As life had done what life does, taken its toll over the last several years, I had shifted some serious gears. I thought I was done stewarding a studio. I had nearly stepped out of public yoga teaching and had stepped into simply directing my yoga teacher trainings and writing full-time. The idea of stepping back in front of a classroom full of people gave me more than a few twinges of fear. However, underneath my doubts, I felt my great love of community glow.
Though glowing, my great love of community still fell prey to my wondering whether or not this offering might land well in a town more than sprinkled with great yoga studios. Further like many, manage a litany of enough-ness complaints against myself daily. I have memorized all of my mistakes and mis-steps and am an expert in making them weapons against my happiness. Taking this leap of faith and opening another studio only seemed to made them louder.
There are a 1008 ‘what if’s’ in manifesting anything. With any creation, a piece of art, a poem, anything might not be celebrated to the degree that the creator had hoped. However, what would happen if the creator simply ceased worrying about the creation’s outcome and simply created for the love of it? What would happen if you, if I, if we, created from our unique passions simply for the joy in its endeavor?
Awesome-ness. That’s what.
I began a practice. Every time fear gained a small foothold, I turned my attention towards one aspect of the studio’s beginning. It was a dance between creativity and fear. Though these two poles of reality were loud in my head everyday, every schedule choice, class description, paint chip, and floorboard that went down seemed to light my heart on fire. Creating something new, from the depths of my passion, was lighting me up and limiting the heaviness of the shadows about its being received.
I was tireless and on fire. “Passion burns down every branch of exhaustion…” – Rumi
This project shifted the balance in my head and heart. My heart took over and my head sat and listened.
I watched the project, from its inception, not just light me up, but others as well. Fear and doubt were not just the monkeys on my back; they seemed to be an epidemic for many of us. This project turned on a sense of childlike fearlessness, wonder, and shared purpose in several teachers, our builders, and marketing partners.
It turns out, Earth, is more than a studio. It is a project aimed at connecting people, celebrating diversity, igniting passion in art, effort, value, and positive world change making. It is a home for creativity on every level.
Creativity changes everything. It changes everything for everyone. Once it is lit, passion burns and cannot be easily put out. It tends to burn the shorts off of self-limitation, doubt, and fear. If Earth Yoga Boulder is an example of life changing by diving in deep to what one and many love, may it serve as an inspiration for many to lean towards their inspirations, dreams, and creative sparks.
Blaze on with Fearless Heart! – Alan Clementz
By: Shannon Paige
Living wholeheartedly as an author, yoga teacher, and mentor of yoga teachers; Shannon is a spoken word artist, poet, sacred storyteller and TedX speaker. She infuses her bodies of work with a fullness of artful living and passion for life on and off the yoga mat. Her instruments of instruction and expression are detailed and clear cuing woven through a fluid progression of imagery, poetry and truth. Shannon encourages and supports the practitioner to unlock secrets held in the human heart, release stuck patterns that no longer serve, and attain new levels of integrated embodiment. She is described by many as being “confidently vulnerable;” as a result, she is one who inspires positive change. Off the mat, she loves to spend time in the sun, wake surf, and run. Based out of Boulder, Colorado from her home studio, Earth, Shannon globetrots to deliver transformative classes, talks, trainings and retreats.
www.shannonpaigeyoga.com
www.earthboulder.com
In our daily busy life, juggling between career, family, friends and daily compulsory routines, we mostly get by cruising on autopilot. We let our working mind operate while our comfort seeking mind and body guide us. In busy cities, we get over stimulated with continuous noise, traffic, people, and materialism. We can go by days, weeks, months and even years without checking in with our intuition. We might get restless, stressed, and feel off, and can not really tell why. We’d not realize we are lacking the internal connection with ourselves, connection with our intuition. Yet, it is there in a very silent voice, blocked by the loudness of external noise, we can find our intuition if given a chance.
Intuition is beyond our mental thinking, it is a process of thinking of our conscious. Discovering our intuition will lead us understanding the reality as its entirety beyond the material world. We like to think that the castle of comfort we have built around us, with nice cars, nice home, filled with materialism; technology, gadgets, children’s rooms full with toys and closet full of clothes will give us the satisfaction. These things bring us comfort and we believe that comfort will take us to happiness. We like to believe that creating walls and protection around this castle of comfort will create peace of mind. Yet we tend to be restless.
The same thought comes with planning the future far ahead. We believe planning will lead us to our path, providing comfort and contentment. We think that when we finally, after years and years of performing, achieve our dreams, then we will start living. We tend to live in the world of planning and “when I get 40, then I…” or “when I get a new job, then I will travel” Instead of living in the present and following your heart and intuition. Living fully, in the moment is being present to the deepest reality that is in this moment, not in the past nor in the future. There is just now. We tend to build our happiness on external factors and feed our mind to get satisfaction from materialistic stimulators, wanting to possess the happiness.
I am guilty as charged for all of the above, yet learning every day. I believe it is our western society that has taught us to seek comfort and happiness in external elements: going to church for salvation, shopping for holidays to express love and eating to feel better. But do you get the satisfaction in your current lifestyle? Do you ever wonder if there is more to it? The comfort of our lives may satisfy our physical body and operative mind, but if we only hang on to the external factors to nurture our body and our physical existence, our spiritual body remains undiscovered and we keep being disconnected from our true self and intuition.
“You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wildness of your intuition.” Alan Alda
In busy city life, surrounded by the daily routines and distraction, it may be challenging to start the inner journey of discovery. Sometimes we need to leave our daily environment, our personal comfort zone, to find something new. In this case, the discovery will be rocking and changing your world, the new you. Are you interested? Great – you have just woken up your intuition.
Leaving the comfort zone may seem challenging. When we face challenges, feel restless or suffer, we tend to seek a cure from the external, material world rather than looking deep into ourselves. We are so used to purchasing our comfort and happiness. Without realizing, our stress is an end result of trying to hold on to the comfort and happiness created by the external factors. Seeking stress release from external world will lead to deeper disconnection of true-self, yet instead, when stressed out one should look for the internal source of power, the intuition our deep self-knowledge.
The intuition is there, arising from our feelings and knowledge, taking a present form in our relationships. Pay more attention to it, it will get stronger. By inviting intuition into your daily life, it will find a way to present itself to you, in your dreams, visions, sensations, signs, music, emotions. Intuition will find a way to get your attention.
You will come to realize that the deepest reality is this moment, and we create the reality every moment. The intuition you have is real, inviting you to a new perspective. And more you acknowledge your intuition, the more accurate and stronger it gets.
Connecting with your true self, following intuition is the first step to personal growth, which is one thing we do have control over in this ever changing world. Personal growth is available for us all, despite our background, lifestyle or current circumstances. There is no limit of time, place or level of your personal growth. Infinity is the limit, and no on can ever take your personal and spiritual growth away from you.
1. Acknowledge when your intuition is communicating with you 2. Check the accuracy of the message of your intuition 3. Assess the value over time,: what is my intuition bringing in? 4. Acknowledge the learnings of the day, be grateful for those lessons 5. Go to nature. Root yourself, calm your mind and breath. Center. Enjoy the nature. Observe the sensations, feelings, emotions and insights nature is telling you. Acknowledge those, and journal it down.
In yoga philosophy, freedom or liberation translates to the word Moksha. Derived from the Sanskrit word muc (“to free”), the term moksha literally means freedom from samsara or the world. Offered as an ultimate goal of practice, when you embody moksha, you are freed from the worries of the everyday.
Yogarupa Rod Stryker spells it out clearly and beautifully in his book The Four Desires:
Moksha:
Is the longing for true freedom and spiritual awareness. This means being able to live fully, unburdened by your life and the things in it. Moksha is the intrinsic desire to realize a state beyond the confines of the other three desires (kama – pleasure; Artha – material & physical health & security; and Dharma – longing for purpose). It is the longing to move beyond all suffering and fear and realize the highest of all joys. It is the hunger to know and merge with the highest Truth, Essence, or Creator. It is the basis for humanity seeking prayer, meditation, contemplation, self-reflection and deep self-inquiry. ~ Yogarupa Rod Stryker
In addition to this tantric viewpoint, Patanjali’s 8-Limbed Path or Raja Yoga present the journey to Moksha as one of learning to shift your perspective and release the clouds of ignorance veiling your view of the world. Digging deeper into yoga and meditation enables you to release the deep attachment to the material world and seek clarity through conscious awareness. So, Moksha has less to do with the physical world and more to do with your own internal lens.
Other definitions of Moksha become much more esoteric and tied to different religious traditions like Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. These interpretations link more deeply with the concept that life is bondage and liberation comes through reincarnation. From paths that are laid out concretely to more mystical practices, Moksha at its core explores bondage and liberation. Swami Satchitananda emphasizes that “only your attitude toward them does that.”
Where are you on the path to freedom and liberation? Wherever you are on this journey, take time to celebrate!
Here’s how we did it:
Swap out the bread (gluten be gone!) for crunchy bib lettuce “buns.” Easy. Upgrade the mayo with a smear of homemade vegan avocado mayo. But of course. Finish it off with a delicious herb-studded lamb patty. Because we can!
4th of July here we come!
This recipe falls into our 80:20 Plan because of the bacon and the tomatoes (make it cleanse friendly by omitting, it will still be yummy). But it just goes to show you that you can eat like a queen (or king!) without sacrificing your health.
There are so many easy and healthy substitutions available to us nowadays. You don’t have to live without your favorite food, but you may need to give it a healthy makeover!
What’s your favorite not-so-healthy old standby? We would love to give it a Conscious Cleanse makeover, so be sure to leave us a note in the comments below.
With 80:20 love,
Yields: 4 burgers
Ingredients:
¾ LB. bacon 1 LB. ground lamb 2 TB. fresh dill, finely chopped 2 TB. fresh mint, finely chopped 1 TB. fresh oregano, finely chopped Zest of 1 lemon 1 tsp. garlic powder ½ tsp. smoked paprika ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper 1 tsp. sea salt 1 heirloom tomato, sliced 1 head bibb lettuce Avocado Mayonnaise (recipe below)
Instructions: Preheat your grill to 450 degrees.
In a medium skillet cook bacon over medium heat. Place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
Meanwhile in a medium sized bowl combine ground lamb, dill, mint, oregano, lemon zest, garlic powder, smoked paprika, pepper, and sea salt. With your hands gently combine and form 4 patties. Indent the center of each patty so it does not shrink after being cooked on the grill.
Place the lamb patties on your preheated grill and cook until the internal temperature is about 150-160 degrees (more or less depending on the doneness you prefer).
Wash and dry lettuce leaves. These will be your “bun.” To assemble, place one lettuce leaf down, top with 1 TB. of Vegan Avo “Mayo” (recipe below), one slice of tomato, 2 slices of precooked bacon, and one final lettuce leaf on top. Voila!
Yield: 2 cups
2 ripe avocados ¼ cup olive oil 1 TB. freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar ½ tsp garlic powder 1 tsp. sea salt 1 TB. dijon mustard ½ tsp. ground black pepper 1-2 TB. water to thin, if necessary
Instructions: In a high-speed blender, place avocados, olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, sea salt, dijon mustard, and black pepper and blend until emulsified and creamy. Thin with water if necessary. Store in a airtight container for two days maximum. It is best used on the first day!
Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they've lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They've been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.
To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit their website.
Conscious Cleanse Detox Flow - Jo Schaalman
Heart Opening Forrest Yoga Flow - Jo Schaalman
Traditional Hot Yoga - Julie Peláez
They need exposure.
By nurturing and tending to our shadow, by listening to our intuition and by communing with the unconscious, we bring forth what is most alive within us. This does require vulnerability, and while Cancer generally doesn’t let anyone who might wound it too close, we have a good chance during this new moon to do things differently. A close relationship in the sky to Mercury and Venus encourages this new moon energy to speak up about what is most important, and to seek the love and harmony required to safely explore vulnerability. An opposition to Pluto demands this of us… it is time to no longer sit in the dark scared and alone, but rather to start mining our darkness for the precious gems it has yet to reveal.
Use this new moon to dig deeply, and use the tools necessary to know yourself a little better. This self-knowledge, or gnosis, allows for a greater expression of our inner gifts. One technique to utilize during this Cancer new moon is dream journaling. Ask your unconscious to reveal to you a message, and commit to writing down your dreams every morning. The themes you see are for you to interpret, as the unconscious always delivers messages in the language that you understand. Become your own expert and heed their call. As we know ourselves better, we are more confident in speaking up about our needs and desires to those we love. In the end, the greatest gift we give the beloved is self-knowledge.
Alchemical Ritual for the Cancer New Moon
As a water sign, Cancer is immersed in the watery world of the emotions and our unconscious drives. On the low side, this fluid sign becomes moody and overly sensitive, seeking self-protection at all costs. This new moon ritual for Cancer accentuates the high side of sign so we express our emotions in a healthy way, allowing for receptivity, acceptance, nurturing, growth and self-care along the way.
Cancer's ruler is the moon, the luminescent body that shines light on our dark areas, namely, the unconscious. While Cancer sometimes falls prey to the shadow with emotional instability, it also has the opportunity to heal any wounds left untended, and brings awareness to our own darkness, ultimately revealing its light. To keep Cancer’s energy elevated in this ritual, try donning white clothing and gather white stones such as moonstone and place them in the center of your ritual space. You may also place your sacred items in a silver bowl or chalice, as silver compliments the moon.
Bring in the water element in some way, perhaps by placing a few drops of essential oils in water in the silver vessel, if you have it(jasmine, lemon or sandalwood oils work well with Cancer). These essential oils can be used to anoint your third eye chakra before and after your ceremony. Use sage, sweet grass or palo santo to cleanse yourself and the space by casting the smoke over yourself and encircling your own body three times. Light a few candles and dim the lights. Sit in the center of your space and bring the hands together at the heart center. Connect to the third eye, the location of intuition and our internal moon and say the following invocation aloud:
Moon, keep my eyes open to the messages that come from within me so that I may heed their lessons in my life.
Sit quietly as you call forth a dream image. Ask the unconscious to deliver an image that you need at this moment. Be patient and pay attention. Do not force or manipulate this process in any way. Rather, stay attuned to your breath. When you receive your dream image, simply observe it. Watch it move, hear it speak, or feel its presence. Rather than impart your own meaning to it, allow it to bring meaning to you. Let it express to you what it needs.
When complete, turn the internal gaze to the third eye and chant Om three times. Place the moonstone (or other white stone) in your hand and hold it to your third eye. This is now charged with the energy of your intuition and helps to connect you to it when needed. Snuff the candles and place the stone somewhere prominently enough that you are reminded daily of the power of your intuition. This ritual allows you to find the meaning in your life, knowing that the meaning always comes from within you.
By Alanna Kaivalya
Alanna believes Yoga is for everyone and each student can develop the self-empowerment needed to embark on a personal journey to meaningful transformation. On this principle she founded The Kaivalya Yoga Method, a fresh take on yoga emphasizing the individual path while honoring tradition. Teaching students since 2001, teachers since 2003, Alanna has written and developed teacher trainings worldwide for top studios and independently. In January she debuted a comprehensive 200hr-online teacher training with YogaDownload. She holds a Ph.D. in Mythological Studies with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, has authored numerous articles and two books: Myths of the Asanas, an accessible practitioner’s guide to stories behind beloved poses; Sacred Sound, a yoga “hymnal,” illustrating the role of chant and mantra in modern practice. Look for her third book, Yoga Beyond the Mat, in Autumn 2016.She lives in New York City with Roxy the Wonderdog.
Click Here to learn more about Alanna's 200hr Online Teacher Training with YogaDownload.com
When I started refining my alignment in postures it became apparent that a public class wasn’t going to cut it. I needed to work on opening my shoulders and refining my lunges, so what happened if I went to a fast paced class that focused mostly on hip openers?
That’s when I began the arduous but rewarding journey of self-practice. And let me tell you, it is not easy. For a procrastinator like myself, all it took was a text message to blow my whole practice over. Sometimes I would just sit on the couch and stare at my mat for hours until I gave up.
I remember Erin Cookston saying: “Once you start self-practice, you’re jamming”. And I thought: “Yeah right. It’s so difficult. How do I push myself out of my comfort zone when I’m alone?”
If I hate backbends then will my self-practice be all about of forward folds? As it turns out, the practice is so balanced and intuitive that it will bring both what you like and what you need.
I slowly began to set a time and a duration. I realized that depending on where I am, specifically California or Costa Rica, there are different times that are best suited for my self-practice. In California, it was late at night, when everyone is asleep and I no longer had obligations for the day. The house was quiet and I could summon my leftover energy to dedicate an hour to myself. In Costa Rica, it’s the early morning. No mosquitos and a cool breeze.
The process alone of figuring out which time is best for self- practice is huge because it will force you to break through mental patterns. I always labelled myself as a “mid-day” practitioner, someone who is too stiff to practice in the morning, who doesn’t have enough energy at night. And here I am, adapting and making space for something important like my yoga practice.
As far as the place, anywhere goes. Once again, you might find yourself thinking limiting thoughts. I can’t practice on the grass because of ants. The sand is too soft. The tiles in my house are too hard. There is no such thing. You can practice anywhere you choose. It’s part of the practice to adapt to your surroundings and make them work.
For the longest time I was convinced I could ONLY do inversions on the grass because I wasn’t afraid to fall, only to realize most balance postures are actually easier on a harder surface.
Once you’ve got your time and place figured out, you gotta find what motivates you. Determine the duration of practice to stay motivated. My rule is one hour. Even on the worse days, I know an hour is not that long so I’ll push through it.
So you can stop, get a drink of water, answer a text message, right? NO. During that time, phone is on do not disturb mode and you got stay focused. (puppy kisses are okay though). When I’m feeling really sluggish, it’s half an hour. As long as I am on my mat for one hour every day, I am satisfied about my progress.
The catch for me is, there are no rules of what needs to happen on my mat for that one hour. There have been times when I have spent the entire hour laying around, but it still served its purpose. There have also been times when the hour became a sweaty two hours.
The beautiful thing of self practice is, no one is telling you what to do, so you have to get smart. Figure out how to bring both challenge and ease. It becomes a process of self-gaging. Your body is intelligent and it knows what it needs. Your mind can then help determine how long a hold will be, the sequencing, the number of repetitions, when to rest. You’re in constant communication with yourself.
And really, where else do you get the chance to choose exactly what suits you? Hold it for as long as you like? Play the music you wish? The luxury of a tailored practice is not to be underestimated.
The bigger gift you’ll receive from self-practice is more confidence and a stronger will power. If you can get up every day at the crack o’ dawn to do yoga, you bet you can accomplish X Y Z.
During my 200 hour teacher training at Green Monkey in Miami Beach my teacher Paul Toliuszis gave us the assignment of practicing a set of Pranayama exercises every day for a month, and said: “This will give you the confidence to be teaching”. I though “How would practicing a bunch of breathing exercises translate into me feeling comfortable getting up in front of a group of people?”
Now, three years later I finally understand what he meant. Because I have enough discipline to do it myself, I can “talk the walk”.
The other way in which self practice will benefit you is that you’ll able to practice anywhere. You’ll no longer depend on a yoga studio and you can keep your practice going even in the remote jungle. 😉
Enjoy!
By Valentina Rose
Born and raised in Italy, Valentina is a full time yoga instructor who divides her time between Marin County, California and Matapalo, Costa Rica. When she isn’t hosting yoga retreats or blogging Valentina can be found trail running and baking quiche.
Valentinarose.me
Instagram: @valentinarose1111
Since we’re moving into a time of heat, it’s important that we prioritize cooling practices — remember opposites heal. Staying balanced is the best way to keep centered.
Many of us naturally stay cool, what with air conditioning and all, but also by taking breaks (vacations) from our day-to-day responsibilities. I myself just got back from a great week-long vacation. Although I spent most of my days baking in the hot sun, I also kept my mind cool by refusing to be attached to my phone and email and other work responsibilities. And I jumped in the pool every so often to cool off the body.
It’s common in the yoga world to see sun salutation practices promoted during the solstice, which is great in the winter when we are ending the cycle of darkness and moving back toward the light. But in the summer, we celebrate the longest day of the year and recognize that now we are gradually moving back into the darkness. Each day there is a little less light.
The darkness is just as beautiful and full of potential as the light. It can be uncomfortable to be with the darkness though. That’s why in our asana practice we want to keep things light, cool, smooth, and soft.
Restorative practices with maybe a little bit of yin thrown in are great for summer time fun. My advice is to pull back a bit on the heated vinyasa. Give your body the time and space it wants to cool down to keep a cool mind. Taking this space now will keep you balanced so that when fall comes around you have the energy to jump in to the busyness that ensues around the holidays.
Today I’m sharing a short summer solstice yoga practice with you, a yin/slow flow/restorative blended practice that you can use as a go-to practice this summer every time you need to cool down.
Enjoy and spread the love! Share with your friends and family Let me know if you have feedback on the Youtube page.
Welcome to summer
By Ashley Josephine
I started practicing yoga to stay in shape and release stress. What I learned was how to love my life. How to have faith. How to find your community of people who support you and love you unconditionally. How to get back control. Today, it is my mission to help busy Type-A overachiever women like me gain back control of their lives, live pain-free, and love the life they want to live through yoga lifestyle practices. Visit www.ashleyjosephine.com to get free yoga lifestyle tips to help live healthier, happier, and pain-free.
But with smart and aware alignment, healthy wrists and hands can allow you happily to explore the stretch, strengthening, and energetic buzz of postures and transitions that require weight bearing.
In part one of this post we will first give you tips for healthy and sustainable alignment that will keep you flowing and then lay out the anatomical rationale that supports our approach. In part two (coming soon to kalamanayoga.com/en) we will look at common injuries and pitfalls of practice and give you a self-care routine of warm-up and cool-down to keep your wrists happy.
As teachers we often see some new and even experienced students struggling with their wrists. Halfway through class there might be a break and a stretch, mats start to be doubled and tripled to luxury spa comfort levels, and frustration levels rise in concert with discomfort. But there is a way out!
Here are a few tips for weight-bearing poses like downward-facing dog, plank pose, chaturanga dandasana, arm balances and more.
When placing the hands, experiment by letting the wrist creases turn out by turning your index fingers or the space between your index fingers and your thumbs to point towards the top of your mat. This slight external rotation at the hands will rotate the arms and encourage well-balanced enlistment of the muscles that stabilise the shoulder girdle. Therefore your hands and wrists will have many more muscular friends helping you support the weight of your body. Students with hypermobility in the shoulder can ignore this instruction as they may need to limit external rotation to increase stability.
Furthermore, turning the hands outward too much may diminish your capacity to use the ‘braking’ mechanism that is found through and even balance between front and back of wrist. When working handstands or poses that require you to stop force from falling forward, be especially aware of how much hands are turned out.
As teachers, we often see over enthusiastic ‘jazz hands’ as students all too eagerly follow cues to spread fingers. Too much of a spread may put strain on the fascial wrapping around your carpal bones (the retinaculum) and could introduce pain and discomfort. If in pain, this fascial wrapping may already be inflamed, so back off or experiment with the amount of finger spread until pain diminishes. In general, a gentle spread will help encourage even grounding throughout the hand, and give full usage of the finger pads for balance and stability without irritating the wrist.
Distribute the weight across the palm of your hand, making sure that the weight is directed into the mounds of your fingers instead of the heels of your hands. Especially press down through the mounds of your thumb and index finger in order to not overwork the ulna side (outside) of your wrist. Furthermore, utilize the strength of the rest of the body. Shoulder girdle will be stabilizing, core will be engaging, and legs will have some activity. The more the rest of the body is alive and working in a pose, the less the full brunt of support will fall upon the wrists.
In addition to the push and reach commonly instructed in downward-facing dog pose, also press your fingertips into the mat and create a slight grip and pull with the fingertips towards the heel of your hand. While the mounds of your fingers should press into the floor, the knuckles can gently lift. This also helps engage the muscles that stabilise the shoulder blades, allowing the arm, hand, and wrist to be supported to muscular force and strong connective tissue that goes down to the base of the spine.
Practice with a firm mat instead of a soft one. Thick and soft surfaces (such as blankets) can create compression in the wrist. Soft supports (like two mats or blankets) create additional sinking into the soft surface and can create overextension in the wrist. The body weight then shifts more into these “sinking points.” In doing so, the mounds of index fingers and thumb tend to lift which leads to a transfer of body weight into the outer wrist (ulnar part of the wrist). Although the softness may feel like temporary relief, it eventually leads to compression and more pain.
If necessary and helpful, use a yoga wedge or a folded belt to elevate the wrist. This helps to transfer weight off the wrist by changing the angle between the forearm and the hand. Be sure that when you prop up that you are only propping up the wrist resulting in it rising higher than the fingers. In some poses you can also make a fist (or even come onto your forearms) to create more stability in your wrist without much of an angle.
The wrists consist of:
the radius (the forearm bone on the side of your thumb),
the ulna (the forearm bone on the side of your pinky finger),
the carpal bones (the bones at the heel of your hand) as well as
various tendons and ligaments, which connect all of the boney structures and surrounding muscles named above.
One of the main differences between our foot and hand is that the foot has one major bone bearing the weight in standing – the heel bone. To our great frustration as yogis, there is no such boney equivalent in the hand to carry the weight of our body, which makes it necessary to skillfully use our wrist’s anatomy and alignment to distribute forces.
Let’s take a look at the set-up the body provides for this in terms of anatomy:
The thumb, index and middle fingers connect to some of the carpal bones and eventually to the radius. The radius is much broader than the ulna at the wrist and can therefore bear more weight than the ulna. Viewed as the ‘radial hand’ in the diagram above, this stronger network of bones is often cued by yoga teachers to partially accept the weight of the body in downward-facing dog. How many times have you heard a teacher instruct you to press down between your thumb and index finger?
The pinky and ring fingers on the other side connect to the triquetrum and pisiform bones (which are also part of the carpal bones) and ultimately to the ulna. As the ulna is rather narrow and small at the wrist, it is not meant to bear much weight. Viewed as the ‘ulnar hand’ in the diagram above, it is a weaker network of bones, but frustratingly tends to bear the brunt of the body’s weight when practitioners do not smartly use their wrists and hands. How many times have you had a yoga teacher correct a tendency for hands to roll-out to the pinky finger side in downward-facing dog?
The muscles and tendons responsible for flexing your hand (as in making a fist) run on the palmar side of your wrist, while the muscles and tendons for extending your hand run on the back side of your wrist. The balance of strength and flexibility across the front and back of the wrist is important in ensuring stability and range of motion. The ability to extend the wrist and place the palm flat on the ground requires flexibility here, and the ability the ‘brakes’ on forward motion into the hands in arm balances like handstand requires strength here.
Stay tuned for part two (coming soon to kalamanayoga.com/en) looking at common injuries and pitfalls of practice and a self-care routine of warm-up and cool-down to keep your wrists happy.
By Adam Hocke
Adam has been practicing vinyasa flow yoga since 1999 and has trained extensively with Jason Crandell. He offers precise, strong, and accessible classes to physically awaken the body and develop mindfulness both on and off the mat. His teaching is down-to-earth and direct, exploring traditional practices from a modern perspective. A native of South Florida, Adam spent ten years in New York City before becoming a Londoner. He teaches studio classes, workshops and courses throughout London, and retreats across the globe. As a writer, Adam contributes regularly to magazines and web publications on yoga. Visit Adam at www.adamhocke.com
Many teachers and even our YDL pose guide, offer these two poses as if they’re interchangeable. The primary difference is that in Bakasana (crane pose) your arms are straight and the knees should be tucked up high into your armpits. In Kakasana (crow pose), the one we seem to practice more, the arms are bent and it’s often taught as creating a shelf with your triceps or chaturanga arms for your legs.
Both postures require a great deal of core strength, fearlessness and focus. Usually we tell students that if they’re strong enough for chatarangua, they’re strong enough for crow. Or crane. Getting over the fear of falling is the biggest obstacle. If you’re new to arm balances, try this with a pillow at the top of your mat.
Why: It’s considered the gateway arm balance and prepares you for more challenging arm balances. *Strengthens your core and upper body, including arms, shoulders and wrists. *Develops focus, balance and a quiet mind.
*Encourages confidence, grounding and a smile.
How: For purposes of this article, we’ll guide you into both poses—which almost feel like two versions of the same pose.
1. Take a deep breath and visualize yourself light and free as a bird. You can do this.
2. Start from Malasana or Garland Pose. Squat down near the top of your mat with your feet wider than your hips. Shift forward onto the balls of your feet and place your hands shoulder distance apart on the mat. Alignment is important here so, make sure your hands are facing forward. Spread the fingers and root down into the knuckles.
3. Shift your weight forward and place your knees as high up on your triceps— think close to your armpits—as you can. Gaze toward the top of your mat. Make
sure to keep looking forward and avoid the tendency to look down. Remember that our body tends to follow the gaze and we want to fly. Hug your legs into your ribcage.
4. Lift one foot up off the floor and then the other as you engage your core, breathe deeply and lift off. Draw your big toes to touch. You’re now in Kakasana with bent elbows. Stay here for ten breaths. If you want to move on...
5. Bakasana has straight arms so, maintain your core engagement as you straighten the arms and hug the knees into the armpits.
6. If you need some props to assist you, try starting with both feet perched on a yoga block. This way you won’t have to lift so far to lift up into the posture. Alternatively, you could place a block underneath your forehead to rest upon as you lift up. Then, when you’re in the pose, lift the forehead from the block.
Voila!
It’s grilling season and that means it’s time for all home cooks to rejoice because prep–and best of all, clean up–just got a whole lot easier!
We’re in week 2 of the Summer Conscious Cleanse program page so we’ve found ourselves reiterating the importance of having easy, delicious, and healthy meals in our repertoire to help keep us on track.
Well friends, this is it!
A nice piece of Sockeye salmon, which happens to be in season right now, hot off the grill, paired with your favorite salad fresh from the farmer’s market.
Grilling is such a great way to cook once the weather warms up. No need to turn on the oven to further heat the house, shorter cooking times, plus you get to enjoy a few deep breaths outside while waiting for the salmon to cook.
Are you ready to fire up the grill? Enjoy this easy meal for a quick lunch or dinner, or better yet the next cookout. It’s sure to wow your guests!
Now it’s your turn! What is your favorite meal off the grill? Be sure to share your ideas with us below!
With summertime love,
Yield: 4 servings
1 ½ pounds Sockeye salmon filet, skin on ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp. sea salt 1 tsp. fresh sage, finely chopped 2 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped 2 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped 2 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. smoked paprika 3 TB. olive oil
Serve with our Farmer’s Market Salad
Instructions: Heat your grill to medium high (approximately 400 degrees). Portion the fish fillet into 4 equal pieces. Remove any pin bones that might be in the fish. The easiest way to do this is with a tweezer!
In a small bowl combine black pepper, sea salt, sage, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Sprinkle each salmon portion with the herb mixture. Gently rub into the salmon. Drizzle each salmon portion with the olive oil.
Place the salmon on the hot grill skin side down. It is very important that your grill is at 400 so the fish does not stick. Cook the fish until cooked through, approximately 8 minutes without touching or moving the fish. Remove the salmon from the grill and place on top of your favorite mixed green salad. Enjoy!
I’ve also taught about how the seasons of the year have different qualities and thus different requirements for how we can best take care of ourselves based on what Mother Nature provides.
Today, I’d like to expand on this idea and look at the seasons of life.
To understand Ayurveda, we must first have a basic understanding of the doshas, or qualities. In Ayurveda, which literally translates as “the science of living,” these qualities constitute everything. The doshas are made up of a combination of the elements. The elements are Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and Space. It’s important to remember that every human has a combination of all the elements, but some combinations will be more prominent then others.
The three doshas in Ayurveda are called Pitta, Vata, and Kapha. Pitta is a combination of Fire and Water. Vata is a combination of Air and Ether. Kapha is a combination of Earth and Water.
According to Ayurvedic thought, there are four stages to our lives.
The first stage occurs between birth and the first 25 years of our lives. This stage is represented by the qualities of Kapha. In this stage we are meant to enjoy our lives. As children we adopt a carefree attitude and engage in play without worry. We are meant to learn and grow and be a student. Children require more sleep, which is indicative of Kapha energy. Other positive attributes of this stage of life include contentment and dependence on others to help us grow. The second stage occurs between the ages of 25 and 50. During this stage of life we are meant to acquire wealth. This is the stage of the householder and is dominated by Pitta energy, which motivates us to work. The positive attributes of this stage of life include transformation, independence, ambition and confidence. For the most part, our culture still adheres to this general timeline, as this is the time when we really start to build wealth and work hard. The third stage of life occurs between the ages of 50 and 75. This stage of life is considered the hermitage phase and is dominated by qualities of both Pitta and Vata energies. In this phase, we become concerned with our purpose and our legacy. We become more concerned with honor and truth and begin to transition out of the highly energetic phase of the householder as we make our way into retirement. This is a phase of slowing down and finding what really matters to us. What is interesting about this stage is that the finding of meaning and purpose doesn’t happen until much later in life, which seems at odds with the “follow your passion” movements of our current times and the constant reminders that our Millenial generation is most concerned with finding value in the work they do and connecting with a purpose. It seems that Millenials have become much more concerned with the questions traditionally reserved for later stages of life. The final stage of life occurs between 75-100 years and is considered the renunciation phase. This stage of life is all about finding liberation, both for the soul upon death, but also from material attachments. The dominating energy of this stage is Vata, which includes qualities such as dry, brittle, and cool — all common afflictions for the elderly. In this stage we can spend time on spiritual pursuits that we didn’t have time for before and retreat away from the world to find peace and quiet as a preparation for the transition of our soul. Keep in mind that Ayurveda stems from a philosophy that believes in reincarnation, so it is important to prepare for the transition of the soul so that the soul can be reborn into a good next life, or preferably, become liberated from the process of rebirth once and for all. Even if you don’t believe in reincarnation, all cultures and faiths wish for a peaceful passing for the body and soul so that the transition to the next step, whatever that step may be, is smooth.
What I love about this philosophy is that even though it is thousands and thousands of years old, it still believed that human beings have the capacity to live to 100 years old!
Whether we like it or not, we will age. While we can’t control the fact that we will age as time goes on, we can control how we choose to age. In Ayurveda the goal is to age easefully, moving through the transitions of life with balance and grace.
The good news is, the negative side effects we associate with aging all come from imbalances in the doshas, which can and will afflict us all through life. To prevent these negative side effects throughout our entire life, we simply need to find balance. Obviously, this is one of those times when it sounds simple but to practice balance becomes much more difficult.
I personally love Ayurvedic philosophy because of its emphasis on balance. While difficult to cultivate and even harder to maintain, the good news is we can choose to practice balance at any time in our life.
Now that we know the stages of life, understand the qualities of the seasons, and have an understanding of the qualities of the different times of the day (if you’ve read some of my previous articles on Ayurveda linked to throughout this post), we can start to build our lives to suit our own needs and find balance.
Each individual is unique and will have a different definition of balance. Balance also never stays the same — it will always be changing based on external inputs. This is why balance is a practice just like asana or meditation is a practice.
We are CONSTANTLY CHANGING. Find solace in the practice of balance. Coming back to center will always feel the same, even if the way you get there looks different.
Look back at the seasons of life and identify which one you are in. Be loose with the numbers given; for example, you might be 26 and still a student or you might be 75 and still working a full-time job!
Ask yourself the following questions:
How do you feel about where you are in your own life? Do you feel like you are living in alignment with the stages outlined above? Do you feel any tension points with the stages of life? What do you like about them and what don’t you like? What challenge are you facing in your current stage? What can you do today to practice balance given your current situation?
Namaste!
Do you know the term “meal-sized salad”? It’s one of the hallmarks of the Conscious Cleanse eating plan, so allow us to break it down.
A meal-sized salad is a salad that is big and hearty enough to fill you up and keep you going strong.
Forget those wimpy side salads that leave you feeling hungry 30 minutes later. We’re talking a family-size serving bowl loaded with greens, sprouts, a rainbow of veggies, topped with grilled chicken, fish, a handful of nuts or seeds, and your favorite salad dressing.
And why not make a salad dressing that is as nutrient dense as a green smoothie to really kick it up a notch?
Say hello to the Garden Garden Salad Dressing. This is Jules’ new obsession. And we’re guessing it will be yours too once you try it.
Check out our First Harvest Salad and Green Garden Salad Dressing recipes below and be sure to share your reactions with us in the comments below. We also love food porn so be sure to connect with us on Instagram too.
With love and garden goodness,
Green Garden Salad Dressing
Yield: 1 ½ cups
Instructions: Drain and rinse pepitas. In a high-speed blender place the pepitas, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, cilantro, chives, avocado, garlic, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and water, and blend until creamy. Thin the dressing as needed with additional water to get it to a consistency that you like.
First Harvest Salad
Yield: 1 serving
Instructions: In a large bowl toss the arugula, bok choy, radishes, cucumber, sprouts and 3-4 TB. of the Green Garden Salad Dressing. Top with the avocado and enjoy!
1. Adjust Your Expectations
Teaching yoga is a soulful, satisfying job, but it’s not for the faint of heart. You’ll go through significant financial ups and downs. You’ll have your ego over-inflated one day and raked through the coals the next day. And, you’ll probably work more hours than you think. This isn’t to dissuade you from being a teacher. It’s to help you have clear expectations about the livelihood you’ve chosen. When your expectations are in-line with the reality of teaching yoga, you’re much more likely to be happy and satisfied as a teacher.
2. Consider Why You Want To Teach
Teaching yoga and practicing yoga are not the same thing. Most of us start teaching yoga because we love practicing yoga. But, eating food is not the same experience as cooking food — or running a restaurant. If you want to teach yoga — especially if you want to teach yoga full-time and support yourself or your family — you’ll need to love teaching yoga, not just practicing yoga. You’ll need to love the subject matter of yoga, the experience of running a small business, and the process of engaging with students and community.
3. Try to Work Efficiently
Inefficient teaching schedules are one of the biggest sources of burnout in our livelihood. Simply put, most teachers are spread too thin. Most teachers only teach a couple of classes per day, but they’re almost never back-to-back. You might teach a class in the morning followed by one several hours later in the afternoon or evening. This type of schedule makes it hard to get things done or fully relax. This leads to a feeling of always “being on.”
One way to counter this is to teach more back-to-back hours. This might mean scheduling a few private clients at the studio before or after your class. Another effective strategy is to start teaching a series or two per quarter — or occasional workshops — in order to earn enough that you can let go of a class or two in your schedule that is stretching you too thin.
4. Find a Mentor
Everyone needs to know that they’re not alone. And, in fact, you’re not alone. Every yoga teacher experiences the same range of emotions, challenges, and joys at some point in their career. Some teachers are further ahead of you on the path just as you might be further ahead on the path than others. One of the most important ways to stay inspired, focused, and grounded is to develop a professional relationship with a more seasoned teacher. Receiving a mentor’s guidance and support will help you stay connected to your practice and your teaching for many, many years.
5. Remember That Social Media Is Not Real Life
Social media is not real life. This isn’t to say that it’s fake, unreal or insincere. It’s simply to say that social media does not reflect the totality of people’s lives. It’s a curated slice of life that skews toward the more exciting and appealing events that people experience. Personally, I think this makes sense. That said, it’s important that we remember these dynamics so that we don’t feel like we’re being left behind or failing when we see other people’s big classes or beautiful postures. Every well-known teacher has small classes sometimes, and they have postures that don’t feel good or balanced in their body. Everyone. Even more, life is more than big classes and awesome poses. So, be sure that you take what you see in social media in stride. Accept it (and maybe even appreciate it for what it is) without letting it drive you crazy.
By Jason Crandell
Jason Crandell and Andrea Ferretti are a husband and wife team who have been teaching, writing about, and living their yoga for nearly two decades. Andrea is the former executive editor of Yoga Journal and is now creative director for Jason Crandell Yoga Method. Jason is an internationally recognized teacher known for his precise, empowering, down-to-earth approach to vinyasa yoga. They live together in San Francisco with their full-time boss, Sofia-Rose Crandell, age 3. To read their blog or to learn more about Jason's upcoming teacher trainings, please visit their web site www.jasonyoga.com
A careful alignment with Venus at this time suggests that taking care of ourselves and our most sensual needs is critical to engage with the elevated ambitions that call us. Though, we must not forget that Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, and the joviality of this sign mixed with Venus creates a recipe for a playful expression of intimacy. Use this full moon energy to shine light on how more joy and excitement can find their way into the bedroom. In the daylight hours of this time, however, a smooth relationship with Neptune suggests that this Sagittarian full moon is influenced not by the dogmatic side of religion or philosophy, but rather the spiritual and transcendent aspects of these disciplines. If there is old belief systems that surround your religious or philosophical upbringing, this is a perfect opportunity to shed them in favor of reexamining your personal mythology to create a personal, spiritual connection with your faith. The alchemical ritual below helps you to do this. Alchemical Ritual for the Sagittarius Full Moon As a fire sign, Sagittarius has a lot of energy, and vivacity. This energy is both bright and engaging, but is also overwhelming if not reigned in. Sagittarius, applauds higher thinking and philosophy, and religion often intrigues the archer. This full moon ritual for Sagittarius draws out the high side of Sag and illuminates the spiritual connection within the religious function of our psyche, so we feel less adrift and know we are not alone. Sagittarius' ruler is Jupiter, the great centaur who aims true for the target. Our work here is to shoot for the source—the heart—of connection. This is the ultimate target, and the ultimate goal of any philosophical, religious or spiritual pursuit. Gather a blue stone such as topaz, amethyst or turquoise. Clear quartz crystal is effective in this ritual, too. Simple flowers such as daisies or carnations are pleasing to Jupiter, and enhance ritual. If you have clove or anise spice, sprinkle it into a bowl and place it in your ritual space. Clove and anise essential oil may be used to anoint your third eye, and your hips (Sagittarius rules the hips) before and after the ceremony. Use sage, sweet grass or palo santo to cleanse yourself and the space by casting the smoke over yourself and encircling your own body three times. Light a few candles and dim the lights. Locate a religious item, or one that holds profound philosophical properties for you (an icon, a book, a statue, etc.). Place this item in the center of the ceremonial circle. Step inside, sit down, and close the eyes. Place your mental focus on the object and its meaning. Visualize it in your mind’s eye. Say the following invocation out loud: Sagittarius and Jupiter, allow me to feel the deep connection to source that comes from within, even as I seek the means to express that connection on the outside. Spend a few moments in quiet contemplation. Clear the mind of thoughts completely. See the object you’ve brought with you into the circle and silently ask it to give you a message. Religion is most powerful when we make it personal, commune with it, and allow it to speak to us. Wait patiently, and allow the message to arise. It may be a simple image, one word, or a feeling. Accept all things that come. Do not anticipate or second guess the message, simply allow it to arise on its own. Once it does, take three deep breaths and feel the message in your body, as you slowly open your eyes and see the external embodiment of the message in the item before you. When complete, chant Om three times, and snuff the candles. Place the sacred item in prominent view and allow it to be a touchstone of the message you received in this ritual. This is an outer representation of the inner connection you have to spirit. This ritual is the beginning of building a personal mythology—one where you find your own way through the outer trappings of religion and philosophy to connect with yourself. In doing so, rather than looking for meaning in your life, you bring meaning to it.
There are a lot of lessons to be learned on our yoga mats and in our writing. In fact, both yoga and writing can be demystified as practices that embody a natural movement inward and beyond the mat.
Unrestricted writing is the pathway into your intuitive wisdom and deepest desires
Everyone can express themselves in some color and form. You don’t have to be an artist to be creative. You don't have to be a wordsmith to be able to write. But it can be a challenge to unlearn what you were once taught is writing and dropping the idea of what is considered good writing. You are always capable of writing and by doing so without limit, you tap into a pure state of mind. Consider a kid and the natural relationship he or she has with the rest of the world; creating, feeling, experiencing as it comes without thinking of what things should be. There is so much power in tuning into the creative foundation of your unique being through writing. It leads to clarity of what YOU want (to write) and how you can manifest it with prudence.
Writing, movement and yoga as means of expression
"What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when you bring what is within out in the world, miracles happen" -Henry David Thoreau
A yoga mat and notebook become inspirational tools for your practice. A yoga flow invites you to create a canvas on which you explore and release energy. This creates a space of expression that is consonant with writing. It all starts with one thought, simply setting an intention or idea. Each word you write manifests another in a seamless flow of ideas in the same way that one breath syncs up to one movement. When you feel stuck in a rut (or writer's block), uninhibited flowing is key. Showing up to the space of fruition is what makes the practice so magical. That is, the key to any practice is continuing to tune into yourself and flourish in your self-exploration. The journey of discovering and sharing this is one that you can take through the marriage of writing and yoga.
At the core of a practice in writing and yoga is this: to be free
The secret to a life unbounded is to simply flow through movement and words. Showing up and doing your practice is the first step. Each time you step onto this canvas, you open yourself up to subtle yet profound shifts in who you are and what you think. Relating to this internal voice and buildling tenacity from each elusive word or pose is the special lesson. From time to time, you find connection to your infinite and are able to attract its likeness. Yoga and writing keeps you reflective, grounded and free. Self-knowledge, clarity and confidence might come easier to you during a savasana or a deep twist. The rest is an organic procession that is meant to uncover and celebrate your authentic and best self.
Have you ever had moments of clarity and in depth understanding while doing yoga?
By Sunny Koh
Sunny has been teaching yoga since 2011. After spending a couple years abroad as an English teacher, she started sharing her passion for yoga as a media manager and writer. Currently, she teaches and writes about yoga in Costa Rica. She also enjoys photography, learning new languages, surfing and exploring. To get to know Sunny better, find her on Instagram or go to www.sunnykyoga.com
After many meetings and hours spent discussing and tasting the best combination of herbs that support detox, weight loss and keeping cravings at bay, our new co-branded line of Conscious Cleanse Teas was born!
INTRODUCING THE CONSCIOUS CLEANSE TEA COLLECTION
BUY CONSCIOUS CLEANSE TEAS HERE NOW
We’ve always been big proponents of supporting the body to cleanse and purify using the healing power of herbs. That’s why we dedicated an entire section to Herbal Infusions in our book. When used mindfully, tea can take your health to an entirely new level. Plus drinking tea regularly is an easy way to hydrate while loading up on minerals and vitamins that tone and nourish your entire body.
Below is a sneak peak of the Conscious Cleanse collection of teas. These have been specially formulated to support our 14-day Conscious Cleanse and 80:20 Lifestyle Plan.
Tea and herbs provide numerous health benefits, from stress management to detox and weight loss. Our Conscious Cleanse curated blends include a variety of natural teas, herbs, roots, aromatic flowers and fruit touted for their holistic properties. These teas support your cleanse as well as a balanced and vibrant lifestyle.
For more information and to purchase our tea, please visit THE TEA SPOT. We’ve also included a collection of our favorite Tea Spot products that every tea lover must have!
*Green Tea Citrus Slimmer is for the 80:20 Lifestyle Plan only, contains caffeine
Happy tea sipping! We cannot wait to hear what you think of these delicious blends.
Your tea lovers,
PS – Conscious Cleanse Teas make a great gift! Get them here.
A long time ago, I posted a travel yoga video. In it, I offer postures and stretches you can do seated — accessible for anyone traveling on a plane, in a train, in a car, etc.
I’ve been staying in a hotel the past couple days, the perfect spot to film this video for the weary traveler! As summer is (FINALLY!) here, this is a great take-with-you practice for vacation.
My hope is that this little sequence is fun, relaxing, restorative, and takes into account the areas of the body that might be feeling the most stiff after a long day of travel.
This past weekend I drove 14+ hours over the course of 4 days, so I’ve been feeling those low back aches too and this felt great!
Even if you’re not traveling but you’re looking to fit in a tad bit of yoga at the end of a really long, exhausting and stressful work day, hop in bed and do this before you get some much needed z’s.
All you need is a bed, a chair (or wall), and some pillows. Luckily hotels often offer an excess of fluffy pillows to choose from. If you get weird about germs, grab a towel too
Back when the NY Times blew up the yoga world with WIlliam J. Broad’s article, “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body,” my major criticism was the conflation of asana with yoga, and a lack of distinction between different approaches. Practicing postures as an end unto themselves easily betrays the subtle nuance of their potential, which resides in the person not the pose. For those with a therapeutic orientation, the question of purpose is of utter significance. Not only does it amount to a level of safety, or not, but is largely determinative of results.
Conversely, many teachers with a more physical or athletic orientation, distinguish asana from yoga as a way to be clear about what they offer. They are mostly concerned with the technicalities and physiological benefits of the forms. They don't purport to have any insights into other aspects of yoga per se. They specialize in providing an experience of your body often geared towards challenge, measured by increased prowess more than functional health. Referring to yourself as an asana teacher, rather than a yoga teacher, has become a way to manage expectations and establish a more accurate scope of practice.
Making shapes with our bodies can be anything from a form of fitness to a way of working past perceived limitations and reaching new heights in ourselves, creating awareness, reducing stress and pain, or better appreciating the taste of wine and chocolate. This loose relationship between asana and yoga allows us to more easily avoid difficult questions about purpose that yoga alone raises.
Yoga challenges our perceptions, our sense of ourselves and our place in the universe. The inquiry requires great courage and resolve on a psycho-spiritual level, so as to overcome the many impediments that life inevitably presents. Divorced from a broader yogic purpose in practice, the challenge of asana becomes one of physicality. Progress is marked by our ability to withstand the resistances our bodies present, and to mentally surpass imposition on the system.
Whether drawn from an external source or derived through internal inquiry, purpose in yoga is relative to individual sensibilities and interpretations. Thus, the purpose of asana cannot be definitively stated. But the primary vehicle through which we arrive at a sense of purpose in practice is attending classes. If the classes available are limited to a consideration of asana, then our sense of purpose in practice also becomes limited.
Asana forms associated with yoga practice can be used in effective ways that are not necessarily rooted in yoga tradition. The poses can have physical benefits without being tied to any particular teachings, or profound personal inquiry into the nature of existence. Going to yoga class can just be about cardiovascular exercise and challenging ourselves to have greater stamina and fortitude. And maybe that is not a bad thing. But this notion of asana does not point people to a broader purpose in yoga. Only despite this notion of asana will someone who wants to experience the subtler benefits of yoga be able to do so.
The long prevailing trope that purely physical practice helps turn the masses on to the deeper aspects of yoga is grossly misleading. This half-truth rationalizes the financial benefit of perpetuating a disempowered body image that our culture capitalizes on. Only when this premise proves false do people then become interested in what is missing. At some point, a plateau in physical ability is reached where attempting to accomplish more in asana stops feeling like progress. Unintended consequences start to outweigh the benefits. Or worse, an injury occurs that forces us to question what we have been doing against our will.
I am a proponent of yoga evolving and meeting the individual needs of people. That means accepting that there are a whole bunch of people who do something they call yoga that bears no resemblance to what it means to me. But I'm interested in how asana is utilized to learn and receive the benefits of yoga. In that context, speaking about them as though they are separate no longer makes sense. Let's not take off the table what is possible. Let's allow for avenues to yoga, not just through a side door or in response to injury, but through direct invitation and the courage to take a stand.
By J. Brown
J. Brown is a yoga teacher, writer and founder of Abhyasa Yoga Center in Brooklyn, NY. His writing has been featured in Yoga Therapy Today, the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, and across the yoga blogosphere. Visit his website at jbrownyoga.com
Is there really a reason for everything? The yoga tradition thinks so, and has much to say when it comes to the concept of karma. While we know that living in a material world can so often feel dangerous, chaotic and unpredictable, in many ways yoga philosophy assures us that the world is both innately intelligent and even predictable to a point. This is good for us as humans because we feel so often feel helpless when we have no means of interpreting the past in order to predict the future. We feel disempowered when we have no sense of control over our lives.
The ancient yogis believed that everything in nature has a cause, and that every consequence is the outcome of what can be both understood and even determined. This is not to say that karma, or action, isn’t without its complexities. It certainly is full of them because the variables involved in understanding what causes something to happen are often totally complex. In other words, there can be hundreds of reasons why something goes the way it does.
At the same time, karma is a way of establishing accountability. There’s an assumption, according to yoga, that everything does indeed happen for a reason and there is indeed accountability. Karma empowers us when all the possibilities lay before our eyes to consider. There’s a conundrum here however, because when where’s the freedom for infinite possibility that we yogis long for in order to expand and evolve? As yogis, we’re seeking freedom, right? We want to live in a world of freedom, rather than determination. Where does creativity come in to play?
On the one hand, all of us want to feel secure, grounded, and certain. While on the other hand, we want to know that endless possibilities are on the table. We don’t want to feel confined. Without uncertainty how do we evolve?
In addition to the term karma, there’s another word called “daivya.” Daivya means something like, “made of the Gods.” It translates as fate, or destiny – as if the Gods know why things happen. Daivya then represents the innate intelligence of the Universe. This begs to ask the question, “in what way are we creatures of our fate or destiny?” The Gods aren’t exactly in charge of our destiny, but they do know in advance what our karmas, or actions will be. They have the ability to see the path we are inevitably going to go down. They already know what choices we’re going to make.
The Gods know that everything that is, has become the outcome of what has been, and everything that will be, is predictable because of the choices that we are inevitably going to make. So do we really have freedom if we’re invariably going to make a sort of predetermined choice? How are we creatures of our own destiny, our own fate? It’s as if everyone ends up doing what they were always going to do – given their unique makeup in their incarnation for this lifetime. It’s as if everything was always going to happen because of all the karmas that have added up to this present moment.
According to this Hindu worldview, the Gods know what karmas you will make in advance, but they don’t make the choices for you. This is generally how the Hindu tradition relates to the Gods. Sure, you can call in the gods and goddesses to help you, and you can invoke their presence in your karmas, but they don’t generally make decisions for you.
The idea of karma is that there are predictable outcomes, but not necessarily with meaning or purpose – that’s where we get to interpret things for ourselves. This is where the real freedom comes in. We have the freedom to make meaning from our karmas. The meaning behind everything that has happened, everything that is happening, and everything that will happen, is ultimately open to each individual heart and mind’s interpretation. The conversation surrounding the yoga view of karma is complex and incredibly compelling, and a rather unique way of looking at the cosmos and our place in it.
By Aimee Hughes N.D.
Aimee Hughes, ND, is a holistic health writer who has been traveling and exploring the world of natural health and wellness, yoga, dance, and travel for the past two decades. She is the author of a self-published vegan cookbook, “The Sexy Vegan Kitchen: Culinary Adventures in Love & Sex,” available on Amazon. Aimee is the lead writer and health consultant for the Yandara Yoga Institute in Todos Santos, Mexico. [www.yandara.com]
Arm balances aren’t just a physical act of strength, but a great workout to flex our muscle of trust in the face of fear. They teach us how to be vulnerable, even when gravity is working against us. They also connect us to our core, both physical, and our core belief in our selves. So today, choose ‘I can’ over ‘I could never.’ If you fall (rather when you fall), don’t worry, that’s just exercise in grace, humility and resilience.
It may get uncomfortable, it won’t be perfect, but with a little courage and willingness to take a chance, your limits will begin to fall away.
Interesting Asanas with Celest Pereira Charter into the unknown with the expert guidance of Celest Pereira through this yoga flow featuring less common postures featured in online yoga -- the perfect session for yogis looking to change it up with a little challenge and fun. Arm Balancing Flow: Funky Transitions with Jill Pedroza Jill will guide you through a fun and flowing Vinyasa class including sun salutations, hamstring & hip openers, arm balancing, and core. Bringing them all together with fun and challenging practice through transitions. Fly with Ease with Cheryl Deer / Kindness Yoga Grab a strap and block and explore your core power as you move into challenging postures without straining or struggling. Learn to root through your hands and rise up out of your shoulders, experimenting with arm balances and inversions without engaging in fight or flight mode. Post Workout Yoga: Chest and Shoulders with Kylie Larson Stretch out after your arm-balancing workout with this chest and shoulder opening class. Great for all levels to reduce the tension and tightness that can develop after a challenging upper body workout.
(If this speaks to you, make sure you check out Part 2 of this series, 5 Poses that Will Make Your Chaturanga Strong and Steady.)
You might also need a temporary reprieve from Chaturanga if you’re nursing a shoulder, elbow, or wrist injury. And, if you’re a vinyasa yoga teacher, you definitely want to have a few modifications and alternatives to Chaturanga up your sleeve.
BEST WAY TO GET THE FEEL FOR CHATURANGA WITH ALMOST NONE OF THE WORK
1. Chaturanga with a bolster Although this is a little cumbersome because it requires a bolster—which may prove unwieldy in a flow class—the is modification supports your body weight and allows you to get a whole body feel for Chaturanga without physical rigors of the pose. This will help you build muscle memory.
How to: Simple. Just lay on a bolster like the picture demonstrates. It doesn’t get more straightforward than this.
BEST WAY TO GET THE FEEL FOR CHATURANGA WITH A LITTLE BIT OF THE WORK
2. Chaturanga with a block This is nearly identical to the previous version. It’s less lux, but it’s easier to accommodate since people more often have blocks at home than bolsters. Plus, it’s possible to integrate a block in a flow class more easily than a bolster. The block supports enough of your weight to be helpful, but still requires you to work your legs and core.
How to: Again, pretty simple. Come onto all fours and place a block under your chest. You’ll have to experiment with using the side and end of the block to determine what works best with your proportions. Bend your elbows 90 degrees, rest your sternum on the block, and straighten your legs.
BEST WAY TO LEARN HOW LOW TO G0 IN CHATURANGA
3. Chaturanga with a strap around your elbows This has a steeper learning curve than the previous versions, but it’s my favorite overall Chaturanga modification. Wrapping a strap around your elbows will stop your torso from lowering too close to the floor and prevent your shoulders from moving into extension. The strap also supports some of your weight while still requiring you to work your shoulders, core, and legs.
How to: Make a loop with your strap. Wrap it around your arms just above your elbows. You want the loop to be large enough that when you bend your elbows for Chaturanga, your upper arms will touch the sides of your ribs. Once you figure out the correct diameter for the strap, give Chaturanga a shot. You’ll like it.
BEST MODIFICATION IN A FLOW CLASS IF YOU’RE NOT QUITE STRONG ENOUGH TO NAIL THE POSE
4. Chaturanga with a knee or two on the floor Bringing your knees to floor supports your weight and helps you work more skillfully with your upper-body. You can choose to bring one or two knees down depending on how much support you need. This is the perfect option to take in a flow class if you just need a little support. And, hey, we all need help with things from time-to-time, so don’t hesitate to take this option if it helps you keep integrity in your shoulders.
How to: Just bring a knee or two to the floor. Tada! It’s that simple.
BEST ALTERNATIVE TO CHATURANGA IF YOU’RE NURSING A SHOULDER OR WRIST ISSUE
5. Locust with your palms facing the floor If you have a shoulder and wrist challenge, getting to the floor isn’t possible. If it’s not possible to get to the floor or do Plank without pain, it’s to give yourself a break. But, if you’re comfortable with Plank and the transition to the floor, practicing Locust with your palms facing the ground is an excellent option. In very broad strokes, turning the palms toward the floor externally rotates the arms and strengthens part of the shoulder joint that is highly beneficial to many different shoulder maladies.
How to: From Plank Pose, bring your knees to the floor and slowly lower to the floor. Hug your elbows toward the sides of your body as you lower down. Once you’re on the floor, reach your arms alongside your torso and place your palms on the floor next to your hips. Lift into Locust Pose. Raise your arms and your hands. Keep your palms facing the floor even as your raise your arms and hands. Take a breath or two.
WORST CHATURANGA ALTERNATIVE
6. Knees, Chest, Chin Lord have mercy, I know that I’m going to catch flack for this, but I don’t think “Knees, Chest, and Chin,” is a good Chaturanga alternative. Here’s the deal: I don’t have any problem with “Knees, Chest, Chin,” except for when it’s used as a preparation or alternative for Chaturanga. Here’s why: The most common and dangerous mistake made in Chaturanga is lowering the shoulders too far and lifting the bottom too high. This is exactly what happens in “Knees, Chest, Chin.” When the knees are on the floor, this isn’t a problem. Which, again, is why I don’t have any problem with “Knees, Chest, Chin.” But, when “Knees, Chest, Chin” is associated too closely with Chaturanga, it teaches the exact opposite neuro-muscular pattern that one should develop for a healthy Chaturanga. Think about it — and, don’t hate me.
How to: Don’t. ☺ At least not as an alternative or modification for Chaturanga.
Basically, this moon encourages you to do some “real talk.” Get super clear around what you wish to convey in life. Don’t let words run away with you, or writers block get in the way. Venus’ loving energy allows the message to flow, but you have to keep the message pure. Misused, the energy of Gemini becomes nervous, anxious, and at its worst, misunderstood. Let your words flow from your heart at this time, and you plant positive seeds that grow into enlightened manifestation. New moon time is about cultivating fertile ground for what you would like to harvest in about six months during the Gemini full moon. Though Gemini is not known for its patience, reigning it in and making sure you have real, open-hearted conversations right now could not be more important as you will reap those results in the coming months. Interestingly, this new moon also features a complicated relationship with both Jupiter and Saturn, which gives it a “push me, pull you” effect. There are conflicting energies around whether to expand your communication and speak out, versus pulling in and refining your message. Take a look at what is most important to you right now and lean toward either pulling in or moving outward. The darkness of the full moon does lend itself very well to the introspective cultivation that may be required to ensure you always speak your truth clearly to power. Alchemical Ritual for the Gemini New Moon As an air sign, Gemini enjoys all the things that allow us to communicate and share with the world, including teaching, technology, media, journalism and conversation. On the low side, this mercurial sign tends toward nervousness, idle chatter, anxiety and trickiness. This new moon ritual for Gemini helps to accentuate the high side of this energy and clears up our mental chatter so that when communication flows (in all its various forms), it flows clearly. Gemini's ruler is Mercury, the messenger god who is able to travel into the underworld as easily as the real world. It is a slippery slope: to communicate in an elevated way, or slip down into the shadow, harming ourself or others with our words. To keep our energy on the high side in this ritual, gather blue stones such as lace agate or chalcedony and place them in the center of your ritual space. Bring in the air element in some way, perhaps by diffusing essential oils (eucalyptus, lavender and vetiver work well with Gemini), or by sitting in front of an open window or gentle fan for a cool breeze. Lavender, frankincense or myrrh essential oil can be used to anoint your throat chakra before and after your ceremony. Use sage, sweet grass or palo santo to cleanse yourself and the space by casting the smoke over yourself and encircling your own body three times. Light a few candles and dim the lights. Sit in the center of your space and bring the hands together at the heart center. Connect to the throat center, the location of communication and the planet Mercury in our bodies. Feel the energy moving into the throat by engaging in a gentle ujayi style breathing, constricting the back of the throat ever so slightly to produce an oceanic sound of the breath. When you establish a consistent attention on the throat area, consider the question: What is my truth? Your answer will likely come quietly and simply, not as a diatribe, and perhaps only as a feeling. Listen closely to the answer from the heart. Once you receive your answer, choose one stone, hold it firmly in your right hand and say the following invocation out loud: Mercury, please give me the strength to speak the truth about what is most important to me. Spend a few moments in quiet contemplation. Clear the mind of thoughts completely. Feel the sensation within the throat, and allow for the invocation to sink in and begin to show you your path. Allow any symbols, sensations, emotions or energy to arise and continue to quietly witness all that happens without judgement or thought. When complete, place a hand on the throat and chant Ham (the mantra for the throat) three times before bringing both hands together at the heart to chant Om three times. Hold the stone talisman that you have now charged with the energy of your heart’s desire. Snuff the candles and place the talisman somewhere prominently enough that you are reminded daily of the path to your heart’s fullest expression. This ritual creates a clear pathway of communication for your highest truth, so that whenever you speak, you speak your truth clearly to power.
As everyone was going around the room introducing themselves with the customary name, job, etc. a few of the women explained they were “in transition.” The energy dynamic around this term was fascinating.
Every time someone said they were “in transition,” everyone else around the room would offer their congratulations and get all excited.
Questions like “what’s next?” and “how are you doing?” would follow. To be “in transition” was far more exciting then to be the executive vice president of another defense contractor.
And yet, I got the feeling that beneath all that excitement for being “in transition,” there still lingered the fear and uncertainty of the future. Inherently, to be “in transition” is to not know. The excitement exuding from the fellow, safely-employed individuals was part awe, part jealousy, part “good for you, it’s not for me.”
To not know is an incredibly vulnerable place to be. It’s a scary place. And it’s full of growth and learning if you remain open to all the possibilities.
The movement of transitions
This experience had me thinking more about “transition.” Way back when I started this whole blog, one of the things I really wanted to write about was how to live calmly in the midst of moving, because moving was(is) so much a part of my life. I recognized that moving always causes me a fair bit of anxiety and it’s a time when I need to be super diligent with my self-care strategies so I can stay sane.
In times of uncertainty, when I’ve been in transition between homes, my sense of center could no longer be defined by a building. Instead of looking outside of me, I had to rely on strength from within, even if I didn’t know I had it.
To let go of your trust in what you’ve built around you and be willing to give it up to a greater divine plan (call it whatever you want) out of your control is the ultimate act of releasing attachment and dissolving ego. It requires a great deal of faith and trust that the transition is your teacher.
To step willingly into transition is courageous. It’s walking straight into the fire (like Daenerys, for all my GoT fans :)).
Transitions in Asana
In yoga, we like to work from the outside in. All this transition talk is nice and all, but it’s heavy and hard. To take a few practice rides through transition, we look to the body, asana, and movement as our training wheels.
In your asana practice there are LOTS of transitions. The beauty of a vinyasa practice is the transitions themselves, most famous of them Chatarunga Dandasana. Fittingly, Chatarunga is HARD. It requires intense focus, strength, breath, and listening.
Unfortunately, many of us blow straight through the transitions without taking the time to savor the teachings. We get the alignment down (or we think we get the alignment down) and it’s easy enough to just go through the motions. We stop listening to what our body is actually telling us (this hurts my shoulders), we stop consciously engaging all the little, subtle muscular actions that support our alignment, and our mind is focused on the end result — Downdog — rather than the journey.
The best is when students automatically start their Chatarunga transition before I’ve even cued it and are unaware that Chatarunga wasn’t the intended transition at all. Switching up the transitions is not only an exercise in engaging new muscles, but also in priming the mind to get comfortable with ALL the uncertainty.
To be in transition is to be learning and growing — building strength physically, mentally, emotionally.
Getting good at transitions
How do you become more graceful at navigating the transitions in your practice and in your life?
Savor the transitions
The beauty of transition is that we’re truly in it all the time. And if you think about it, we’ve already mastered the art of moving gracefully from one thing to the next. This is how we get through our day! Granted, some of us are more graceful then others, but regardless, each day is a transition of the sun and the moon. Each breath is a transition of the inhale and exhale.
To be in transition is to be alive. Once you wake up, the secret to maintaining that vitality is balance.
Happy transitions!
Namaste.
Are you joining us for the next Conscious Cleanse? Registration closes on Monday, June 6 so secure your spot today.
Meanwhile, start incorporating our Green Tea Citrus Slimmer Smoothie into your daily routine.
It’s full of fiber, antioxidants, and will help balance your blood sugar – perfect for transitioning onto the cleanse.
With love and green smoothies,
Green Tea Citrus Slimmer Smoothie
Yield: 1 quart
1 cup Conscious Cleanse Green Tea Citrus Slimmer tea, brewed and cooled *(see brewing instructions below) 1 cup frozen blueberries 1 cup spinach ¼ cup almonds or walnuts, soaked overnight then drained 1 TB. flaxseed 1 TB. coconut oil ½ tsp. cinnamon ½ cup ice
Instructions: In a high speed blender combine tea, blueberries, spinach, almonds, flaxseed, coconut oil, cinnamon, and ice, and blend until smooth. Enjoy!
*To brew the tea steep 1 tsp. of tea in 8 ounces of boiling water for 3 minutes.
Well I ain’t no Superwomen that is for sure, but what I do make sure I am on top of planning and being productive…I learned this lesson a long time ago and it is one that has served me so well over the years and continues to do so.
So now I want to share with you these amazing tips that when you use them in your life, will make you feel like a new person…and an incredibly productive one.
So here goes:
Don’t check your emails first – Isn’t it crazy that so many of us check our emails first thing when we wake up or logon to our computers? Why do we do that? Whatever the reason, it is a bad habit and here’s why. By checking our email first, we are then handing over our day and next activities to our inbox. Before we know it we’ll be caught up doing other peoples “stuff” before we’ve worked on our own “stuff”. Unless you are in Customer Service there is no need to do that.
Have an action planner – When we have a plan for our day and week, we then have focus. When we have focus we become more productive and are less inclined to just meander our way through tasks. If you don’t have yourself an action planner, then I encourage you to get one and start using it. It will change your life…seriously.
Start with the hardest and most important things first – try to take on the hardest and biggest tasks first, when you have the most energy and your day hasn’t started to overwhelm you. I love taking on the things that I don’t really feel like doing first. That way I am sort of taking on the biggest and baddest task first and then I know my day will become easier afterwards and when complete it I will feel so much better too.
Get up earlier – You know waking up 15 – 30 mins before anyone else in the morning is amazing as it can be so peaceful. The house is quiet and you can start off your day getting organized, planning out your day and starting on your tasks before anyone has even started their day. It is an amazing feeling.
Set meeting timelines – This one is HUGE! Whenever setting a business or personal meeting and yes that includes you going to gym and yoga class…be strict with your time. Stick to the times otherwise an extra 10 minutes here, 15 minutes there and before we know it we have lost an hour and we’re trying to catch up.
Eliminate all distractions – Nowadays with our phones and social media we’re constantly getting interrupted by Facebook messages, Snapchats, texts, emails, Social media, whatsapp and everything else. These constant distractions keep pulling us away from staying focused and productive. Turn them all off and focus on one task at a time for a specific time period… that is the key to productivity.
Try some of these and notice how they make you feel and change your day.
You’ll find that when you complete these productivity tasks they actually motivate you and you’ll feel more productive.
The more productive you feel the more you want to keep doing this…it feeds itself. Before you know it you’ll be achieving way more than you ever thought possible and you will also have more free time.
Let me know how it goes for you.
XO
Hayley
About the Author:
Hayley Hobson is an author, speaker, Kick-A$$ Business Guru and 7-Figure MOM-treprenuer. She's passionate about empowering others to live the life of their dreams and is based in Boulder, CO. Hayley creates lifestyle transformations by coaching her clients to become the best WHOLE version of themselves possible.
She can be increasingly found speaking at many global Business events and is also a doTERRA Certified Oil Double Presidential Diamond. Her insights and articles can also be found on her personal blog, on Mindbodygreen, Positively Positive and Elephant Journal.
She has also been featured in Pilates Style magazine, Natural Health magazine, Bridal Magazine,Triathlete Magazine, doTERRA’s Leadership Magazine, the Four Year Career by Richard Bliss Brooks and the Network Marketing Times.
She is also creator on the online business mentorship training programs called Your Whole Biz, Social Downline and Whole MOM-trepreneur.
She has fun living, working and playing in the mountains with her husband, former world-ranked triathlete, Wes Hobson, and their two beautiful daughters, Makenna and Madeline.
To learn more about her programs and courses and events she's hosting, go to hayleyhobson.com or follow her on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest. Hayley's book, Hayley Hobson's Hip Guide To Creating A Sexy And Abundant Life is available at Amazon.