In the room were about 50 people, men and women, with jobs in the sales department,which means high stress and lots of travel. Not exactly the most conducive environment for healthy living.
What I loved most about this experience was how each person had a different idea of what yoga was and I’m pretty sure almost every single person walked out of that workshop with a new perspective.
It’s easy to fall into the label trap. Based on our own experiences we decide that yoga is one set thing. But yoga is not one thing and it’s hard to give it one definition. Yoga is about getting to know yourself and being in relationship with yourself but that looks different for every person just as every person has a unique personality and unique relationships.
A practice even you can do
So what did we teach to a group of people who spends their days behind keyboards and on airplanes? We taught them yoga stretches they can do at their desk or on the plane. Nothing fancy, just practical.
The most common takeaway based on feedback? Something along the lines of “I didn’t know I could do yoga for 5 minutes at my desk and feel better.”
Because so many of us have this idea that yoga must be practiced in a studio with a teacher on a mat, we decide that yoga is not for us because we don’t have time for a class, money for a mat or teacher, and we’re not flexible either, so the whole thing must not be a good idea.
Yet all it takes is 5 minutes or less, 10 breaths, 1 stretch to feel a big difference. And if you can start to string together some small “big difference” moments throughout your day on a consistent basis, you might just find yourself a transformed person, all because of a 5 minute yoga break.
Spread the office yoga love
As I was telling my parents about my experience teaching this great group of managers and executives, my dad chimed in that he thought it was cool that I was teaching people to do yoga at their desk. In fact, he said “I didn’t know that I could do yoga at my desk!”
And then the light dawned on me. If my own dad didn’t know that you can do yoga at your desk, then I’m not talking about it enough or offering the options for what to do when you’re at work overwhelmed, feeling stressed, with tight shoulders and a sore low back.
This whole experience inspired me to film a little series you can do at your desk or on the airplane. The best part is you’ve probably been doing yoga all along and you didn’t even know that was what you were doing!
I’ll have more short practices to add in soon, but this is a good place to start.
Namaste!
P.S. – If you want an extra excuse to practice yoga and stress relief strategies in the middle of your work day, schedule me to come teach a yoga class at your company!
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.
Click here to download or stream one of our Office YogaDownload classes!
There’s been several reports released recently about the olive oil industry and the questionable practices being used by some companies. One specific study, “Report Evaluation of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Sold in California” found many oils labeled “Extra Virgin” actually are anything but pure, with some even containing canola oil in them.
When we heard these reports, we went on a search to find the highest quality, freshest olive oil we could find and that’s where Kasandrinos International comes in.
Offering only the finest Greek organic extra virgin olive oil, we love this olive oil – and it’s founders – so much, that we created a green smoothie in their honor.
We talk a lot about adding nutrient dense “boosts” to your green smoothies – things like flaxseeds, coconut oil, and spirulina.
If you’ve yet to try olive oil in your green smoothie then be sure to check out The Green Ollie recipe below. Refreshing, energizing, and anti-inflammatory, this green smoothie is sure to be a keeper.
With love and green smoothies,
P.S. – Are you a green smoothie lover through and through? Then don’t miss out on grabbing one of our new “I Green Smoothie” T-Shirts available for just one more week through our Indiegogo Campaign.
The Green Ollie
Yield: 1 Quart
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups water ½ lemon, peeled 1 ½ inch knob ginger, peeled 3 romaine leaves ½ cucumber 1 cup spinach 1 small pear, cored 1 TB. olive oil Handful of ice, optional
Instructions: In a high speed blender combine water, ginger, romaine, cucumber, spinach, pear, olive oil, and ice (if using) until creamy. Enjoy!
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
Take a moment of pause right now to think about what comes easy for you. And after you do that, take a moment to think about what feels especially challenging.
Now ask yourself: Am I making the choices and taking the actions to grow beyond those challenges?
When I first heard this wise question, I resisted. Which is to say, I had to practice this idea so I could soften that resistance enough to start making some hard changes. Doing what I had always done was not going to open any new doors.
Which means if it’s hard, it’s a place for you to grow. Here are some ways to practice what does not come easy in your life:
On Your Mat
Does your spine take backbends easily? Then switch it up and focus on core work. And if core work comes easy, practice backbends. If you usually take child’s pose when challenging poses are called, take that moment to challenge yourself and give it a go. Believe me, falling is part of the process.
Do you push so hard you end up snoring in savasana? Back off a little and take a rest throughout in order to avoid the awkward moment when everyone is putting their blocks away as you wake up out of your yoga-induced coma (and maybe wipe a little drool from your cheek).
With Yourself
Do you beat yourself up inside each conflict? By honing that awareness, you can form a new habit – try taking an internal stand for your choices. Self-love is a work in progress, and it’s these little conversations that we have with ourselves that will help form healthier internal dialogues and outcomes. When you catch yourself in the mirror, do your eyes always find a new wrinkle? Wrinkles, stretch marks, scars– these are all signs of a live being lived, and there’s beauty in that. Next time you get to the mirror, meet your own eyes and see that spark of beauty instead.
With Others
If you always talk, listen. If you always listen, speak up. Do you always make the meals, but never do the dishes? Try on a new role in your home routine.
Do you invest too much time in counting and quantifying every act of love? Sometimes we can all be guilty of that. I promise you will feel happier if you take those moments to self-check and work on experiencing love and giving love without measure.
There is research that says that focusing on what we are good at will lead us to greater success and happiness in life. This pearl of wisdom does not ask you to change your core values, just to bring yourself to a new approach.
In my eyes, samadhi- liberation, immersion, bliss- is a constant mid-point that we pass through as we waver between apathy and ambition, isolation and codependency, a backbend and a forward fold. When we understand, respect, and even practice both sides of those spectrums, we have a greater sense of our own center. When we look for the middle path, we can reduce our suffering and increase moments of joy. And don’t we all want a little more joy?
By Christen Bakken
Christen Bakken is uncertain if she found yoga, or if yoga found her, but since 1998 the yoga mat has been Christen’s refuge. Her first visits to the mat had nothing to do with tight hamstrings or shoulders and instead, had more to do with reducing anxiety. Through movement and breath, she began to see the mat as a place to let go, and, only then, strengthen and soften in all areas of her life.In 2006, Christen took her first power yoga teacher training. She has done many trainings since then; her most recent is 500 hours with Rusty Wells in San Francisco.
Click here to download or stream one of Christen's YogaDownload classes!
Make sure to check out the garbanzo egg! It’s such a great egg replacement if you can’t eat eggs or seeds. Our usual go-to egg is a flax egg- 1 TB ground flax seeds to 3 TB water. So I’m thrilled to have another option.
Have you come up with a special treat that’s healthy, low sugar, grain free and nut free? Please share with us!
And by the way, our cupcakes were a hit! You can see from Elijah’s face he thoroughly enjoyed them.
To celebrating in a healthy way!
Sugar Free Banana Cupcakes
Yield: 24 medium sized cupcakes // 48 mini cupcakes
½ cup garbanzo bean liquid from canned garbanzo beans, whipped *see below 6 ripe bananas, mashed with a fork 10 TB. Lakanto sweetener 1 TB. vanilla extract 4 cups Tiger Nut flour 2 TB. baking powder 1 TB. ground cinnamon ½ tsp. sea salt
Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized bowl place the mashed bananas, lakanto, and vanilla and combine until smooth. Add the garbanzo bean liquid mixture and mix again until smooth. In a larger separate bowl whisk together the tiger nut flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt. Pour wet mixture over dry mixture and stir until combined and no dry streaks remain. Line a muffin or mini muffin pan with liners of your choice. Scoop batter in each liner filling them ¾ full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes for medium cupcakes and 15 minutes for the minis, or until a skewer comes out clean. Let cool. Ice with your choice of icing below!
*To whip the garbanzo bean liquid drain canned garbanzo beans in a medium sized bowl. Reserve the beans for another use. With a whisk whip until slightly foamy approximately 3-4 minutes.
Carob Avocado Icing
Yield: 12 medium sized cupcakes // 48 mini cupcakes
1 ½ large ripe avocados, pitted 5 TB. roasted carob powder 1 ½ ripe bananas ¼ tsp sea salt 1 TB. vanilla extract Water, to thin the icing
Instructions: Place all ingredients into a high speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Add water as necessary but be sure to not thin the icing too much! It spreads best when still creamy. Spread on cupcakes swirling the tops.
Coconut Cream Icing
3 5.4 oz cans coconut cream, chilled overnight 1 TB. vanilla extract
Instructions: Open the cans of coconut cream separating the liquid from the solid. Reserve the liquid for another use like your morning green smoothie! Add the solids to a mixer with the vanilla and whip until thick and creamy. Spread on cupcakes and top with unsweetened shredded coconut.
80:20allergen free bakingcupcakeshealthy bakinghealthy desserthealthy kid friendly recipessugar free banana cupcakessugar free cupcakes
A close relationship with Venus during this full moon also suggests this is a good time to check in on your intimate relationship. Does it need some verve or spark? Can you reinvigorate the love between you? And, for those of you that are not in relationship right now, how can you enhance your sensuality on your own? The energy of this lunation gives you the drive to create beauty, sensuality and love so harness this power in every way possible. Remember, the greatest gift we give our beloved is self-knowledge and self-love. This is a perfect time to revel in those things whether it benefits just you or your intimate partnership!
This full moon cycle is filled with opportunities to deepen our knowledge of self in order to fully know who we are, what drives us, what makes us fall in love, and follow our soul’s purpose. Use this to catalyze your life into its most authentic and open-hearted expression so you can say, “Yes!” to all of your adventures.
Alchemical Ritual for the Sagittarius Full Moon
As a fire sign, Sagittarius is known for its vivacity, tenacity and exuberance. On the low side, this easily becomes egotistical, dogmatic and aloof. This full moon ritual for Sagittarius highlights the high side of Sag which allows us to explore our inherent belief systems and expand fully into an authentic expression of joy.
Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, who is known for his joviality, and zest for life. Jupiter encourages expansion in all areas of life, so it is important to ensure what we expand is the highest expression of this full moon energy. Otherwise, we can get caught in a vicious cycle of negativity or callousness toward others. Gather blue stones such as topaz, amethyst or turquoise, and place them in the center of your ritual space. If you have essential oil of myrrh, or myrrh resin, use it to scent the air as you prepare for your ritual. Use essential oils of myrrh, clove or anise to anoint your hips and thighs (ruled by Sagittarius) 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. Bring into your ritual space a symbol or talisman of your inherent or childhood belief system. Place it just in front of you as you sit down and close the eyes, coming into a quiet, meditative state of mind. Say the following invocation out loud:
Sagittarius and Jupiter, help me expand the wisdom of my spirit, and let my soul’s deepest truths be focused outward in an authentic expression of my life.
Feel the presence of the symbol or talisman and allow it to appear in your mind’s eye. Focus on the breath and tune in to its image. Allow for any messages or feelings from the image to arise. Rather than engage in dialogue with it, simply let the image speak to you. Spend a few moments quietly listening to the image. Sit with the message given to you by the symbol or talisman. Absorb it, and reap the fruits of the message in your body. When complete, take a few breaths, then chant Om three times, and snuff the candles. Place your talisman in prominent view and whenever you see it, let it remind you to stay connected with your soul’s fullest expression of authenticity. This image (and others) serve to be outward expressions of our deepest truths. It is a reminder of how we use symbols to make sense of our world and bring to life that which is within us. Let it help you bring forth the light that is 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
You may have heard of the Crow Pose – it’s taught as an arm balance that is “beginner-friendly” if there is such a thing. It’s an intro pose to the pose category of arm balances and it’s often the first arm-balance you’ll ever try.
There’s also a pose you may (or may not) have heard of that is quite similar – Crane. Crane is an inversion, and similarly to Crow, could be considered an “intro” to the category of inversions.
The problem is, a vast majority of teachers (myself included up until a couple weeks ago) cue you into Crane Pose and call it Crow Pose.
If you’ve got an established “Crow” practice and you’ve really been doing Crane this whole time…congratulations on mastering an inversion without even knowing it!
The anatomical difference
Besides the fact that one pose is an arm balance and one pose is an inversion, these poses also have different attitudes and require different muscular engagement. They also have different Sanskrit names. Kakasana = Crow Pose. Bakasana = Crane Pose. Kak means crow in Sanskrit and even sounds like a crow cawing. Bak means Crane in Sanskrit.
An arm balance is a posture in which you are balancing on your hands. But there are many inversions where you are balancing on your hands as well. The difference between an inversion and an arm balance is the positioning of your hips. In inversions, your hips are always above your heart. That is why Downdog is considered a “gentle” inversion.
In Crane (Bakasana) Pose (formerly known as Crow, if we want to be all Prince about it), the knees rest on the back of the triceps near the armpits, the hips are lifted above the heart, and the practitioner works towards straightening the arms. This position kind-of, sort-of imitates the crane – long legs on the ground and body up above. The practitioner needs a keen sense of awareness of the serratus anterior muscle to stabilize the shoulders and straighten the arms, plus crazy triceps strength to get the arms to straighten. There needs to be someflexibility in the hips to get the knees all the way to the back of the triceps, near the armpits. It’s a given that the core is doing it’s fair share of centering and stabilizing the body
In Crow (Kakasana) Pose on the other hand (almost never cued), the knees move to the outside of the triceps and the inner thighs squeeze the outer arms. The hips stay level with the ground and the rest of the torso and body is much closer to the ground. Think of Chatarunga arms in this one. The bent knees on the outside of the arms make the legs look like the wings of a crow. This posture relies much more on a relationship between the triceps and biceps and the inner thighs. These muscles resist one another, providing the strength to balance on the hands. Again, the core is holding its own to establish a center of gravity. It’s tempting to lift the hips higher (because that is mostly what we’ve been taught to do), but sometimes even more challenging to keep the hips lower.
The story
Why does everyone teach Crane (Bakasana) Pose as Crow (Kakasana) Pose? It’s common to hear that they are the same pose (they are not), or that they are interchangeable (they are most definitely different).
I’m not sure exactly why this has become a “thing” in the yoga world, except that Crane (Bakasana) may actually be easier for some people then Crow (Kakasana) Pose (it’s debatable) and there is a large lack of awareness and education in the yoga community around where the poses come from and why they are what they are. It’s like a general misunderstanding of where our food comes from. Many of us just assume that whatever we’re told is true.
The story of the crow and the crane goes all the way back to ancient texts. The story of the crow and the crane can be found in the Mahabarata, an epic tale that is central to yoga philosophy and wisdom.
The crane
In this story, Lord Yama (the Lord of Death) decides to reincarnate as a crane. This is an unusual choice, as we would associate death much more readily with a crow then a crane. But Lord Yama makes this choice purposefully, to fool those who are might be looking out for him. Lord Yama wanted to remain hidden and in disguise. When you think about the qualities of a crane, you might think of a regal, graceful, and majestic bird. The crane is patient and doesn’t move much. It stands and waits for his prey to come to him. His head is down as he waits.
In the Crane (Bakasana) Pose, when our knees are placed so high up against the armpits, we start to stimulate the lymphatic system, a system of the body that helps boost the immune system and move us away from death. We look down, rather then ahead, as we practice patience with the body. Looking down also takes the faculties of the eyes away from us so that we must balance using the muscular strength of our core and rely on an inner sense rather then an external sense to find our true balance.
The crow
When you think about a crow, crows spend most of their life flying and surveying for their prey. They are always looking out at the horizon for the next meal. This is why in Crow (Kakasana) Pose, we keep our hips low and our eyes out. This requires a great deal of strength in the arms and perseverance. You can even add on a bending of the arms to mimic the impression of flying — this will challenge your body intensely.
Now you can see that both poses are different anatomically, have a different mental attitude that we cultivate while practicing them, have different names and different animals they are associated with, and have their roots in ancient yoga philosophy.
Practice tip
Whoever decided Crow (Kakasana) Pose was Crow Pose and Crane (Bakasana) Pose is Crane Pose is rolling in his/her grave every time a yoga teacher calls out Crow (Kakasana) Pose but cues Crane (Bakasana) and vice versa. I hope this understanding makes the difference clear to you and helps you find a new perspective in your arm balance and inversion practice.
When/if you decide to first try either of these postures, it can be helpful to use blocks in front of your forehead to assuage your fears of falling and/or under your feet to help you get your knees higher up on your arms.
Happy practicing!
And I was honored and beyond grateful.
It got me thinking about all the hours in a day we spend on … whatever we spend it on. And I wondered how much of that is service? How much of that can we redefine and look at as service? How much of what we do are we actually awake for and how much have we desensitized ourselves too?
And then of course I had to then define service for myself, so I could make sense of the rumbling in my head … not my heart, my head. That’s where the rumbling always takes place.
Here’s my thoughts …
Service, in the end, is truly service to the Divine. And as far as I know, the Divine doesn’t care if what you are offering up is grandiose, or mundane, or messy, or anything else that you as a human doing has labeled your work to be.
Because I like to think that service is happening in many, many moments during my day. I’d like to think that for every moment that I’m “doing” something – it’s in service somewhere to someone. I’d like to believe that when I wake up and say thank you, that in and of itself is service. And when I decide to make breakfast for my kids, that’s in service. And when I decide not to in order to serve myself, that’s in service too. And that when I teach, say hello to the cashier, talk nice to the plumber, try and do math homework, respond to my daughter’s father, or take a moment to breathe before I go to sleep, I’d like to think that all of that is in service to the Divine.
You see, here’s what I think … and of course, I could be wrong. But I think that we are all here to live our best lives. And that doesn’t mean anything else besides …
Be kind.
Yeah, that’s really it. Be kind.
And be kind in everything you do … and the best in everything you do … and the most awake in all you do. And when you’re not … and life becomes a bit of a “chore” … decide if it’s time to change course.
If your life does not feel like a blessed offering of service to the Divine. … start small and believe that it is. I would bet money you would see that every moment is in service, even the ones that feel mundane or boring.
Breathe into your heart and ask ….
How can I be of service today … in this moment … in this relationship … in this job …
Just ask, because we do have the opportunity in every moment to be of service. It makes life more like an offering than something we just hurry through. And that is why we are here … I swear.
By Dana Damara
“My passion on the mat is proper alignment, powerful breath and effortless flow so you feel that off your mat. Your practice becomes sacred space where you arrive to find more meaning, depth, authenticity and integrity in your life." - Dana Damara: mother, author, yoga instructor, speaker and yogini.
Click here to download or stream one of Dana's YogaDownload classes!
It may be helpful to have a visual. Imagine that cranky part of you you find so annoying, or the part of you you think is weak and filled with bad habits, or the part of you that can’t get over some heartache – imagine that that person was someone else. Let’s say a small child. Your child. Or your little brother or sister. Maybe even a five-year old version of you. Someone small, cute, and helpless. What type of love and kindness would you be giving them when they were going through a difficult time? Can you give that to yourself?
On the mat
When you’re sweating, you’re breathing is getting laboured, and you start feeling frustrated that there is a pose you cannot do, where does your mind go? What is your internal monologue? Is it filled with angry reproofs involving your perceived inability or is it being kind to where your body is today? Can you accept limitations, temporary or permanent, and simply be with what is? Can you be so kind as to do something different? Can you be so daring to ask for help from a teacher if you need it?
If and when those dark thoughts arise, be kind to them and see what they need. Maybe it translates to working less physical intensity. Maybe it is giving yourself permission to be fiery. Maybe it means more time in the pose or more patience in general. Develop a fundamental attitude of friendliness to your body and its needs as you practice.
Off the mat
Every human being faces challenges, griefs, stresses, frustrations, and failures. Sounds a bit of a bummer, but we know that is one part of human experience. Of course our ability to navigate the tough times impacts on how well we can enjoy the good times. Meaning we can get stuck in the muck.
I’m sure I’m not alone in my sometimes feelings of disappointment with myself. Sometimes it’s annoyance and anger with how I behaved, performed, or responded in a challenging or stressful situation. To be frank, my mind doesn’t immediately go to soothing kindness to a part of my personality in turmoil. But again, if I could visualise that part of myself as a small version of me I would probably respond a bit differently. I’d ask that part of me what I needed to feel better. I’d give him kindness and reassurance. There might be a temporary feel-good solution and a long-term bit of tough love to get on the right or more productive and happiness-filled track. I’d let go of arbitrary punishment or wishing things would just be better while averting the shadow parts of my personality in distress.
The ‘good’ parts of ourselves are not the only parts that deserve love. There are parts that we struggle with. There are parts that hurt. There are parts of us that are right asses – and they need some love and friendship too. We have to sit with, accept, and bring all the parts of ourselves into the fold. If we never befriend the darker bits they will continue to be our adversaries and keep us embroiled in a lifelong fight.
Instead, a practice of kindness can be transformative. When you develop kindness and compassion towards yourself, your heart begins to grow and deepen its compassion towards your loved ones and those in ever widening communities around you. It is the entry point into an experience of human life that allows us to love, be loved, and be enriched by the joy of that love.
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
Stomach pains Gas Cramping PMS Acne Puffy face Weight gain
I had an intolerance to dairy, not realizing that the exact food I was eating to be healthy, was actually causing some of my most nagging health challenges.
If you can relate, be sure to check out Jo’s blog post on How to Identify If You’ve Got a Dairy Sensitivity.
The commercials tell us that yogurt is a healthy, fat free, high protein choice – the “perfect snack” to be exact. However, if you look a little closer you’ll find that one serving of flavored yogurt accounts for more than the recommended amount of daily sugar.
Take a look:
Yoplait Strawberry Yogurt = 26 grams of sugar Dannon Fruit on the Bottom Blueberry = 24 grams of sugar Organic Stonyfield French Vanilla = 29 grams of sugar
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the maximum amount of added sugars you should eat in a day are:
Men: 37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons of sugar per day Women: 25 grams or 6 teaspoons of sugar per day
And by the way, fat is what gives food flavor, so don’t be fooled by the fat free fad of the 90s. In the case of yogurt, the food manufacturers add in more sugar and additives in place of the fat, and it’s actually these additions that are making us fat, not the fat.
Today we’ve whipped up a healthy alternative to dairy and all store-bought yogurts. Be sure to grab the recipe below and don’t miss the homemade Berry Vanilla Chia Jam and Coconut Hemp Seed Crumble topper. This is cleanse-friendly and sure to be all-star family favorite.
With love and better choices,
Dairy Free Coconut “Yogurt”
Yield: 2 servings
Note: We recommend making the jam first to allow time for it cool while making the yogurt and crumble.
8 oz. (2 packets) frozen fresh young coconut puree, thawed ½ cup coconut water, to thin as necessary ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions: In a high speed blender place coconut puree and ¼ cup coconut water. Blend on high adding more coconut water as necessary to get the mixture to a Greek yogurt type consistency. Add to a bowl and top with Berry Vanilla Chia Jam and Coconut Hemp Seed Crumble.
Berry Vanilla Chia Jam
Yield: 1 pint
1 LB. fresh berries such as raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries 3 TB. organic honey, or to taste depending on how sweet the berries are ½ vanilla bean, split and scraped 2 TB. chia seeds Juice of ¼ lemon
Instructions: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat place berries, vanilla bean, and honey. Bring to a simmer and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the juice from the berries has thickened slightly. Add the chia seeds and lemon juice and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes or until the mixture has a jam like consistency. It will continue to thicken slightly after cooling so keep that in mind when deciding on a final texture.
Coconut Hemp Seed Crumble
1 tsp. coconut oil 1 tsp. honey 3 TB. large flake coconut 2 TB. hemp seeds Pinch of Himalayan sea salt
Instructions: In a small skillet over medium heat melt coconut oil. Add honey and stir to combine. Add coconut flakes and hemp seeds and toast until golden stirring constantly. Remove from heat and toss with Himalayan sea salt. Let cool and use as a topping for your “yogurt” and chia bowl.
It’s a great question, and one I’ve thought about for awhile now. Today, I want to share with you my thoughts on the yogic perspective to this question, as I’m sure you may have wondered the same thing at some point.
My upfront disclaimer is that I’m not a doctor, I have no right to diagnose anything for anyone, and my intention in writing this post today is simply to help you think about your own practices and body with a heightened, and perhaps more intelligent, awareness.
Using yoga to heal
First, let’s talk about using yoga as a practice to heal.
There are many benefits of yoga, so many of which have become verified by scientific research in the last decade or so. There is also still a lot of folklore and unsubstantiated claims made as well.
As I like to remind my blog readers, there are many different styles of yoga. That idea you have in your head of what yoga is may be limited because yoga is not just one thing.
Some people I know don’t want to practice yoga because they don’t think it will give them a good enough workout, while other people I know are afraid yoga is too hard and they won’t be able to do it! Both statements have the potential to be true, it just depends on what yoga class you find yourself in.
Just because there are many types of yoga, doesn’t mean one type is better at healing then the other.
A practice doesn’t heal people. People heal themselves utilizing the appropriate practice for their condition.
This is partly why yoga is so awesome. Someone can have an amazing healing story through yoga after practicing Ashtanga (a very intense practice) for a year and someone else can have an incredible healing yoga journey after practicing restorative (a very gentle practice) for a year. The healing happened because the practice chosen matched the person who wanted healing.
A student was talking to me lately about her Crossfit practice. She mentioned offhand that she does Crossfit to focus on cardio instead of focusing on strength. This conversation reminded me that any practice can be adapted to meet your needs, but you have to be clear about what your needs are in the first place!
Yoga and strength
I know there may be some of you out there who don’t believe yoga can help you gain strength.
Let me tell you that if you (or someone you know) believes this, they have not been to the right yoga class.
Yoga posture (asana) is actually very, very challenging when the muscles are engaged in a specific, exacting way. Anyone can stand up straight with their arms overhead, but when you start to engage every major muscle from the bottom of your feet to the tip of your fingers as you stand up straight with your arms overhead, your Mountain Pose becomes a different story.
Using a combination of body weight, planes of movement, gravity, and specific muscle activation, yoga can indeed help you build strength in your body. Understanding the relationship between agonists (muscles doing most of the work in any movement) and antagonists (the muscles releasing to help the agonists do their thing) helps you not only better understand your body but build incredibly efficient strength.
I’ve seen it myself with my private clients who before working with me were unable to hold a Plank Pose, but after working on the core, surprised themselves when they could hold Plank for more then a few seconds, hold good posture, and breathe after just a couple months.
Will you become bodybuilder strong in yoga? No, but you can absolutely tone muscle through yoga practice and maintain strength.
A few words on “tight” muscles
A common pitfall when it comes to the vocabulary of strength and yoga is the word tight.
People come to yoga and tell me they are tight in their hamstrings or hips or shoulders. Most people automatically assume that when they are tight they need to stretch. This is not always the case!
Our muscles have mechanoreceptors that send information back to the brain so that the brain can determine whether or not the muscle needs to contract or not. If the mechanoreceptors are sending information back to the brain that the muscles is at its maximum length before it will tear, then the brain is going to go into protective mode and start telling that muscle to contract, making you feel “tight.”
Unless you are putting constant stress on your muscles from poor posture and daily movement patterns or from following a specific workout plan, you may need to build strength rather then stretch to work through that “tight” feeling.
Strength loves flexibility and flexibility loves strength
I’ve said it so many times before and I’ll say it again. I can’t tell you how many times I hear people say “I can’t do yoga because I’m not flexible.”
To that I respond, “Do you want to be flexible?” You will absolutely gain flexibility practicing yoga. I don’t think anyone has every disputed that. Yoga is most widely accepted as a stretching practice!
So isn’t that exactly where you need to be if you’re not flexible but flexibility is a goal?
Finding the balance between strength and flexibility is really important to overall good health.
Just like it’s important that I’m strong enough to lift heavy things in the case of an emergency, it’s equally important to be flexible to get yourself out of tight, squirrelly situations quickly. If you need to bend over and wind your way through tight spaces, you better be able to move your spine easily in all seven directions.
The opposite is true as well. It’s no good being all flexible with no strength. We have to find the middle ground.
This is even more important to embrace if you are hypermobile. Flowy, stretchy yoga classes are probably the last place a hypermobile yogi needs to be. Of course, the hypermobile yogi will be drawn to such classes because he or she will feel good in those classes. Rather, his or her ego will feel good. The body? Not so much.
The best cure for hypermobility? Strength.
In yoga, there are many opportunities where this balance between strength and flexibility are highlighted. To be grounded and strong in your legs in a standing posture will give you freedom and more mobility in your upper body. Having a strong core will give you more opportunity to move your appendages in a healthy, productive way.
There really is no good reason to keep all your eggs in one basket.
So if you ask me do I need flexibility or strength?, I’m first going to say “it depends,” and then I’m going to say, “you need both.”
The Ayurvedic perspective
This leads me to my next teaching point.
In Ayurveda there is a saying that goes like this:
Like attracts like and opposites heal
Remember my hypermobile yogi from above? She loves yoga because she’s already flexible. She’s naturally attracted to things she’s good at. However, that’s not what she needs. She needs strength to balance out all her excess mobility.
Consider your typical Type Aer. Your typical Type Aer is most likely to be found in a Bikram, Vinyasa Flow, Power, or Ashtanga class. This person needs to move and move fast with intensity. They need to sweat it all out because this person likes to push. This person likes to feel like something is happening yesterday because now is too late. This person feels exhausted at the end of practice and yet somehow that is oddly rejuvenating. This is the life of Type A. Everything in Type A’s life is structured this way. This is how Type A lives.
And that’s great. Until Type A has a nervous breakdown. I won’t get into the reasons why Type A just had a nervous breakdown, but I can tell you from personal experience that if Type A wants to use yoga to heal, she best be getting herself into a restorative class or start somemeditation. And yes, this will be excruciating because it’s so boring, and you feel like you’re not accomplishing anything, and that’s exactly the point.
Now, don’t think Type B gets off the hook. The very opposite is true for Type B. Type Bers will be found in the restorative, gentle flow classes where the rules aren’t so strict, you don’t have to work that hard, and you get to lounge around all class with a mixed bag of nice stretches. Which is all great and dandy until Type B feels stuck and stagnant and depressed. Type B needs some motivation. Type B needs to move! Type B doesn’t want to move, but that’s exactly what she needs to snap out of the funk.
Like attracts like and opposites heal.
How do you identify with your personal tendencies and what yoga classes do you frequent most often? Are you in the right place if you’re looking to heal?
I know it’s hard. Believe me, I know.
The importance of rest
Back in my P90X days I remember Tony Horton “scolding” me not to do AbRipperX every day. He knew we all wanted to, and he also understood the importance of letting our body rest.
In yoga, we use our whole body. Yes, we can tailor a practice to focus on the shoulders orhips, but at the end of the practice you will have worked every part of your body.
Savasana for three minutes at the end of class is not enough rest.
When I say rest I mean real, meaningful rest.
Like, take a restorative class kind of rest.
Do nothing. Be still. Just breathe. That kind.
I am the worst rule-breaker in this category. I don’t get enough meaningful rest.
Sleep is a whole different blog post. Get enough sleep, but prioritize time for constructive rest as well.
Rest your body and your mind with play. Do something creative. Something you don’t or wouldn’t normally do.
Spend time with people you love. Turn off the technology.
Give your body and your mind a break for a bit.
And make this a non-negotiable practice in your life.
I’ll keep blogging about it because I struggle with it too and I’m still experimenting with ways to make sure I’m resting in my own life. I’m right there on the journey with you.
So, should you strengthen, stretch, or rest? It depends. AND, you should do all of it.
Namaste
I’ve been leading teacher training programs for more than a decade, and it never ceases to amaze me how much people transform during the process. In the beginning, everyone is excited to get to know each other and learn all about the yoga that they love so much. And, they do! You learn anatomy for yoga, how the poses work, the best way to help students in adjustments, and all about the philosophical underpinnings of yoga. It is an incredible learning experience, and people absorb so much because they are so passionate about the practice.
Go Beyond the Postures and Let the Yoga Do its Job
At some point along the way, though, the yoga starts to do its job, which is to create transformation. Yoga is meant to change us from the inside out; to shift the way we look at and participate in the world. It’s much more than just a practice designed to align our physical body, it has the potential to align our heart and mind as well. When students learn that yoga is a state of mind, and that the practice of yoga gives us access to this mind state, they often dive deeply into the inner workings of the yoga practice. They move beyond the postures (asanas) to try looking at life through a new lens. For example, when students learn to meditate in their teacher training, they often realize that the effects of the practice are further reaching than their meditation cushion. Their colleagues and friends notice how much less stressed out they are and how much easier it is for them to overcome challenges.
Be Ready to Find Your True Path
However, sometimes people also do major “course-corrections” in their life through their yoga teacher training, too. As a sailing term, we course-correct when the wind has blown us a bit off track and we need to turn the sails to get going in the right direction. The deeper practices of yoga show us where we have gotten off track, and how we might redirect ourselves in order to follow our true path. I’ve seen students gather the strength to quit their jobs, move house, or change relationships through the power of yoga. It suddenly becomes crystal clear that the things they had been suffering with for years prevent them from aligning themselves with their life purpose. Yoga practice and the support of the teacher training shows them that suffering is optional, and indeed, they are powerful enough to choose for themselves their path to healthy living.
Become a Master...of Your Own Life
Ultimately, those who successfully complete a yoga teacher training are able to guide people through a sun salutation, but a training experience is so much more than that. It is an opportunity to re-examine what is most important to you and develop the courage to live in accord with that. Yoga is an amazing thing; it stretches your hamstrings, but it also bends your mind. In addition to mastering the poses and breathing through a vinyasa, you learn how to master your life.
This moon shines upon any plans you would like to make to journey to distant lands, particularly for a spiritual retreat or shamanic journey. This is a great time to venture to foreign cultures—both literally and figuratively. It is often easier to explore the deeper aspects of ourself if we are out of our comfort zone and in a new location. Try both during this new moon, and allow the new experiences on the outside and on the inside show you more about yourself than you could have dreamed. Whether on a long journey, or a journey within, use this energy to connect deeply with the earth, explore all the pleasures of the senses and indulge in some serious self care. Attention and connection to your body and its needs are deeply rewarded at this time.
One important aspect here that is not to be overlooked is that the shadow side may creep up during this new moon. Any old baggage or beliefs that appear need to be cleared and processed now. Do your healing practices (yoga, meditation, affirmations and the new moon ritual below) to help clear out this energy and tap into your gifts of healing and spirituality.
Alchemical Ritual for the Taurus New Moon
As an earth sign, Taurus loves to feel the sensual beauty all around and manifest earthly abundance and pleasures whenever possible. On the low side, however, this grounded energy makes us stuck and stagnant, disallowing growth and flow states. This new moon ritual for Taurus helps to accentuate the high side of this energy which uses the power of the earth to create beauty and abundance inside and out.
Taurus’ ruler is Venus, the great goddess of love and beauty. In her we see the energy of attraction, sensuality and connectedness. To enhance this energy in your ritual, gather green stones such as jade, tourmaline or peridot and place them in the center of your ritual space. Bring in the earth element in some way, either with a small bowl of dirt, a plant, or do the ritual outside. Rose and Sandalwood essential oil can be used to anoint your heart 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 place the hands on the ground. Connect deeply to earth energy and call forth the sensual wisdom it offers. Feel the energy moving into your seat, your legs, your hands and up through your body into your heart. Coordinate the breath with the flow of energy. When you establish a consistent current, meditate on the question: What does my heart want? Your answer is not trivial, and it will likely come quietly and simply. Any running dialogue is not from the heart, but from the ego, so 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:
Venus, please show me the path to manifesting my heart’s greatest desire.
Spend a few moments in quiet contemplation. Clear the mind of thoughts completely. Feel the sensation within the heart, 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 your hand on your heart and chant Om three times. Place your hands in prayer at the heart with the stone inside and recognize this 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 connection between you and your heart, and allows you to walk forward on a clear path of manifesting abundance for yourself and all around you.
I awoke in the morning, and made a Prince playlist, practicing yoga for over two hours. It was a yoga, dance, cry-fest honestly.
And I know I’m not the only one. It’s like being in a semi-zombie state amidst all the other things I experience in my daily life. It feels like a vacillation between dimensions and lifetimes. I sit quietly for a bit – reveling in my beautiful life with such gratitude. And then in a moment, I go back in time to what seems like another life.
How did I get here? A “troubled teen”, to here. Here of all places, in Marin County, teaching yoga … from Detroit. I am blessed beyond words, beyond measure; I am in the thick of magic in motion honestly. And in this, I still remember days blaring Prince from my record player, holed up in my bedroom smoking a cigarette, blowing the smoke out the window. So vivid the memory: driving in my boyfriend’s MGB convertible, jamming Prince with the top down, headed somewhere to get high.
Prince was such a huge part of my drama, my story, my mistakes, my love for music, my first experience with sex, my teenage search for what was resonate, and my personal search for Self. At the time, I had no idea how to access that gateway to Self…. So I listened to Prince, trying to make sense of it all.
He was a breath of femininity in a masculine dominated rock/pop culture. He had more sex appeal in one curl of his hair than any other rock star of our time. He brought us to our knees, yearning, for one moment to be on the back of that bike, hair blowing in the wind with the Shiva of pop music. And God, I don't even want to put him in THAT box of POP MUSIC! The man traversed genres like we scroll through Instagram!
His way of being, had me mesmerized. He defined sexuality, sensuality, musical creativity, freedom and love, in such a bad-ass way that no one had ever done in my realm of mentors/teachers … I was infatuated.
He made me feel safe to writhe along with his erotic lyrics and alluring dance moves, sweating and crying while he was signing. Each composition and performance, a channel, a download directly from the Divine into the heart of the world Mother; a call out to awaken every Priestess on the planet. A call to heal the imbalance of Shiva and Shakti.
He sang the first call I ever heard and had no idea what to do with the information. Now I know.
He got us all at such a ripe, young innocent age. When we knew what we knew, but had no idea how to express it. We all felt that pulse in our hearts and heat between our thighs every time he hit the stage.
And now, at 47 years old, I can’t seem to pull myself away from the incessant videos, old footage, photos, and songs I am scrambling to put together for an appropriate playlist.
What the hell is an appropriate playlist anyway? How can I even begin to capture that - not possible. But I’m going to try. So fitting that he chose to leave his body on the Full Moon in Scorpio with four planets, almost five in retrograde. The planets that are all about fire, the underworld, communication and love. Ironic isn't it?
I know every word to every song he ever made! I know exactly when he hit the high notes and sank to his knees on stage. I’ve watched video after video after video and yet, I didn’t make it to his Piano and a Microphone Concert when he was right here, just across the bridge from me in the Bay.
Heartbroken …
This, I realized today, is one of the reasons I am so heartbroken. I don’t regret much; but this, this I regret because it was so unlike me to not take the opportunity.
But it gave me a gentle nudge and reminder …
Do epic shit now. Don’t wait. Don’t put things off because you don’t have the time or the money. That’s a lie. You do. Make love like it’s the last time you will feel that intimate in your life. Kiss with a longing for more ... embrace while you sleep. Live your life with uninhibited passion and purpose and don’t take no for an answer. Don’t play small and stop settling for mediocre. Don’t not do something because you're afraid of what people might think. Who cares?
Really, who cares.
I’ve been crying and dancing but not crying for him; or even for his passing. No, I cried selfishly … for everything he represented to me:
My sensuality, my deep connection to the Feminine, my ability to feel and not numb, and my truth beyond what I was taught. He represented the moment I began to embrace the essence of what it meant to be a Dakini. He woke a lot of us women up before we were ready; but here we are now – poised and ready. And if you’re not doing your thing – ain’t no excuse now sister.
This is what it must sound like when Doves Cry …
Rest in Peace lovely angel.
The balance of Yin
If you’re familiar with the words yin and yang from Traditional Chinese Medicine, then you probably understand on a basic level that yang represents an active form of energy, while yin represents a more passive, relaxing energy. The famous yin/yang symbol is so special because it explains that both energies always exist — there is always a little yin present in yang and a little yang present in yin. These energies are also cyclical. It’s unhealthy to be constantly yang with no yin or constantly yin with no yang. If you think about the sun and the moon, or day and night, you can see this cycle played out in nature.
Just so, it’s important that our yoga practice is balanced just like the rest of our lives. If you only ever take active vinyasa flow classes, it’s nice to take a break with a yin class every once in a while. You can think of a workout schedule that a personal trainer would give you — there is almost always a “rest day” or a “cross-training” day. Yin is the perfect practice for your rest day.
Another perspective to think about is how active your lifestyle already is. Do you sit at a deskall day long? Getting some movement in with an active practice is a nice way to balance out your day. But if you have a very active job and you’re constantly on your feet all day, the last thing you want to do is go move around some more. In this case, a Yin practice would be appropriate to help you find balance.
What’s so special about Yin?
Yin yoga is different then other yoga practices because it targets the fascial system of the body instead of the muscular system. Fascia, a type of connective tissue, wraps around muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, and organs — it’s EVERYWHERE! When your fascia is neglected, it becomes stiff, which can cause range of movement limitations and general aches and pains, especially in places where the fascia is thick, like the upper and lower back. When your massage therapist hits a knot, that’s tangled up fascial tissue that needs lubrication to unwind.
Postures in Yin yoga are familiar to most practitioners who have a regular practice, but the postures are approached much differently then in a more active practice.
In Yin yoga, postures are held for long periods of time with as little effort as possible. There is no goal in Yin — you’re not necessarily trying to go to your edge to stretch as far as you can. In fact, you’re not trying to stretch at all; instead, you’re looking to come back into balance.
It is this lack of effort that I personally find challenging in Yin, besides the fact that holding postures that are already not super comfortable with muscular engagement become even less comfortable without any muscular support.
Without the support of the muscles, joints experience compression. At first, this sounds no bueno, but it’s actually a good type of stress to help keep the joints healthy — IF that compression is appropriate. It’s your job to create a relationship with your own body and joints to determine what is an appropriate amount of compression for your body. The Yin yoga practice gives you the space to nurture that special relationship with yourself.
All of that fancy technicality to say that Yin yoga can sometimes be really hard because it can be really uncomfortable. It’s supposed to be.
Beyond the physical
In addition to nurturing healthy joints and fascia, Yin works on a mental and emotional level too. You may have heard the saying “the issues are in your tissues” or a yoga teacher mention something along the lines of how we hold a lot of emotional tension in our hips and shoulders. Energetically, unexpressed emotions live in the fascial tissue. You can stretch your muscles all you want but if you don’t take care of your connective tissue, the emotional layer of your internal body will go unaddressed. This is why Yin can be so emotional. If you’ve had the experience of crying during your yoga class for no reason at all, it may be that you are releasing old emotions that have been finally set free from the body’s fascial system.
From a mental perspective, Yin offers the perfect laboratory for exploring the mind. Yin, already being a soft, passive energy, encourages stillness and silence. Sometimes, silence is uncomfortable. It forces us to address and get to know our true Self. The Yin practice provides a safe space for this exploration — there aren’t many other times in the course of our daily lives that we get this sacred space to be with the true Self. There are also plenty of people who would much rather not spend time with their Self. If that’s you, it’s worth checking in and asking yourself Why? What are you hiding from? What are you running away from? What are you fighting? What are you resisting?
As I mentioned before, the Yin practice can be very uncomfortable both physically and on this more mental and emotional level. But what an incredible opportunity to practice living. Life throws us uncomfortable obstacles and challenges all day long. The Yin practice helps us cultivate a peaceful attitude and deep breaths while moving through these uncomfortable sensations with ease. The more we practice, the more we notice that practice start to overlap into our daily lives off the yoga mat.
Yin Yoga is not Restorative Yoga
Don’t be fooled! Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga are two different classes. If you are brand new to yoga, have extremely limited ranges of movement, are healing from an injury or illness, or have been experiencing extreme overwhelm and stress in your life, Restorative Yoga is the place to be.
If you’ve been practicing yoga for a while and are ready to dive in a little deeper, check out a Yin class (just know that as with anything, there are a lot of different perspective on Yin, and mine might be slightly different then what you end up receiving at the local studio nearest you :))
Here’s a short little Yin practice for you to explore on your own at home. I recommend having a few props handy just in case – they’re not required.
As always if you ever have any questions or comments, please reach out on Facebook or send me an email!
Today’s recipe was inspired by Jules’ recent discovery of a well-known cocktail called Moscow Mule. Who knew ginger and vodka was a match made in heaven?
After some active investigation, sadly (but not surprisingly), if you read the label of any ginger beer on the market, you’ll find an alarming amount of sugar!
So today we’ve converted a sugar-bomb cocktail into a delicious alternative. And boy oh boy does it ever live up to the original.
Have a great weekend! Enjoy your 80:20.
With lemon ginger kisses,
Lemon Ginger Switchel
Yield: 2 quarts
1 cup ginger, peeled and chopped ¾ cup maple syrup or honey ½ cup apple cider vinegar ⅔ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 shot gin or vodka (optional)
Instructions: In a 2-quart saucepan place the ginger and cover with filtered water about ⅔ full. Bring water to a boil and allow ginger to boil for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let ginger steep for 20 minutes. In a 2-quart pitcher, add maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice. Strain ginger as you are pouring into pitcher. Stir and mix all ingredients well. Add gin or vodka to each individual glass if using then top the glass off with the switchel. Pour over ice and enjoy.
Learn much more at my backbending workshop at triyoga.
Half Reclined Hero Pose
This version of hero pose or virasana will help stretch and release the quads and hip-flexors that often limit one’s range of motion in backbends. This is because that tight quads and hip-flexors can keep the pelvis tilted forward, restricting the spine’s ability to tilt backwards into backbend. In this variation, I have my bum on a foam block, my spine supported by a bolster, and my head supported by a blanket. You can play with the height up or down dependent on your flexibility and desired intensity. I always keep the other leg bent to keep the pelvis stable.
Reclined Supported Backbend
Recline over something to stretch and release through core, lower back, mid back, upper back and chest. I’m purposefully being vague as there are loads of variations here. From lower back on up tightness can creep into any number of positions on the spine. You can have the bolster pretty central as I have here or adjust it up and down dependent on where you feel limited. You can also do this on a wood or cork brick running parallel to the shoulders or perpendicular for a different release across the chest. You can use a rolled or folded blanket. There are even specially designed backbending wheels you can roll yourself over. The point is you can experiment with different heights and angles to begin opening across the numerous soft-tissue connections that limit your range of motion in backbends. Props are there to support you into the release and tell the muscles and connective tissue that they can let go a bit. I kept my knees bent so it wasn’t too extreme, but you can straighten your legs if you like. Avoid making it too intense as that can have the opposite effect of making things seize up.
Dancer’s Pose with Strap
We’ve worked our way up from front of hips through core and spine, and now we’ve arrived at the shoulders. Many backbends (namely upward-facing bow and variations, inverted backbends, dancer and pigeon pose backbends) require arm over head shoulder flexion. In this variation of dancer’s pose, I have strapped my foot and am using the force of pushing my foot back to help stretch both the muscle groups on the front of my chest and the muscles and connective tissue that limit the range of motion of my arm over head. I’m not trying to get the foot to my hand (and couldn’t even if I tried!). Be sure the top arm is in external rotation and use as much strap as you need (but no more) to make the pose sustainably intense.
Good luck with your backbending! For more backbend tips, check out my upcoming workshop at triyoga.
Read more practice tips.
At times we all could use a little boosting of our inner strength. It’s impossible to get through life without at least a few ups and downs.
Sometimes, for one reason or another, our tanks are running low and for me yoga has always been a practical way to fill it up…with premium gasoline. I’ve designed this yoga practice to help you both recognize and develop a feeling of inner strength, a strength that is NOT reliant on others approval, work validation, accomplishments, or apparent successes.
Remember, like everything, yoga is not one size fits all, please adapt this practice to serve your individual needs!
1. Yes! Pose – Come to standing and reach your arms high overhead as if you’ve just won a race. Your fingers could be spread wide or in fists, whichever you prefer. Soak in this feeling of celebration, exhilaration, confidence, and groundedness. Pick a word or two that describes the mood of this pose and repeat it to yourself a few times.
Listen to Amy Cuddy’s beautiful TED talk on why this works!
2. Warrior 1 – Feel your feet grounded into the floor with the support of the earth underneath you. Open and expand the chest and arms as a physical expression of bravery and courage like a warrior. Focus your attention on the manipura chakra above the navel and below the front of the rib cage. This is your solar center, your charging station. As you take deep breaths into this area imagine a bright yellow light grower stronger and brighter.
3. Table or Plank Pose – Come down to your hands and knees or plank position. As you inhale, lift your right arm and left leg. As you exhale, lower them back down. Take a few pairs of both sides feeling into the strength and support of your core muscles. As we strengthen the core we often have a greater feeling of confidence in the core of our being.
Vulnerability is an often overlooked form of inner strength. Accept and embrace any wobbly or shaky feelings while you are practicing this movement.
4. Focused Breathing – Sit comfortably in a chair or on a pillow. Bring your hands to Vajra Mudra(Diamond Gesture) in front of the manipura chakra. You can use this gesture to cultivate a feeling of inner strength radiating outward from the solar plexus. An example affirmation would be, “I allow my inner strength to radiate outward”.
Breath in to a count of 2, gently retain the breath for 1 count, and exhale for 4. If this is comfortable you can begin to shift to a higher breath count keeping the same ratio. For example: breath in for 4, hold for 2, exhale for 8.
After a couple minutes breathe naturally and notice a part of your body where you feel a sense of strength. Practice coming back to that feeling a few times a day as needed.
Let me know how it goes! I’d love to hear from you in the comments below or through email atjennifermeekyoga@gmail.com.
I believe that when we tap into our strengths and power, our most beautiful, uninhibited selves can fully shine through resulting in heightened confidence, visibility and allowing us to serve the greater good on a much larger scale. – Ashley Burnett
By Jennifer Meek
Jennifer Meek is a Certified Yoga Teacher (RYT 500) specializing in Yoga Therapy for common conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and back pain. Utilizing her 25 years of movement experience as a dancer in combination with the tools of yoga and mindfulness she teaches people how to tap into their innate potential for health and happiness. Read More from Jennifer at jennifermeek.com
In Europe, people are questioning the European Union.
At home, people are questioning, well, everything.
As a society, we’ve spent decades, centuries even, creating processes, rules, laws, and ways of being that are
increasingly more complex in the name of more convenience, more prosperity, more efficiency, more happiness.
Now some people are scratching their heads and really starting to experiment with the adage “less is more.”
Simple living
I’ve had the interesting opportunity to live in several different homes, townhomes, condos, apartments, dwellings, etc., over the past couple months.
It’s stuck with me how simple some people live. Minimal furniture, because it’s perfectly fine to sit on some cushions on the ground. Minimal dishes and cooking supplies because, 1) the kitchen is too small for much else and 2) why do you need more then a couple plates, forks, and spoons — they just end up sitting dirty in the sink.
We even stayed in an Airstream trailer for a few days — 4 people, 2 dogs, 1 trailer. And we still woke up the next morning completely capable to be ourselves and live our lives.
It’s easy to think that we need more stuff. In fact, I like stuff. But the more I’m being called to live simply, the more stuff doesn’t make much sense.
As I’ve moved around the past couple months, I’ve lived out of one suitcase, a carry-on, and my purse. Every once in a while I add in a few books that are sitting in reusable shopping bags in my car. Essentially, everything I need can fit inside a few bags.
And yet, we still have a house full of stuff that hasn’t been touched in months. Gathering dust. Forgotten. Nice to have, but unnecessary.
Efficiency vs. quality
Living simply goes beyond stuff.
Living simply means eating simply. Whole, fresh, local foods in season. Simple combinations. Simple preparation. Simple spices.
Living simply means not making things so complicated…duh — but sometimes we need the reminder.
Life gets complicated when we forget what matters most and we stray from our core values. When we try to do too much and don’t give ourselves time.
So many people these days are preoccupied with how to hack their lives so that they can use time most efficiently — I know this because I do it too. The cornerstone of industrialized society has slowly creeped into our most basic daily routines. How can we get the most amount done in the shortest amount of time to increase profit and reduce waste (in this case, we’re not talking about money, but our own time to enjoy our lives).
Do you really want to ALWAYS be efficient? When you start favoring efficiency over everything else you lose quality.
If you just want to get things done for the sake of getting things done, then be efficient.
If you want to enjoy the journey along the way, choose quality. Slow down. Let things take time.
The simplicity of an advanced yoga practice
One of the studios I teach at recently did a student-survey asking what students are looking for in their yoga practice and what they want to see at the studio they practice at.
One of the top responses was to advance their practice.
This whole advance your practice goal needs some parsing.
If you want to advance your practice, great! What does that mean?
Many people think advancing their practice means practicing arm balances and inversions. Sticking handstands in the middle of the room. That’s nice to do and all, if you’ve got the strength, alignment, and flexibility to do it. Not everyone does.
Going upside down is not really advancing your practice. That’s achieving some new forms in your body.
When I teach inversions, I don’t let my students kick up. Kicking up is cheating. Kicking up means you don’t have the strength to get yourself upside down without relying on momentum. This means you’re passing over strength in the core just so you can be upside down. There are many places you can go upside down where you don’t need that core strength.
Build the core strength first to get you to handstand without kicking up. That’s advancing your practice. That takes not only strength, but extreme discipline and it’s hard on the ego. All the ego wants is for you to stand on your hands in the middle of the room looking cool. Your ego doesn’t care if you get hurt or are unsafe.
Advancing your practice means exploring what yoga means to you. It means going deeper inside, moving more and more into subtle, scary realms within. Advancing your practice means moving beyond asana. When we get to these places it very quickly can become extremely complicated.
Unless we keep it simple.
Simple is not always easy
Remember, simple does not mean easy. It can mean effortless and without difficulty but to be able to figure out how to get there doesn’t mean we get a free pass and the answers are handed to us.
Simple means we work with what we have – our body, our mind, our breath. You don’t even need a mat! You don’t have to go to an appointed place. All you need is yourself, some willingness, and an open mind. Simple, not easy.
Going back to the Sutras
The beauty of the Yoga Sutras, the guiding principles for practicing yoga, is the simplicity.
The very first sutra states:
Now that one is ready, the teachings of yoga will be shared.
The implication here is that if you’re showing up to learn yoga, you’re ready to really learn it. You’re committed to the journey.
Are you ready? Are you willing?
Sutra 2.1 states:
The Path of Action is comprised of self-discipline, study, and the ability to learn from an experience in order to surrender to a decision that serves the universal Self.
There’s that discipline again. It takes discipline to show up, to study yourself, and to take time to reflect on your experiences in order to make wise decisions for yourself and for others. You can’t hack this. You just have to take the time to do it.
Sutra 2.31:
Showing respect for others without regard for social status, place, time, or circumstance is universal.
In other words, it is a basic tenet of being human to show respect towards everyone, no matter what. Everyone deserves respect because everyone is human.
Simple. But too often forgotten.
Sutra 2.33:
If negative thoughts find their way in, cultivate the opposite.
Here is your 5,000 year old fail-proof tactic for staying positive. A true teaching is timeless.
There is no “5 ways to think positive”, or “a hundred affirmations to have a good day”, or any real blueprint for HOW to do this. Instead, there is the teaching and it’s up to you to interpret, practice, and seek help from a teacher if you need more guidance. Simple.
And finally, one of my favorites recently:
Sutra 1.33:
In relationships, the mind becomes purified by cultivating feelings of friendliness towards those who are happy, compassion for those who are suffering, goodwill towards those who are virtuous, and indifference or neutrality towards those we perceive as wicked or evil.
Look at that, even Patanjali was politically correct. We can’t say someone is evil, we can only perceive them to be evil based on our own experiences. Evil is a perception, just like goodness. At the end of the day, we’re all the same. We’re all human beings living out our lives in this universe.
When things start to get complicated, when your brain hurts from all the details, when you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, uninspired, go back to simple.
Go outside and be in nature.
Breathe.
Move.
If living simply and practicing yoga speaks to you, read the sutras. They are a constant reminder of the beauty of simplicity.
You already have everything you need to live simply. Now you just have to choose it.
Namaste.
*Yoga Sutra translations taken from The Unadorned Thread of Yoga By Salvatore Zambito and a guidebook I received from two of my teachers Maryam Ovissi and Jafar Alexander.
The unique flavor of asparagus lends itself to a pure and lovely light soup. But what we love the most, is that asparagus is alkalizing, as well as an effective and natural diuretic, which both aid in detoxification and cleansing.
As a bonus, it’s chock full of anti-aging properties helping our brains fight cognitive decline.
Like any leafy green, asparagus delivers folate, which works with vitamin B12 to help prevent cognitive impairment. That is just a fancy way of saying this soup will keep you wise beyond your years (who doesn’t need that?!)!
Enjoy the soup as we usher in spring together.
By the way, if you see other varieties of asparagus at the market such as white or purple, give them a try! They are all delicious and full of health benefits, but this recipe works best with the green variety.
Soup doesn’t get any easier than this! And seriously…who knew cleansing could taste this good?
Be sure to leave us a comment below. We’re here to cheer you on every step of the way.
With love and green soup,
Simple Asparagus Mint Soup
Yield: 4 servings
1 TB. unrefined virgin coconut oil 1 yellow onion, diced 1 bunch asparagus, chopped finely 1 tsp. fresh thyme, roughly chopped 2 tsp. fresh mint 4 cups pure water 2 tsp. fresh lime juice ¼ cup cashews, soaked for 4 hours Himalayan sea salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions: In a medium saucepan heat coconut oil until melted. Add diced onions and cook for 7 minutes or until translucent. Add chopped asparagus and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Add thyme and mint and cook for 1 minute longer. Add 4 cups water and simmer for 5 minutes. In a high speed blender place lime juice, drained cashews, and soup and blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper.
The potential for healing in the light of this full moon is smoothly supported by Scorpio’s ruling planet, Pluto. If ever you were interested in calling forth your inner sorcerer or high priestess to manifest your own healing power, this is the time. What we discover in the light of this moon paves the way not only for our transformation, but for our ability to lead others into the light as well. Being a healer means that you have to heal yourself first. You can only heal others as much as you’ve healed yourself. You must first walk through the fire before you can offer the gift of flame.
During this full moon, turn to the high side of Scorpio’s energy, and walk into the depths you must plunge at this time. If you are being triggered by others, pay attention and own your shadow. If you are entering a destructive pattern or cycle, observe this tendency and watch your own maneuvering. You have a choice to do things as you have always done, or use this energy to own your power, recognize you are a force for healing and stop playing the victim. This work is not easy, so call upon support when you need it and remember, you are not alone. All healers have those who have helped them, but all recognize, that ultimately, they heal themselves by walking the inner path.
Alchemical Ritual for the Scorpio Full Moon
As an water sign, Scorpio often soaks in the watery depth of emotion. On the low side, however, that can turn to moodiness, brooding, and a tendency to play the victim and lash out with others. This full moon ritual for Libra helps to accentuate the high side of Scorpio which transfigures our shadow into powerful healing energy.
Scorpio’s modern ruler is Pluto, who is the king of the underworld, but also respects those who can escape it. Our work here is to get to know our own underworld so we can undergo a resurrection and once again see the light. Scorpio is not afraid of the challenge, so our work is to move toward what is uncomfortable in the ritual, in the hope of shedding some light on it. Gather a black stone (onyx, lava, kyanite) or a red stone (malachite, red hematite, rhodochrosite) and place it in the center of your ritual space. If you have some ginger, you can place it in a bowl nearby, or sprinkle it around your space. Ginger essential oil also works, and you might anoint your solar plexus with it 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. Place a pen and paper nearby and come to sit quietly inside the circle. Close the eyes and contemplate a current challenge in your life. What is the belief system that this triggers? What negative thoughts swirl around? Finally, what do you feel? Do not immerse yourself in the emotion, simply observe and witness it like a silent bystander. Locate it in your body. Place your hands on the part of the body that you feel activated and simply watch. Breathe into that space, the emotion, and the body. Stay here, silently witnessing, until the emotion begins to transform: dissipate, change shape, move on, or shift quality. Once it does, say the following invocation out loud:
Scorpio and Pluto, please allow me to feel what is necessary in order to learn the source of empowerment and healing.
Spend a few moments in quiet contemplation. Clear the mind of thoughts completely. Feel the sensation of healing in the body. Allow a new thought or belief to arise that replaced the old one that you started the ceremony with. When it arises, write it down on your piece of paper.
When complete, chant Om three times, and snuff the candles. Place the piece of paper in prominent view and whenever you see it, feel the sense of empowerment in the body you discovered in this ritual. This ritual catalyzes the unconscious into deep shift and transformation. In doing so, a part of you is resurrected and brought into the light where you shine for all to see.
Seriously, I have had friends on Avocado and Banana diets, low carb, high fat and protein diets, red meat diets, dairy diets, liquid diets and some are just plain starving themselves.
There is NO need for all of that. Your body’s natural tendency is to find it’s natural weight…it’s equilibrium and I want to share with you a few tips that will help you cleanse your body, get healthy, get more energy and lose some weight.
So here’s my Clean Eating Tips for you…
Eat Smaller meals – 4 to 6 small meals each day. that helps your digestive system and increases your metabolism. Don’t skip meals, especially breakfast – putting your body into starvation mode doesn’t help you in the long term. It places stress on your organs and confuses your body which means it will slow down your metabolism.
Pile up the Veggies – Don’t be scared of your veggies. That is where all your vitamins, minerals and helpful nutrients are. When you get your veggies you don’t need to add all those supplements either. The health benefits of veggies are well documented.
Go Raw – the more we cook and process our foods the more of the goodness we lose. When certain veggies are heated powerful enzymes are damaged, which means that many of the healthy benefits such as, anti-cancer compounds called glucosinolates, are reduced. We need to keep those babies in there.
Manage your fruit intake – Yes fruit is good for you, but when we are eating too much fruit, it means our bodies are getting loaded with sugar. Too much sugar is not a great thing, no matter the source. Stick to low sugar fruits such as berries and add them to your food for awesome taste.
Skip the dairy – Diary is proven to be inflammatory especially for those with immune issues, respiratory and sinus issues. Most of the diary we find on the shelves today is packed with sugar and isn’t going to help your body be efficient. Ever had a yogurt at lunch time and then felt the need to have a little nap afterwards? That is the sugar spike kicking in.
Add healthy fats to your diet – Healthy fats can actually lower the bad cholesterol in your body, help with the healthy hair and nails and also actually help you lose the extra pounds. Good sources of healthy fats are Avocado’s, Nuts, Coconut Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Use Shakes – For those of you who are busy and on the go, make yourself a healthy organic, non dairy shake that will help you make all your small meals, without the need of preparing.
Skip the snacks – For those of you who love a snack, prepare yourself little bags of fruits, seeds and nuts that will help you avoid the snack temptation. After you have skipped the sugar, processed foods, dairy and other bad carbs your body will stop the cravings in any case, so it will get easier.
Dump the White stuff - To be honest the best thing you can do is pass on the breads, pastas and many other processed options. Chose healthier options like Quinoa, Buckwheat, Millet and if you’re crazy about bread there are some awesome almond and coconut flour recipes out there which are so good, and don’t have all the bad stuff in there. Drink – Water should be your companion all day and everyday. Also try adding a few drops of Citrus essential oils to your water for flavor and also try a cup of warm water with Lemon in the morning to help cleanse your body.
Well that should be enough to get you started and making a difference in your life. If you’re ever in need of guidance then reach out and let me know.
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.
But after years of studying, I find that most days I want to flow. I like to begin and end practice with postures that are close to the ground because these poses simultaneously help me settle in and open up. And in between, I like to move. Moderately-paced movements help me build heat and keep my busy mind focused. And when I repeat poses — as opposed to doing long, static holds — I give myself the opportunity to slowly open up into a pose.
The sequence below is a simple, forward bending flow that I love. Here are some notes on how to do the practice:
Poses 1-3: Half Happy Baby, Supta Padangusthasana A and Supta Padangusthasana B
Warming up your hamstrings on your back is a gentle, grounding way to begin. Be sure to keep a natural lumbar curve — don’t press your low back down into the ground. Do each of these poses for five breaths on both sides.
Poses 4 & 5: Downward-Facing Dog Pose and Uttanasana
From Supta Padangusthasana, draw your knees into your chest and rock back and forth on your spine. Keep rocking until you can place your hands on the floor in front of you and step back into Downward-Dog. Use this Down Dog to shake off the cobwebs. Feel free to pedal your feet and move and groove. Stay for 5-8 breaths.
Walk your feet to your hands and come into a very relaxed Uttanasana. Some people call this version Ragdoll. I’d like to coin the name, “Chill Uttanasana.” Do you think that will catch on? The point is: Bend your knees. Press down through your feet and try to gain length in your spine. After 5-8 deep, full breaths, roll up to standing.
Poses 6-10: Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana, Ardha Chandrasana, Parsvottanasana, Prasarita Paddotanasana
Yahoo, it’s time to flow! Jump your feet wide and face sideways on your mat for poses 6-10. Repeat these poses on the second side. (If you know how, you can incorporate this section into Sun Salutations and repeat it twice on each side.)
Poses 11-14: Upavistha Konasana, Janu Sirsasana, Paschimottanasana, Savasana
Move into your seated postures remembering that the goal of a forward bending practice isn’t to slam your torso against your thighs. The goal is to stretch the whole back side of your body in a way that works for you!
In each of these poses press the tops of your thighbones down as you lengthen your spine into the forward bend. Stay for 5 breaths each (do Janu Sirsasana on both sides) before taking a 5-minute Savasana.
Sorry: Preschooler in a tutu not included. But feel free to incorporate your own, or your dog, your cat, your bird, your guinea pig…
By Andrea Ferretti
Andrea Ferretti and Jason Crandell 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
There are so many ways we can tackle the sniffles and headaches that come with seasonal allergies…the natural way. The best way is to begin is by detoxing the body. If the body isn’t burdened by extra toxins it has more energy to cope with the things nature throws its way like pollen and other allergens.
Today’s tasty green drink is loaded with so many of our favorite allergy remedies. First, we partnered with the The Tea Spot to come up with our Restore tea. This tea is all about nourishing your body and detoxification. One important ingredient in this blend, and in turn this juice, is nettles. Nettles reduce our body’s inflammatory response, which is very important for detox.
Three other notable ingredients in this recipe are apple, bee pollen, and lemon. All containing quercetin, which is a type of flavonoid found in plants that is known for its potent antioxidant activity. It can help tackle symptoms like sneezing and sinus congestion due to hay fever, since it has the ability to stabilize cells, which release histamine and other inflammatory signals.
One ripe apple can contain around 50 mg of quercetin!
Bee pollen is most effective when obtained from local bee farms. So the next time you’re at your local health food store be sure to see where the pollen comes from or go direct to your local bee keeper.
Drink up and get outside! Enjoy all the new life blossoming around you this spring – Sniffle free!
With Love,
Allergy Busting Green Juice
Yield: 1 quart
1 cup Conscious Cleanse Restore tea, brewed and cooled 1 small granny smith apple, skin on, cored 1 ½ tsp. bee pollen 1 whole lemon, peeled, seeds removed 1 cup parsley 2 cups spinach or baby kale 1” knob fresh ginger, peeled
Instructions: To brew the tea steep 1 tsp. of tea in 8 ounces of boiling water for 5 to 6 minutes. In a high speed blender combine Restore tea, apple, bee pollen, lemon, parsley, spinach or kale, and ginger. Blend until smooth. Enjoy.
By emphasising repetition and consistency in our physical vinyasa flow practices we are working towards entry into a psychological state of flow which brings the mind into a state of relaxation,further calmed by a nervous system in balance. Let me explain.
Repeat after me
Every time we repeat an action like those involved in sun salutes, we increase the amount the steps and thought processes involved in executing it become hardwired into our brains. After an extended period of consistent practice and repetition, our brains no longer have to go through an involved conscious decision making process to execute those actions and we can become deeply engrossed in the physical flow so much it can enter a state of psychological flow. To simplify and bring to yoga land, the more we do a sun-salutation, for example, the more it becomes second nature and we don’t have to try to remember every little alignment cue to get us there. Neuroscientist David Eagleman explains flow using the example of elite athletes:
The brain waves of an athlete in flow are not crazed by the chatter of conscious deliberation…. During flow, the brain enters a state of hypofrontality, meaning that parts of the prefrontal cortex temporarily become less active. These are areas involved in abstract thinking, planning into the future, and concentrating on one’s sense of self.
Eagleman further explains that when we have hardwired a skill into our brain and no longer have to ‘think’ about it too much to execute it, EEG scans register increased alpha waves in the brain, associated with calm and rest.
I feel confident that having a hearty chunk of your yoga practice dedicated to simple, repetitive movement (for me, it’s sun salutations) executed regularly can have a major effect on your mental health and ability to relax. It’s that feeling we get when doing those repeated sun salutations without much fuss or clutter. When we overcomplicate it it becomes something a bit more involved and potentially stressful for the brain when we struggle to learn new things – which isn’t necessarily bad, just should be regarded as a separate component of the practice (more on that later).
Breathe with me
The function of the mind is only part of the story. Of course we have a body. We breathe into it. Hormones and chemicals run through it. The nervous system regulates a great deal of this and when it’s out of whack, so are all the functions of our body.
Along with encouraging a relaxed mental state, repetition of basic movements with breath in the sun salutation can encourage an even rhythm between inhale and exhale. Studies quoted by Rick Hanson in Buddha’s Brain show that this leads to greater balance within one’s heart rate variability and through that a better balance between the fight or flight and rest and digest functions of the nervous system.
I find as a practitioner and teacher that repetition and consistency (and the familiarity it gives to posture combinations and movements) an increased ability to breathe in rhythm. When we introduce loads of new elements all the time, have to figure out how to do them and what comes next, we start to lose the ability to easily breathe in rhythm, easily calm the nervous system, and easily calm the brain into flow. I have emphasised easily here because as we move into more complicated poses and transitions we then start working with our resilience through challenge and take the skills of breath and consistent repetition we developed in non fussy actions into more complicated ones.
When it gets tough
Meditation teaching usually emphasises developing the ability to concentrate first before seeking greater transcendental insight. You have to be able to sit calmly and breathe before you can start connecting to anything richer and deeper and/or discovering what may be blocking your path. Similarly in posture practice, we have to be able to calm and focus ourselves before we see how we interact with disruptive forces of more complicated poses and transitions.
No matter who you are, life is gonna throw challenges at you and you have to be able to deal with them. I believe that when we first develop the state of flow and the ability to rest the nervous system, we give our minds and our bodies a well-needed break – don’t forget the brain expends energy too and gets tired. Now calm or calmer we can face whatever task is at hand with clarity and focus. Additionally, with a discipline of repetition and consistent practice as part of our personality (as well as all the learnings and daily battles it may have taken us to get there), we can whittle away at challenges with less frustration.
So I will continue my love of sun-salutations and include them happily in the beginning segments of every active practice I do and teach.
Read more practice tips and more tips for teachers.
Here are some simple strategies to help minimize or eliminate toxic people from your life:
1. IDENTIFY THE EMOTIONAL VAMPIRES IN YOUR LIFE. Scan your life and notice what friends, family, colleagues, co-workers or romantic partners sap your energy, clog your life and bring you down.
2. TELL TALE SIGNS SOMEONE IS SUCKING YOUR BLOOD:
you begin feeling tired and depleted your eyes are droopy your posture starts to collapse (rounded back, hunched shoulders, collapsed middle) you notice yourself getting irritable, anxious, antsy you feel insecure, unsure of yourself, off-kilter and are not sure why you crave carbohydrates, sugary or ‘comfort food’ you can’t get a word in edge-wise
3. BASIC SPECIES OF VAMPIRE TO AVOID:
NARCISSIST: You can’t get a word in edge-wise, everything is about them, even if you tell a story – they spin it back to themselves in relation to their experience, you have been hanging out with this person for hours and they haven’t asked you one question about yourself.
VICTIM: Negative Nelly. All blame and “woe-is-‘me'”. Down on their luck, nothing is their fault (conspiracy theorists, anyone?!?). You wind up feeling depressed and equally negative. Making those around them feel guilty.
CONTROL FREAK: Always dominating, righteous, thinking they know best and trying to fix your problems, inundating, pushy.
4. SET HEALTHY BOUNDARIES:
CLEARLY DEFINE A TIME LIMIT FROM THE BEGINNING. If you must be in contact with a vampire (family or co-worker) – immediately state the time limit that you have. i.e. “I’m running into a meeting in 10 minutes, so our conversation has to be brief.” or “I am on a deadline and have to get back to work…is there a quick question I can help you with?”
3-4 hr. TIME LIMIT WITH FAMILY. If you’re home for a holiday or on an extended trip with a vampire (alcoholic brother-in-law, pushy mother, critical co-worker) limit yourself to no more than 3-4 hours together.
USE BODY LANGUAGE. Stand a few feet away from them so you’re not ‘caught up in their space’, cross your arms, wear a hat to seal your energy in, wear shiny objects (jewelry, gem stones, metal) to deflect their energy, lean away from the.
KNOW YOUR EXIT STRATEGY. Make up an errand you have to run or a phone call you must take (outside!), go to the store, for a run, do a brief meditation, call a friend or therapist for support. Have a friend call you at a certain time to interrupt. Do whatever you need to do to return to center. Return only when your head and energy field is clear and strong.
Please leave a comment and share the specific strategies that help you deal with toxic relationships and create healthy boundaries. Share, like, pin, tweet if you like this!
Love,
Ashley
Ashley Turner is an innovator in personal development bridging yoga, psychology and neuroscience. She is an acclaimed yoga–meditation instructor, registered Marriage + Family Psychotherapy Intern, writer and Initiated Priestess in the 13 Moon Mystery School tradition. She has graced such lists as MindBodyGreen’s “100 Women to Watch in Wellness,” DETAILS magazine recently named Ashley Turner “1 of the Top 6 Trainers to watch in 2014,” and Dr. ShareCare.com calls her”the #2 Online Influencer for Stress Relief”. She is the creator of the wildly popular MEDITATION 101 Virtual Conference (over 25,000 participants in 2014), creator of several online courses, co-creator of the Urban Priestess Modern Day Mystery School, has 10 best-selling yoga dvd’s, and is co-author of Aroma Yoga. She also works with clients worldwide via Skype and leads transformative events to power points around the globe. Ashley lives by the ocean in Marina Del Rey, CA. www.AshleyTurner.org
Practice yoga with one of Ashley's Yogadownload classes below!