cancer.
• That fact that they have health insurance.
• The fact that I have health insurance.
• My grandson and my granddaughter who is about 3 weeks away from coming into this world (I know they fall under family but as a grandparent I am allowed to boast.
• My warm bed.
• A roof over my head.
• Food in my belly.
• A car that runs, gas in the car and money to buy gas for the car to run.
• My landlord.
• My husband ((I know that I listed him already but he deserves another mention for putting up with me for over 29 years).
• My favorite pair of jeans.
• The change of seasons in Michigan.
• My grandson's giggle (I know, I know another grandson mention, those of you who are grandparents will understand).
• The struggles and hard times I have had in my life for they truly have made me who I am today.
• Dark chocolate!
• The breath and life that I have in my body.

I could go on and on, and that's my point exactly we need to go on and on to express our gratitude, not just once a year. 

So just take a deep, deep breath and just begin and say to yourself  "I am thankful for.........."

Just Get Off the Couch Damn It!

Wow, if I that title came off a little harsh sorry about that.  But I believe I got my point across.  The reason for my unintended harshness is also the reason I haven't blogged in a while.

Jennie, my 88 year old mom fell mid September and it's been a roller coaster of ER visits, 911 calls hospitals stays, morphine hallucinations and all around concern and craziness. I love my mom very much and have been blessed to have her as my mom, but she is a poster child for how not to age.  I know a lot of it has to do with her generation as she was a child of the Great Depression and finding enough food to eat or coal to heat their homes was a priority in their lives.  She and my dad never went past the 8th grade but they worked hard and provided a wonderful safe life for my siblings and myself. 

As a child she went from selling apples on a street corner with her dad to having a home with my dad filled with warmth, love and lots of food.  She didn't ever want us to go through what she went though and we didn't. 

That generation was so busy taking care and making the lives of their loved ones better, they somehow lost sight of their own health and well being.  They didn't work on farms anymore or walk or bicycle everywhere as their ancestors did. 

My mom just came out of surgery for her back, her second in the past three weeks.  The surgeon said everything went fine, hopefully this one will help with the intense pain that she has been in for the last two months caused by arthritis, spinal stenosis, pinched nerves and crumbling vertebraes.  Please don't see this as picking on my mom, it's meant as a wake up call for the rest of us.  I don't want anyone to have to experience the pain and discomfort that she has been through.

I know that some aspects of aging are inevitable, but there are also a good portion of getting old that's not.  The first thing to do is just get off the couch, damn it.

The yoga classes that I have taught recently have included lots of twists and turns, a great way to keep our backs and spine healthy and that's one example of the health benefits of yoga.  Those who know me or have read my blog in the past know I am advocate any kind of physical exercise, just as long as you get off the couch damn it!

AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) shared statistics of how over the next few decades there will be less and less caregivers for every aging baby boomer.  Scary. Who is going to take care of us if we don't start to take care of ourselves?

Time to get off the couch, move, bend twist and most of all.....just breath.

Take A Seat......Please!

This past Wednesday was the first day of a new class on our schedule, chair yoga.  I have been wanting to offer the class at Santosha since we first opened the doors 4 years ago.  We keep on preaching (sometimes I do get a little preachy) that yoga is for everyone and this type of class proves it even more so.

 

We purchased sturdy chairs (non-folding) that would be safe for the practice.  Put the chairs on yoga mats in the room so they wouldn't slip along with bolsters, straps, blocks and blankets.  All the  "toys" were brought out to make sure everyone had what they needed.

 

Stacey, who is teaching the class, and I waited.  We were very excited to have 8 students show up to the first class.  There seemed to be an instant connection with the group and conversations between them started immediately.  The students were of various ages, the youngest being 50.  Their reasons for being there varied but not their need and desire for being healthier and taking better care of themselves. A few of the students were referred by one of our teachers who is also a physical therapist.  They loved it.

 

I have heard a lot of buzz from our students about this class, my mom gets dizzy in down dog,  my aunt has a hard time getting up and down off the floor.  One sweet gal came in to ask questions about it, she is waiting for a heart transplant and her doctor suggested chair yoga in order for her to get stronger for the surgery, bless her heart indeed!

 

I have included an article about chair yoga from a news letter I received and thought it was a good one to share.  In the article there are links you can go to for actual studies and research of the benefits of yoga.

 

Take a minute or two and think of who in your life might benefit from this type of class and give them a call.  They may not even know that this kind of experience is available to them.   If they don't believe me or the studies maybe they will believe Dr. Oz.  He was teaching his studio audience the other day how to do ujjayi breath (yogic diaphragmatic breathing) and explaining all of the benefits.  Yes even in chair yoga we practice the breath. So tell them the first step is just to take a few moments and just breath.

 

Meditation not Medication!

"The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large."

 ~ Confucius ~

 

We had our monthly meditation class two Sunday nights ago (the 3rd Sunday of the month) and some of the students who attended said that they just recently found out about it even though they have been attending yoga classes at Santosha for a while. We have offered this free class since we opened the studio four years ago. They gave me a gentle slap on the wrist and said I needed to advertise it more.  I promised I would so here is it: Free Meditation & Study Group, the 3rd Sunday night of every month from 6 pm to 7 pm.

 

But what makes this request even more interesting is that the age of the students admonishing me (lovingly) were in their mid 20's.  Of all the things they could be doing on a Sunday night they attended a meditation class.  Wow! We even had 13 year old Evan who attended with his parents.  If this is a sample of future generations, we are in good hands.

 

My husband is retired now so instead of watching the weather channel as from what I am told, most retirees do, he has taken to watching the stock market channel instead.  Boring!  The other day he called me into the room to watch the a segment. I nicely declined, but he said that I would be interested.  I was.  They had a gentleman on who works for Google and he was telling how he teaches a meditation class there and that there is a waiting list for the class. Imagine a waiting list to attend a meditation class, that to me is close to a perfect world. 

 

He went through a brief explanation as what meditation is about; calming the breath then the mind, bringing in positive thoughts and not judging yourself if negative thoughts come back in.  Exactly! He stated that teaching meditation to the employees have reduced stress, increased productivity and office moral.  Why isn't all of corporate American listening to this? Probably just unaware, however they could attend the Free Meditation & Study Group, the 3rd Sunday night of every month from 6 pm to 7 pm at Santosha Yoga.

 

In our asana practice we strengthen our bodies, but what about our minds.  That's where a meditation practice comes in.  If you googled benefits of meditation, you would be blown away at the results.

 

Not sure what meditation is all about?  Join us the 3rd Sunday of every month from 6 pm to 7 pm (next class is October 20).  Am I forgiven now Erin?

Taking Yoga to New Heights

Yep, that's me at the very top in the orange about 55 feet up.  Crazy huh?  What's even more crazy is how very yoga like it was.

 

One of my students, Paul, is an climber extraordinaire.  He has climbed rocks, mountain, ice and is preparing for a climbing trip next year to Peru.

 

Every time he talks about climbing he says how much like yoga it is.  How you are in the present moment, how much the breath comes into play. How very meditative it is.  Well after many months of gentle prodding on his part, my husband and I found ourselves at Planet Rock in Pontiac this past Friday night.

 

It is a huge old building that I am not sure what its' previous life was, but it seems to be enjoying it's present reincarnation.  The staff was very welcoming when we came in (very important to me, first impressions and all). We were paired up with Russ who took us through an intro for newbie's.  It took about 40 minutes or so where we learned all about knots, safety, harnesses, safety,  braking with the ropes, safety, belaying (the non climber on the bottom with the rope), safety, checking our harnesses, checking our partners harnesses and did I say safety.  Truth be told, my head was spinning just a little. And then it literally let us loose from the beginners wall and said have fun. Holy crap! Just like that.

 

Well he did follow us to the big walls to make sure that we could handle the rope if our climber were to start to fall and made sure we knew how to "break" for them when we were belaying.  Because my hubby is a tad heavier than me (giggles), my harness was tethered to the floor to make sure I didn't become Peter Pan if hubby started to fall. There was always staff walking around to make sure everyone was OK and Paul came over occasionally from his climbing partners to help out and give pointers. 

 

And this is where the yoga kicked in.  After tying the appropriate knots and checking each other's harnesses up I went.  And up and up.  The higher I went the more I seemed to become unaware of the others around me.  My concentration went deeper in as I determined where my feet and hands went next.  I would pause occasionally to make sure that I was breathing deep and full.  Others apparently were climbing within inches of me and I really didn't notice. In a sense I was meditating as I climbed! I reached the top, looked down and realized how high I was and it felt great.  Propelling down was just as much fun....weeee!!!! I went up a few more times taking a different route and still loved it.

 

The other aspect of where the yoga kicked in was with my physical body.  Using the strength of my upper body to pull me up (thanks to all those down dogs and chatarunga's),  the strength of my legs to climb (compliments of warrior poses, crescent, balancing poses when I had one foot planted as I figured out where to put the next one) and the awareness of my core muscles (bandhas) to bring it all together and of course let's not forget the breath. 

 

This practice of yoga is used every where we go and whatever we do in our daily lives.  What ever "mountain's" you have to climb in your life bring your yoga with you and don't forget to breath.

 

P.S. Thanks Paul!

 

 

 

 

 

Good Morning, Namaste

Good morning, Namaste. That was the note that greeted me this morning when I came to the studio, it was written on the back an envelope and tucked under the outside mat. How sweet I thought. 

Then I glanced over to one of the two benches that we have in the front of the studio for gathering purposes (or to cool off after hot yoga) and there was a brown paper bag.  I looked inside and low and behold, not to my surprise, were two empty wine bottles and two plastic cups.

My reaction was bouncing between amused and sadness.  Amused because they chose (since there were two cups I assume it was "they") our studio bench to partake.  Amused because they didn't drink straight out of the bottle, they had some class.  Amused that they neatly had the corks back in the bottles, glasses stacked and put in the bag which was placed to the side so someone wouldn't trip over it.

 

Sadness because they felt that they needed to find their peace and contentment from a bottle in the dark hiding from others.  Sadness because they may not know that there are others ways to find your inner peace that lasts much longer that the buzz from wine and doesn't result in a hangover.  Sadness because what they are looking for is just on the other side of the door that they left the sweet note.

 

Sadness because all they have to do is make the first step and.......just breathe.

 

 

Just A Coincidence?

I just got back Saturday from a trip my family takes each year to Ludington MI.  It started out 20 years ago with one cottage and around 12 of us. This year it was four cottages and including all the coming and goings we had 42 in attendance. That's al lot of Italians!

 

A few of my mom's grandchildren in their 30's (including two of my kids) came up for the first time.  They were way too cool to come up when they were in their late teens and early 20's.  Did time make the rest of us more cool or them less judging?

 

Two of the grandkids were unable to make it due to work commitments and this is where the story gets interesting. Nathan lives in Roseville and Kimberly lives in Royal Oak and they ran into each other at a 7 Eleven at 15 & Crooks.  It's never happened before to them and most likely won't happen again. Crazy huh! 

 

It reminds me of the movie Casablanca when Humphrey Bogart's character Rick say to Ingrid Bergman's character Ilsa "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into min". Well, in all of the 7 Eleven's in all the towns...you get the idea.

 

We are all share the same energy, no matter who or what we are.  Was it the energy of the family coming together, often mentioning that we had wished that they could have made it, that drew them toward each other.  Was it their energy, knowing that they were the only ones not up north that brought them together. Either way there was some intense sharing of energy going on to make that happen.  Of course we will never know, this is one of those mysteries of the universe.

 

Every thought, action, and word that we put out there does make a difference. It's energy in one form or another.  It connects us in ways beyond our comprehension.  They create situations  that make the hair on our arms stand up.  Most of them we don't realize, they aren't as "in your face" as the 7 Eleven encounter, but they happen.

 

Moral of the story?  Really pay attention to the energy that you put out there because remember the law of Karma, what you put out comes back. 

 

So before you open your mouth, think a thought and take action, ask yourself, do you want this coming back to you at some time in the future.....and just breathe.

     

$100 Worth of Karma

I went to get the mail the other day and there was an envelope addressed to Santosha Yoga without a return address.  I opened it up and out fell a crisp $100 bill along with a two page typed letter. It took me a second or two to process the money and I admit that I held it up to the light to make sure it was real.  It was.

The letter went on to explain the reason for the money.  It was an anonymous gift to Santohsa Yoga to use for 10 classes for students in need of yoga who maybe couldn't otherwise afford it.  The donor went on to explain that they came upon some unexpected money, that is was too difficult to truly explain but similar to finding money in a purse that you hadn't used in a while. We were to use it as we see fit, taking our time to decide who needs its.

The writer shared how yoga has changed their lives and they are ever so grateful for Santosha, the teachers and fellow students (as am I of course).  They was a lot more soul baring but you get the idea.

I re-read the letter several times first just to absorb the essence of it and then trying to play detective.  Hmmm, who could that be.  Must be a female because of the purse reference.  No, it could be male just trying to throw me off track.  By then I came to my senses and felt gratitude for this wonderful gift.

I have given out 4 classes so far of those I feel deserving at the time.  One is to a teenager who uses her babysitting money to take classes, another to a young gal who I know is struggling with school and bills. But as I give each one of them away, I tell them it has strings attached.  They must pay it forward.  They must preform a random act of kindness for someone else and it doesn't have to involve money. They have all assured me that they would.

Just think, that $100 worth of Karma will turn (not can) I repeat, will turn into so much more.  That's how is all starts.  That is the magic of yoga of the mat. Studies have shown

I was so excited by all this generosity that I had to remind myself......to just breathe.

The Real "Rock Stars" of Yoga

This past Friday night I attended a workshop that was being taught by yoga teacher extraordinaire, Jason Crandell.  Jason was recently named “one of the next generation of teachers shaping yoga’s future” by Yoga Journal. Jason is well know in the world wide yoga community for his skillful, unique approach to vinyasa yoga.

 

It was a great workshop and I was impressed with his humility and logical approach to teaching.  I really enjoyed it and was disappointed that I was unable to make the rest of his classes while he was in town. The weekend was sponsored by Yoga Association of Great Detroit (YAGD) which is primarily based in Oakland County.  That group of volunteers do a great job in bringing teachers of this caliber to the area.

 

We arrived at the workshop quite early since we were coming from Chesterfield and unfamiliar with Farmington Hills and then of course I always have to factor in time for getting lost.  Good thing too because the GPS on my phone decided to take us through the scenic route and since I didn't know any better, I let it (we figured out a better route coming back).

 

The place was buzzing with excitement, everyone waiting to meet and greet "the star".  But truth be told, in my humble opinion, the true stars of the show were some of the fellow yoga teachers and students that were there.  When we came into the space we were greeted by Claudette who introduced herself and showed us around.  She was pumped.  You could literally feel the energy bouncing off of her.  She told us that after the class, which ended at 9:30 PM, she was going dancing! She then proceeded to tell us that she just turned 70....70!!!!  Wow, she had the energy of a teenager at a Justin Bieber concert.

 

As the room started to fill up I took note as to the ages of a good portion of the other participants, which was clearly 60 and up.  In the ladies room I over heard others talking about a certain teacher who is still teaching in her 80's.  This area is an older more established yoga community, yoga has been around there for quite a while which would account for this. Watching these ladies and gentlemen practice was inspiring.  Yes, yes I know I was suppose to be concentrating on my own practice, but I did have to leave and go to the rest room at one point and just happened to glance here and there.

 

Do I really need to explain to you all what the moral of this story is?  I again experienced the miracle of what this practice of yoga can do for us. I witnessed what I have been telling everyone and anyone that yoga is not just for the young and nubile. 

Yes of course their bodies have changed over time but they adapted their practice to accommodate that.  Jason kept on telling us all through the class to quit beating ourselves up, to accept and be proud of the bodies that we have today.  He reminded us that we are already "whole" when we come to the mat. Yoga just helps bring it out of us.  These beautiful, seasoned students of yoga were moving, breathing and going dancing.  

 

It's not too late.  Get off the couch, get away from the computer, stop texting so much and get on the mat....and just breathe.

My Yoga Off the Mat Day

This past Sunday I had the privilege of practicing yoga off the mat with a vengeance.  If your not sure what yoga off the mat means think of the last time you were stuck in traffic and late for work or an appointment.  How did you react, were you fuming, honking the horn somehow thinking that the the sound of your horn would create a miracle of sorts and make the five mile up back up in front of you move.  Or did  you use the time to breathe, count your blessings, listen to some mellow music, you get the idea.
 

This past Sunday was another great day in downtown New Baltimore for Yoga in the Park from noon to 1 PM at Burke Park (shameless plug).  It was hot but we were going to have fun as we always do.  My PA system that worked great the week before was not cooperating at all.  I moved it all over the place trying to find a balance, it wasn't going to happen so most of the class I ended up talking really loud and for those who know me that's not hard to do.  I am Italian after all.

  

Mid way through class I noticed a small group of people walking toward the water near where we were having class and then a wedding commenced! The event was being video recorded and I didn't want this sweet couple 50 years from now watching their ceremony and hear me in the background yelling "inhale and reach your arms up". I stopped the class as we waited for them to take their vows and of course we all applauded when it was done. 

  

Class started up again when one of the students motioned to me that a wonderful police officer of New Baltimore who was just doing his job was not real happy where I parked my car.  I again stopped class to discuss the situation with him.  OK, I admit it my car wasn't parked all that legal, but as I explained to him we collect so many canned goods donations for St. Mary's food pantry (thank you everyone) it  was just easier to have the car closer to put the food in at the end of class. Seeing that he wasn't impressed with my story, I promised not to park there again.
 

Practicing yoga off the mat in spite of the heat,  I kept my cool.  Although it was very tempting to toss the entire PA system into the lake, I resisted.

  

I let go of everything that happened and went on with my day.  I didn't let it determine my mood for the rest of the day. Remember the phase "just laugh it off"?  Exactly.  I told you that we have fun at Yoga in the Park. I cant' guarantee that much fun every Sunday but I will do my best. 
 

Remember.....to just breathe on and off your mat.

Yoga and the Ones You Love

Ok, one more quiet rant.

 

You just discovered yoga and it was love at first down dog. You want everyone to experience the buzz that you do.  Or that hot yoga class that kicked your asana, sweat was flying everywhere and all of your toxins along with it and you want to share it all with the world.  So what do you do, your next hot yoga class you bring your mom (sister, dad, friend.....fill in the blank) with you.  They have never done yoga before and haven't been off the couch in a while. You love them so much that you bring them to a hot yoga class? What happens next is the well meaning gesture usually backfires and the newbie is never to be seen again. Your journey into yoga is not the same for someone else.

 

I have seen it first hand countless times. Students coming out of the middle of class near tears, one gal admitted that her "friends" forced her to come, she was not happy when she left. Siblings who wanted their mom to be healthier brought her to a vinyasa flow class.  When I suggested to them that it might be better to bring mom to another style class they assured me she would be fine, mom is still MIA.

 

I have been silent long enough! I applaud all of you for wanting the people you love to be healthier and happier and  yoga will help them get there but find the style that best suites where they are today.  Do you love them so much that you can put your ego aside and accompany them to a basic or gentle yoga class. Boring you say?  Take that opportunity not only to bond with whom you brought but also to really tune into your alignment and breath with the slower pace. They may never progress to a more vigorous style as you may have but at least they are off the couch and you should be ecstatic for the progress they have made.

 

 

I had a student tell me this happened to her years ago and she never tried yoga again until recently because she thought that all yoga classes were alike.  She now knows different. And so do you. I have seen anger, frustration,  and embarrassment on the students faces. The practice of yoga is suppose to bring you peace, not make you feel as if you failed.

 

 

 

Share your love of yoga with everyone, but take into consideration what their needs are when you invite them to come and be honest with yourself as to what your intention is.  Help them on this journey and remind them that the most important part of yoga and life is to .......just breathe.

 

Blowing Off a Little Steam

What is a blog? "A blog is a personal diary. A daily pulpit. A collaborative space. A political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. A collection of links. Your own private thoughts. Memos to the world." (source Bloggers.com.)

 

Ok, with that being said on to the topic of this blog which will be a combination of my own private thoughts and soapbox (but not really political).

 

Yoga is becoming more popular and main streamed everyday which should and does make me very happy. It means more people are exploring and experiencing it's life changing benefits.  But is also means that there are yoga teachers out there who really may not be as qualified as you think.  Have they taken some type of formal training to do what there are doing? If they took a training, did they actually finish it. Or did they just kind of fall into it because a yoga teacher was needed where they currently teach some other type of physical exercise.  You really need to look into these things first, after all it is your body and health that we are talking about. Do you really want someone to cut your hair that wasn't formally trained but yet you don't think twice about it when some one might ask you to stand on your head.

 

In Michigan to offer a yoga teacher training course you must/should be registered as a proprietary school, pass an inspection of your school and reapply every year with the Sate of Michigan. Is the school they trained with accredited with Yoga Alliance, a national registry that sets guidelines for responsible and competent teachers. The school doesn't have to be local, there are a lot of  great national known and recognized schools and teachers out there. The point is, did they formally train with someone, somewhere?

 

If I am coming off as sounding a little bit pompous and arrogant so be it.  I am the first to admit that I am not the end all and the guru of all yoga, but I do know that I expect my teachers and myself to create a safe and knowledgeable environment for the students at our studio.  As part of our registration with Yoga Alliance we are required to continue our education.  I will always be a student of yoga, I will continue to learn and expand so I may become a better student and therefore better teacher.

 

Is this quiet rant a plug for you to come to our studio, not at all.  This quiet rant is for you to research where you do choose to go to make sure that it is a safe environment for you to learn yoga .....and just breathe.