With the front foot firmly planted slightly in front, it’s as if the foot is planted into the vision of the future, like you’re taking a step forward. The back foot presses down, rooted in the wisdom and experiences of your past. Both feet root firmly down, connecting to the wisdom of the earth. The front knee is bent, providing a softness to the asana, it also builds strength in the leg. The back leg is extended, providing support and a gentle reminder to remain flexible with the food placement when the gastrocnemeus (or calf) is too tight to allow the heel to place down on the floor.
The hips face forward and all seven chakras align on top of one another to allow the flow of energy. They face forward, too, as if presenting the magnificence and brilliance that is you. As the spine lengthens and grows, the breath becomes fuller.
The arms reach up, a power pose according to associate Harvard professor and TED speaker, Amy Cuddy. Reaching up, energetically they are connecting to the energy of the cosmos, the vastness and infinite possibilities that exist.
This powerful asana can be partnered with what Swami Shankarananda calls “G- statements” in his book, Consciousness Is Everything: the yoga of Kasmir Shaivism:
I am Consciousness I have Divine power in me I am a Divine infinite being.
Notice the energy that flows through your body as you practice this powerful partnership. If there is any part of you who feels a sense of doubt while practicing, allow yourself to be with that doubt. Where is it rooted? If you were to search your deepest, wisest knowing, would you find the doubt to be true? Ask your highest Self to give you proof of your G-statement, rather than blindly following the doubt. This is where miracles can happen.
By Wendy Reese
Wendy Reese is a lifestyle strategist who specializes in whole being, author, and RYT-200 (currently pursuing her advanced training) with 13 years of teaching experience. You can find more and do the free 7 day lifestyle detox at www.wholebeinginc.com/detox Visit www.wholebeinginc.com/detox
Try one of following YogaDownload Classes:
Foundations of Yoga - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Quicky Stretch & De-stress - Celest Pereira
If you are one of these diehards, you are probably no stranger to tendonitis, plantar fascitis, shin splints and sore calf muscles. A basic yoga program can help prevent injury, and should that fail, promote recovery from a variety of running related maladies so read on…. In this series, The Fast & the Flexible, I am going to address the specific needs of runners, one section of the body at a time. I will suggest a few poses which will help any runner improve their performance, prevent injury and promote recovery, and hopefully take their running to the next level. First up, feet, ankles and calves. The feet are probably the most under-rated appendage we have. Here are some fun facts: the feet contain 25% percent of all the bones in our body; each foot has 26 bones, 33 muscles, 31 joints and over 100 ligaments; and, finally, the feet have over 250,000 sweat glands (Gads! that explains a lot). These are very complex pieces of machinery, and need a little attention to keep them running smoothly (pun intended). HERO’S POSE In my previous post, What Every Soccer Coach Should Know about Yoga, I detail Hero’s Pose with toes tucked and un-tucked. This is a runner’s first line of defense against shin splints and plantar fascitis. Any serious runner should practice this pose several times a week, it is easy to do while watching TV, reading or if you are like my husband, while playing Call of Duty. Virtually anyone who runs knows the pain of a shin splint, it is an inflammation of the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue around your tibia. Shin splints can put you out of training for weeks until they heal, and if you simply go back to your program without adding some flexibility conditioning, the likelihood of re-injury is very high. Plantar Fascitis is inflammation of the tissue in the sole of the foot that causes pain when you put weight or pressure on the foot. Both fascitis and shin splints are generally caused by repetitive motion activities. The Hero’s pose series will help gain flexibility and increased blood flow to the ankles and feet which can help you avoid these issues. The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body. It connects your calf muscles to your heel bone and is used when you walk, run, and jump. Although the Achilles tendon can withstand great stresses from running, it is also prone to tendonitis, a condition associated with overuse and degeneration. Upright Frog, (which also goes by the name garland pose, or the less dignified, “squat”) is a great pose to condition the Achilles tendon, while stretching the calf and opening the feet, it is the trifecta for the lower leg. UPRIGHT FROG Stand at the top of your mat with your toes angled out so that the balls of your feet on the floor while your heels remain on the mat. With me so far? Bend your knees slightly and bring the palms of your hands together. Place your elbows on the insides of the knees and flatten out your back. This may be where you stop, but for those intrepid “soles” (ahh puns, the comic currency of the immature, I love them) ready to venture on, you will start to allow your hips to sink down. The key here is to keep your heels firmly on the mat, if they start to lift, back out a bit, take a few breaths and test it again. It may take several tries before you obtain the flexibility in your ankles to get all the way down. Under no circumstances should you force your way into this pose, you will hurt yourself and frankly that is simply counter-productive. And here you are, in the elegant and ever so dignified Upright Frog pose. Try to stay here for 30-45 seconds, taking deep breaths to ease the discomfort. CROSS LEG FORWARD FOLD The “calf muscle” is made up of three separate muscles which unite to form the Achilles tendon. The calf seems to be the one area most runners know to stretch, unfortunately they do it half-heartedly. We have all seen that guy pressing against a wall or tree with one foot back, he stands there for about 10 seconds and BAM he’s off. Good luck fella, I won’t be surprised when I run pass you later as you are standing next to the trail grabbing your lower leg. Calves need a good long, gentle stretch. Never leverage your heel down while standing on a step, the force on your Achilles is too much and you will probably strain something. Instead, give Cross Leg Forward Fold a try. Stand with your feet hip distance apart, then cross over one foot, lining up the knees. Hinge forward at the hips and bring your hands to your front knee and flatten your back. Stay here for a few breaths and then, on your exhales, start working your hands down the shin and maybe to the floor or to a block. When you get to your furthest extension, pause and check in with your hips. We tend to let the hips fall back in the pose, so make sure your keeping the hips up over the ankles to avoid putting too much pressure on the back of the knee. Hang out here and breathe for 60-90 seconds. If you can commit to 10 minutes a couple of times a week to do the Hero’s set, Upright Frog and Cross Leg Forward fold, I can almost guarantee you will decrease or completely eliminate lower leg injuries from your running experience. Now what I can’t do is teach you to wear a coat when you decide you must run in 30 degree weather, that one is on you.
By Tara Kestner
Previously published on Next Level Yoga's Blog
Tara Kestner is a registered yoga instructor who specializes in working with athletes of all levels. She designs programs based on specific sport requirements and challenges. Utilizing the principle that strength plus flexibility equals power, her classes give athletes the tools they need to enhance their performance. Tara is the owner of Next Level Yoga, Ltd., in Toledo, Ohio.
Practice some of our YogaDownload running themed yoga classes:
Yoga for Runners 2 - Jennifer Lux
Runners - Keep Running! - Celest Pereira
We veer off course because we allow our mind to go onto auto-pilot or over-drive listening to everything that’s “out there”. We co-mingle the beating of our own heart with the beating of another. We bump into other souls on their journey and ride-along their path for awhile. Only to re-member our own journey is what feeds our soul, not the path of another.
We are subject to more information in one day that people just over 100 years ago, assimilated throughout their entire life. We can’t possibly keep up with the whisper of our heart.
Or can we?
Yes … yes we can.
We stop and listen and we listen often. We drop what we are doing and listen with our hearts, not our minds. We ask for a cue, a guide, a drop of nectar that fuels our movement forward and our ascension upward so we can be more of who we are in as many moments as possible.
So I ask you … with all that you have happening in your life in this moment, can you take a breath and drop into stillness. Can you sit for a moment and breathe and hear the whisper of your heart. What is it telling you? When you ask your heart, where can I expand, where can I grow, where can I open; what does it say?
Is there a situation in your life right now that requires your attention and care? Something that will offer you an opportunity to expand into a version of yourself that is more connected to Source and not just on auto-pilot-patterns. What is one word that you can cultivate to do that? To be more aware, more present, more alive, more aligned with who you are.
When I look at my life I see my heart … it’s right there on my sleeve all the time. I look at my day-to-day and I am astounded by how quickly I manifest and how lovely this life is. I am always awestruck… always. And when I manifest situations that from the outside, seem like a struggle, I re-member the call of my heart. My heart called that in because it’s just as beautiful as what I label as beautiful.
It too has the power to open up and expand in ways I can’t imagine for myself. Those three words guide us and we have the opportunity to see them, experience them and embody them in every single situation.
What are you words? I’ve decided that while I have words for the year, I also am observing mine on a “moon-cycle” time line now. So much happens in that time. I know one that is resonating so deep into my heart I feel like it will be here forever …beyond all time.
That’s trust. Trust that all is working out in divine time. Trust that relationships will flourish into what they are meant to and that they may not be around forever. Trust in that too. Trust that there is enough; trust that you are enough. Trust that Thy will is much more beautiful that your own will. Trust in the Universe.
That’s my big word.
Others … divine guidance, empowered grace, deep intimacy. I know, it’s more than three and there’s adjectives before them. So I’m a bit dramatic sometimes …so what.
Find your words, write them down, experience them, embody them and then observe them showing up almost every single day.
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. Visit DanaDamara.com for more inspiration from Dana.
Click here to download or stream one of Dana's YogaDownload classes!
Because I’ve decided that’s what really matters. The fire in your belly; the thing you would die for; the insane amount of love that overflows from you when you allow yourself to be vulnerable and trust. It’s crazy really once you decide to live like this. A bit chaotic at first but grounding does wonders. You know this but I’ll remind you: Who you are is not the “likes” you get on your FB page, or how many Insty followers you have, or even what people say about you in your testimonials on your site or to your face. I want to know who you are in the face of transformation. Who are you when you think your life is heading down one road and all of a sudden it takes a sharp left turn? Who are you in the face of adversity? Do you fall into fear? Stand alone and become the victim? Who are you while you stand in prosperity and abundance? Do you honor your strengths and how you got there? Do you remember those individuals who lifted you up and held your hand? When you have more than enough, do you share? I stepped into this New Year as strong as hell … ready to take on the world. Excited … elated … refreshed and clear about my path. Radiant to be honest. Truth be told, my life is fantastic and I bow in gratitude every single morning before I ever leave my room. Because it wasn’t always like this and I know what a gift love is. After four years of reorganizing, crying, doubting and struggling to remain in my space of light and love, I can finally say that I am “there”. And it feels amazing! I have my faith, my friends, my daughters and the light of the Goddess to thank. Five days into the New Year I was knocked to my knees unexpectedly. Why? Because it was time for me to truly stand in my truth and really BE the pillar of strength that I am when I stand on my mat. You see, it’s easy to stand in strength when we are “doing what we do”. It’s easy to BE that when it’s an image to uphold or an idea to fulfill or even an example to set. But at the end of the day, when the lights go out, or someone pulls the “wool over our eyes” and we are attacked to our core, that is when we truly see who we are, what we stand for and what we are made of. Do we forget the amazing magic and fall into the darkness? No, we keep moving … and moving into the light nonetheless. We re-member our infinite light and love and we keep moving in THAT direction. EVERY SINGLE THING that happens TO us happens for us. And we are ALWAYS being called to stand in a deeper integrity and truth of who we are with MORE grace and compassion than we can imagine we hold. What do I stand for? Truth. Integrity. Follow through. Freedom. Justice. Love. Yes, all of that. And you know what? That hasn’t changed about me since as far back as I can remember. And you know what else? It’s flippin’ challenging to stand in that sometimes, especially when someone you have loved for so long takes that and challenges you to your core. How do I handle it? With love, grace and understanding? Sure. I’ll bow to it all with gratitude. And oh, by the way, I won’t forget my sword that cuts through the bullshit with fierce compassion and authentic new boundaries either. We are always changing... always evolving and hopefully elevating our Selves to a level that represents a higher vibration of who we are in the light. And remember, the dark MUST ALWAYS be illuminated in order for the light to reflect it’s deepest essence… always. Don’t be afraid … go right into it. It’s who you are … beyond it all, IN it all. It’s who you are.
It doesn’t mean you will make the “right” decision … it just means you will make one based on your heart perhaps and not the inner workings of your mind.
I believe courage happens in every moment. It happens when you leap forward into something that is unfamiliar. It happens when you relax in the familiar. It happens when you speak your mind and when you listen. It happens when you move forward and when you let go. It happens when you stand strong and when you open up to vulnerability.
Courage happens every moment of every day. Are you present to how courageous you are?
I was home with my oldest daughter this week, so I had a lot of time to think. I couldn’t focus on creating a whole lot while she had a fever so high that it made my own heart hurt. So I had a ton of time to think about courage.
And of course I was offered a multitude of opportunities to stand in courage. The thoughts started out as a pity party to be honest. “Oh my God it takes courage to be a mom!” You know, pretending that you’re not scared when you really are. “Keeping it all together” when really you’re scared shitless… literally. Then it went to, “I’m falling into fear here, I have to call in for back up”, meaning I called upon my lovely women friends who have the power to heal, help and love.
Reaching out takes courage you know. It’s actually one of the highest forms of courage because it’s about vulnerability.
The moment I reached out, I re-membered that it takes courage to be a parent, not just a mom. And then immediately, almost before that thought ended, I re-membered that it takes courage just to love. To love.
Courage to love.
What a concept. Yes … that is the courage of all courage.
To love what?
Another person. To trust them with your heart.
Your child. They will leave you, you know. They will go off and do their thing despite your dreams for them, they will do their own thing.
Yourself. Yes, it takes a huge amount of courage to stand in the mirror and love what you see. All of it, not just the good parts.
Your ex-partner. (or someone else who may trigger you) Gotta love them too. They taught you something AND you loved them… a lot at one point.
Courage to love … to love it all and move with a grace and ease that is palpable. To step out on a limb without knowing what is going to happen. To put your heart out there not knowing how or if it will be received.
Courage to be present …Yes .. to be present to it all. To SEE it all from the view of your heart. To WITNESS it all with breath and a knowledge that nothing is yours except your heart and your reaction to life and love.
Now, got get ‘em!
Yogi T.K.V. Desikachar translated Patañjali’s definition of yoga as “the ability to direct the mind exclusively toward an object and sustain that direction without any distractions.” Yoga can take many different forms such as jñāna yoga (yoga of knowledge), karma yoga (the yoga of action) or hatha yoga (physical yoga). Stretching, toning and strengthening the body is vital for all systems of yoga. To do an asana practice rather than simply calisthenics one must consciously work to unify breath, body and mind. In yoga class, no matter the style of asana the student takes, ultimately the practice is to remain focused and comfortable so when off the mat, we are alert and comfortable in whatever circumstance comes our way. When we come onto our mat, we move into our asana practice, we practice how to be in our bodies in any given moment. On the mat, we practice focus, we practice discipline, we hear our thoughts, we learn our behaviors of escapism, comparison, competition and ego. On our mats, we contort our bodies into shapes and practice breathing and steadying our gaze. We practice how to look at movement as meditation and accept ourselves at our current place and not hold judgment that we are not where we think we “should” be. On our mat we practice how to breathe, how to react, to notice where we shut down and where we open up. We learn how we talk to ourselves and how we relate to others. We learn how to be conscious of our thoughts, reactions and behaviors so off the mat we can consciously and mindfully act and react to the situations that are life. On the mat we practice because off the mat is where we apply all the action, devotion, mantra and knowledge that are other systems of yoga. When we step off our mats and into our lives we apply all the wisdom, knowledge and self-awareness that arose on our mats. In our Western world, where many of us we eat too much, or deliberately eat too little, and have addictions to various forms of over-consumption, to engage in hatha yoga is a gift and a doorway into consciously unifying our mind, body and spirit. Instead of criticizing the physical practice and creating a larger chasm between our body, mind and spirit, let us embrace this form of yoga that resonates with the Western world. Our culture has created a disconnect between mind and body and the very thing we need to do is connect with our body in a way that treats it with respect, listen to it, and from there, in our body, in our asana, in our yoga, learn to breathe again.
By Kimi Marin
Kimi has a master’s degree in literature and loves to combine the power of stories with yoga. Her Yogic Lore workshops are a fun combination of stories, asana, meditation, and mantra. Kimi was featured in Origin Magazine’s Inspire Series and was the featured ambassador for Ahnu Footwear June 2013. Visit www.kimimarinyoga.com
Begin your inward journey with the following YogaDownload Classes:
Gentle Hatha 6: Relax and Renew - Jackie Casal Mahrou Yoga to Unwind - Kylie Larson
It’s warming, earthy, and packs a gamut of immune defense – exactly what we need this time of year.
Between the lemon, ginger and the turmeric, this smoothie is good for digestion and is very cleansing for the liver. It’s also chock full of antioxidants. To boot, it delivers a high dose of kale, which is a great way to fill up on vitamins, minerals and other immune boosting, anti-inflammatory phytonutrients.
Read more about the healing benefits of turmeric here and in the mean time, let’s get blending.
Yield: 1 quart Ingredients:
2 cups coconut milk 1 banana ½ cup mango ¼ avocado 1 small lemon, peeled 1 in. fresh ginger 2 cups kale 1 tsp. turmeric
Directions:
In a high-speed blender, blend coconut milk, banana, mango, avocado, lemon, ginger, kale and turmeric until creamy.
By Julie Pelaez
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.
After you make this yummy recipe try a healing yoga class with Jo or Jules:
Conscious Cleanse Detox Flow - Jo Schaalman
Heart Opening Forrest Yoga Flow - Jo Schaalman
Traditional Hot Yoga - Julie Peláez
Now here's five pretty damn good reasons to go ahead and do it.
5. You can tell the teacher to “f*ck off” at any time.
Online, you're running the show here, not some teacher. There's no one in your living room but you. That's real discipline – what happens when no one's watching.
Plus, 45 seconds or so into a high plank hold, you don't have to hold back from telling the teacher to “f*ck off”.
4. You can fart with impunity.
You don't want to overdo it for your own sake – and you might refrain from bringing this particular practice into your local studio with you – but there's no one there who cares if you stink up the place a bit with your warrior II or with your own special brand of funk.
3. Take child's pose without reservation.
I take child's pose whenever possible...“Meet us in down dog”...I fix my ponytail...“join us standing”...nah...I like to take child's pose early and often.
Few of us are immune to the subtleties of yogic peer pressure... Positively employed it can push you to a new threshold or past a prescribed limit, but sometimes the force of the mob is not a desired part of the practice.
At home, no one judges you for child's pose...at least no one but you.
2. It's Better, Cheaper, and MORE Convenient.
Let's be practical here – with worldwide competition, any yoga site worth a salt has to strive to stay competitive in terms of content, pricing, and variety of offerings. Big-box yoga chains are immune (or ignorant) to outside pressures, and local studios just don't have the same sort of reach to able to compete.
In my hometown of Denver drop-ins regularly go for $20...you can get a whole year from Yogadownload.com for $90 bucks. And it's available to me 24/7...
And my favorite reason I can think of to practice yoga online –
1. You're in charge!
When you practice online your practice and personal growth – along with your consumer dollar – are in the hands of one person, and one person alone...you.
Svadhyaya a sanskrit word sometimes translated as self-study, can be one of the most challenging of the niyamas and is a critical step towards reclaiming of the unique responsibility for the creation of your life, the sole authorship of your story.
Bold choice if you ask me.
Either way, no one gives a shit what you wear, or gives you shit for being late, leaving early, or even walking out of class altogether – a few pretty great reasons to practice your yoga online right there...
By Justin Kaliszewski
Justin Kaliszewski is a reformed meat-head and former amateur cage fighter. He brings a lifetime of travel and world's worth of experience in battling the ego to the mat. An avid student, artist, and treasure hunter, he infuses a creativity and perseverance into his teachings, along with a distinct blend of humor and wisdom that redefines what it means to be an Outlaw and a yogi...He teaches Outlaw Yoga across the country and is happy to call Denver home for now. Author of Outlaw Protocol: how to live as an outlaw without becoming a criminal, you can find him at www.outlawyoga.com.
Outlaw Yoga is coming to YogaDownload in January 2015!
The yoga mats were rolled by the chimney with care, In hopes there would be 20 minutes to spare.
The children were bustling – not going to bed, While visions of Wanderlust danced in my head.
With mama in her yoga pants and I in mine too, We were deeply in need of our inner guru.
When up on the roof there arose such a blast, You’d think Ana Forrest was giving a free class.
Away to the window I flew and proceeded To realize more stress was the last thing I needed.
And what to my wondering third eye should I see, But Santa himself, breathing in ujjayi.
Dressed all in lycra from his heels to his belly, His bandhas were locked and I felt kinda jelly.
Breaking from cookies and milky libations, Santa was in my living room for sun salutations.
"Come join me," he said, "dear, you've been so busy. Your practice will help you get out of this tizzy."
We rolled out our Mandukas and fanned our soul flame, And he whistled and shouted each yoga pose name.
“Now up dog, now down dog, chaturanga! On cobra, on cat/cow, on parsva bakasana.”
The prana was flowing, my worries had fled, I practiced acceptance, had nothing to dread.
And I said to Santa, that jolly old elfie, "Do you mind if we take a quick yoga selfie?"
He chuckled and shook his head in abstention, "No thank you, my dear, that's not my intention."
Santa, it seemed, was a wonderful mentor, The yoga was helping me come back to center.
“Your practice need never be out of your sight, YogaDownload is with you, all day or all night.”
And I heard him exclaim as he drove off in his sleigh, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all Namaste!”
As far as vacations go, I couldn't think of a better way to spend mine than at a yoga festival.
Ok, that or maybe Amsterdam...
But I've done yoga at Burning Man (with my 73 year old grandpa, but that's another story), and I've done burned it down at Wanderlust with my cousins, brother and father (yet another series of stories), and when it comes to how I choose to spend my time – and my presence – I pick out two or three consciousness expanding parties in different locals to attend per year.
Why do I do this?
They're kind of weird, but then again...so am I. And when I'm at a festival I get to do so many wonderfully weird things, but one of them is to just let go and know that I am among people who think – at least to some extent – like me.
They eat like me and party like me (with some significant variation depending on the venue and the name on the marquis).
To me this sense of community is priceless.
When large numbers of yogis gather in one place the whole world wins...but especially “we” does.
When we take a moment to step outside the familiar and sometimes stifling story of “me”, we have a rare and unique chance to step into the ongoing story of “we”. Yoga festivals are excellent social events for connecting to other members of the conscious community.
And let me tell you, parties filled with “we” are far more fun than those filled with “me”!
(There's also significantly less cigarette smoke.)
Connection is priceless, but as a bang for your buck experiences go, yoga festivals offer a great and cost effective way to experience a variety of different ways in one place.
I don't know about you, but as a yoga-consumer my growth matters to me and where I spend my money and on whom is an important decision when it comes to my ongoing education.
Shiva Rea in LA or Baron Baptiste in The Middle East? Both have their merits...so many in fact that I can't ever really lose when I spend my money on attending a yoga festival. No matter who's there or where, when awesome teachers from all over the country come together, you kind of can't help but grow as a student. And on top of it, you can actually save money by joining them when they all happen to be in one place and see some new scenery while you're at it.
I've taken a lot of trips around the world and will never get back those three weeks in Puerto Rico, but I've never thought or said the words, “Man, wish'd I hadn't've gone to that yoga festival.”
I am so grateful to present OUTLAW Yoga at a few festivals each year.
My ol' man and little brother come along and play music and sing songs...my assistant Megan will be there smiling and adjusting and handing out temporary tattoos...and Jackie 'O will have two huge pots of green chili going (one veg, one meat) – and enough of each to feed the whole freakin' festival.
We try to go somewhere close...somewhere on the coast...and somewhere in the middle.
This coming February we will kick off our 2015 festival tour schedule by presenting at The Sedona Yoga Festival for a few pretty cool reasons -
One, they host a pre-conference training on Trauma-Sensitive and Resiliency Training to Benefit First Responders led by a wonderful team of teachers including Rob Schware and Olivia Kvitne.
Two, its priced at $397 for an all-access pass ($333 group). If you make it to 6 classes that's like fifty or sixty bucks each – about the same as a series of weekend workshops at your local studio, except that you'd also be in Sedona, Arizona for godssakes!
And three, the SYF gives 10% of ticket sales back to Outlaw Yoga's partner in service – The Giveback Yoga Foundation, which means your serving just by going, celebrating, growing, and connecting...
Pretty f*ckin cool way to serve if you ask me.
Hope we see you there, OUTLAWS!
Plus, according to Runner’s World, “Studies have shown that yoga squashes stress, aids weight loss, eases pain, helps people stick to an exercise routine, and even improves running times.”
Buy top rated treadmills at www.proform.com
This time of year it seems that everything is either covered in a stick of butter or doused with an unhealthy dose of sugar! Don’t get me wrong…I love butter and chocolate but there’s a time and a place for those sweet indulgences.
This festive salad boosts a raw base of enzyme-rich leafy green kale, topped with some detox-promoting roasted veggies and a tangy cranberry vinaigrette.
The contrast between the bright green kale and red dried cranberries make it a perfect feast for they eyes and the tummy.
Yield: 8-10 small salads
Ingredients for the salad:
1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (about 6 large handfuls) 1 medium or large cauliflower, cut into small florets 2 TB. coconut or olive oil Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 ½ cups beans (Cannellini beans, chickpeas, or any beautiful heirloom bean, drained and rinsed or, if dried, soaked and cooked) 1 bunch kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
Ingredients for the dressing:
2 TB. apple cider vinegar 1 TB. Dijon mustard ¼ cup fresh cranberries 2 TB. capers, chopped 1-2 tsp. honey ½ ripe pear, chopped (optional, adds sweetness and creaminess) 1-2 cloves garlic 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 450 F.
In a large bowl, toss the brussels sprouts and cauliflower with oil. Spread vegetables across a large baking sheet or roasting pan and season with salt and pepper. Roast until the sprouts and cauliflower are tender and beginning to brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and return vegetables to large bowl. Add the beans, toss, and then set aside to cool. When vegetables are mostly cooled, add kale.
To make the dressing, add apple cider vinegar, mustard, cranberries, capers, honey, pear (if using), and garlic to a high-speed blender. Pulse to blend, occasionally scraping down the sides to mix. Slowly add olive oil until dressing is fully emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, transfer brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and kale to a serving bowl (or use the same bowl). Add the beans and about half of the dressing. Toss gently and add more dressing, if needed, to cover the salad lightly.
Store any leftover dressing in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve salad immediately or chill and serve within 2 hours.
Check it out and be sure to let me know what you think in the comment section below. Until next time, have a healthy and happy holiday season!
That is the physics definition. I love that.
To be resonant with another vibrating field around you. What’s interesting to me with this is that, we ARE a vibrating field. The field starts at our heart, that’s the pulse, the spanda that starts it all, and then we vibrate outward from there. AND everyone else you encounter is also a vibrating field. AND not only that but every living thing has it’s own vibrating field. AND if that’s not enough, Mother Earth has Her own vibrating field that starts at her core as well.
So here we are all, vibrating around each other. And the amazing thing is, we get to decide what we want to vibrate with and who we want to become resonant with. Now I know that’s hard to visualize because there is so much happening in one moment isn’t there? I mean really, we take in more information in a minute that we will ever use. And more information in a day comes to us that people experienced in their entire lives only 100 years ago.
Welcome to the age of efficient, technical connection.
We multitask and get caught up in other people’s stuff so easily and realize we aren’t resonant at all with what’s happening in that moment. The static of our mind gets so loud that it becomes hard to hear what the vibration of the heart is actually saying … which by the way … is your truth.
We must stop multitasking, stop splitting our attention and drop into empty presence with one thing.
Yes, one thing. And it’s not our thought, judgment or emotion around that instant … it’s just that instant we drop into with breath.
When you stop doing multiple things at one time, what happens is you become present to one thing and every thing else drops away. This, according to physics, actually allows more things with that same vibration to come to you and other things to drop away. Everything comes into support of that one thing you are focusing on. It’s profound.
And we can train our mind to be in one moment at a time by breathing into empty presence with what is and focusing on one thing at a time. In doing so, all the support, love, connection and resonance you will ever need, falls to you without a struggle.
We want to be that still-point, walk in stillness, connect with oneness as often as possible so we can hear the heart over everything else. When we hear the heart, the noise, the chaos, the distractions, the static all drops away.
Train yourself to be in your higher field of awareness by focusing on one thing at a time. Multitasking brings us into the chaos, confused the mind and skews our internal compass. Do one thing at a time and you will feel resonance with what Is Truth.
The last yoga class I taught was themed “Even Yoga Teachers Get The Blues.” Although I absolutely love my work of massage and yoga, it still involves the grueling elements of marketing, scheduling, bookkeeping and, most recently in my face, dreaded taxes. I can feel that I haven’t taken a break for a few months now.
Just like many of you, I fall into the trap of the glorification of busyness. Subconsciously I believe that I’m not doing a good enough job if I’m not running from one thing to the next, crossing things off my list, working late into the night and then rising in the wee hours of the morning to work again. As much as it benefits others, my career is not immune to stressful deadlines and schedules.
Today a friend innocently asked me “So, how are you?” When I paused long enough to bypass the automatic answer of “Fine,” I realized that I didn't know how I truly AM doing. I haven’t made time to CHECK IN and LISTEN. And I’ve been hypocritical, too, because this slowing down is exactly what I preach to my students in Yin yoga classes. I guess it’s time to start listening to my own words!
Yin and Restorative yoga focus on this pausing, reflecting and relating to the reality of the present moment. In class we take the time to feel and check in with our own hearts. Yin yoga helps lower stress hormones that compromise the immune system, while also conditioning the lungs and respiratory tract, stimulating the lymphatic system to oust toxins from the body, and bringing oxygenated blood to the various organs to ensure their optimal function. What good medicine!
I know from my own experience that exhaustion is the number one cause of getting sick. My body’s healing capabilities are miraculous, but I must live in a restful way for it to do the work needed to keep me healthy and able to bounch back. We all need the time and space to process, digest, and move through things. Otherwise our experiences get stuck. We get sick, or in a funk. We get emotionally, mentally and physically constipated.
Of course appropriate stress hormones are important and valuable. But when we run a level of underlying and chronic stress, worry and anxiety, the body acts in the same way it would when faced with a real, big stress factor and therefore never lets go of those crazy stress hormones. This means that we stay in the sympathetic nervous system, avoiding the parasympathetic nervous system which promotes healing. Luckily we yogis can consciously shift into parasympathetic with appropriate asanas and breath patterns.
Too often we forget to listen deeply to what our body needs, which is often rest, and keep pushing ourselves, even in our asana practice. Yoga allows us to revitalize with true healing. But sometimes we get lost in the gymnastics of yoga asana, when we really need to to take a break and slow down. Let’s instead turn to the nurturing and meditative practices of Yin and Restorative yoga. Let’s slow down, allow some things on the list to remain undone, take a deep breath and notice. This pause, on and off the yoga mat, ultimately equals freedom and renewal. Give it a try and see what you think!
By Elise Fabricant
Elise has been practicing yoga since 1993 and sharing her love of it by teaching since 2002. Her friendly, down-to-earth approach to teaching has helped make it accessible to hundreds of people of all ages and abilities. It is her aim as a yoga teacher to encourage her students to become body-aware, to establish a relationship with their breath, and to develop a compassionate and joyful attitude towards themselves and the world around them. Elise teaches many styles of yoga, but is especially drawn to teaching Yin for its sweet, nurturing qualities. Elise believes that Yin Yoga can help balance her students in physical, emotional and mental ways that no other yoga practice can. Elise takes the Yin principles into her massage practice, too, and joyfully offers bodywork out of Half Moon Studios.
Start slowing down and chilling out with one of Elise's Yin Yoga Classes on YogaDownload today!
Among the list of top remedies, turmeric is widely accepted as a powerful anti-inflammatory, a liver detoxifier, a digestive aid and a natural pain reliever.
Curcumin, the compound in turmeric responsible for that bright yellow hue that stains everything in its path, is full of antioxidants. It’s also known to help curb joint pain and relieve stomach discomfort such as gas and bloating. Now can you see why I’m so obsessed? Oh and I forgot to mention that it’s warming, slightly spicy and earthy in flavor, making it a delicious choice this time of year.
This weekend while I was tired of grocery shopping, cooking, and leftovers, I looked in the fridge and realized that I had an entire head of cauliflower still waiting for me. Hence the Roasted Curried Cauliflower recipe featuring my beloved turmeric.
This is a cinch to whip together and pairs nicely with any green salad and/or abroiled salmon.
Yield: 3-4 servings Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower, cut into uniform florets ¼ cup coconut oil, melted 2 tsp. curry powder 2 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. turmeric Juice of ½ lemon Pinch of Himalayan sea salt
Directions: Preheat oven to 400° F.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, curry powder, garlic powder and turmeric. Toss cauliflower in the oil and spice mixture until evenly coated.
Spread the cauliflower across a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 25-35 minutes. The cauliflower should be tender and starting to brown on the edges.
Squeeze the lemon juice on the cauliflower and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve warm.
Enjoy and please be sure to leave me a comment below. How are you incorporating this wonderful superfood into your diet this winter?
"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." ~ Krishnamurti I spent the last fifteen years reading every self-help, spirituality-made-simple, Happiness-for-dummies, mindfulness, yoga, DIY-psychotherapy book known to god and man. To reduce thousands of years of religion, psychology, and philosophy to a 1,000 word blog would be unwise if not vulgar. And yet, once you parse the semantic differences between the sundry religions, psychologies, and philosophies and the plethora of derivative "transformational workshops" (like the ones I teach) and therapeutic modalities (like the ones I use with patients) it is easy to see how many of the problems we encounter are culturally contingent and how many of the proposed solutions are tantamount to serving old wine in new bottles. Here is what I have learned, what I teach, and what I live: 10. Pursuing happiness actually causes misery. The irony is that if you want to be happy you need to release your desire to be happy - for desire is the root of all suffering, according to the Buddha, and happiness - when it occurs - is actually a by-product and not a direct result of particular actions. The best way to engender and maximize the by-product of happiness is to embrace a lifestyle and incorporate tools that are scientifically proven to keep you at the high end of your happiness spectrum, such as meditation, yoga, exercise, ample sleep, community, self-discipline, secure attachments, intimacy, authentic communications, delayed gratification, and eating to fuel your body instead of eating for self-destructive psychological/emotional reasons. If you live in America then you have been raised to believe that the pursuit of happiness is an inalienable right, which was grand and appetizing for the oppressed pilgrims who settled these fine shores many moons ago; however, we now know that pursuing happiness causes misery because your mind is akin to an hedonic treadmill: as soon as a desire is sated it is replaced by another desire. If you think you will be happy when you get a new car, house, partner, or job, scientific studies inform us that those shiny new objects lose their allure in 12-18 months. 9. Release expectations. The future is a void. One of the primary features of our minds is to imagine potential future scenarios in an attempt to stave off possible traumatic surprises. This defense mechanism, which was so essential to helping you survive your highly competitive and often disappointing childhood, is now hindering you from showing up authentically in the relationships that are integral to your healing journey. Thus, learn how to observe your mind's incessant leaping into possible future scenarios and gently correct it by teaching it to BE HERE NOW. 8. Your mind was trained to want more, better, and different. If you want to be happy you need to untrain it and replace those "woulda-coulda-shouldas" with GRATITUDE and ACCEPTANCE. 7. Your mind is plagued by the irrational thought, "Something is wrong... I'm different from other people... I don't feel safe." Everyone has experienced traumas and our minds have clung to those past events and kept them alive as if they were still happening. FORGIVENESS and ACCEPTANCE are tools that we must continuously employ in order to release or at least reframe past traumas. 6. Your mind is plagued by the irrational thought "Something must be wrong WITH ME." Children assimilate negative energy around them by having the voices in their heads say, "There must be something wrong with me... if I had been different then... (mommy and daddy wouldn't have gotten divorced, my brother wouldn't have died, my best friend wouldn't have moved away... fill-in-the-blank happened"). It is just as easy for the narrative to be "My life is perfect. It's not my fault that... (my parents got divorced, my brother died, my best friend moved away...fill-in-the-blank happened"). Reframe your narrative in order to eliminate the resentments (resentment = "This should not have happened") that your mind creates. 5. You have an internal barometer that was shaped before you could speak that either informs you that the world is an inherently scary place with finite resources, or a loving place of abundance. Your "way-of-being" in the world, your core-issues, and your disposition are not as dynamic as you have been informed to believe. The current wave of "neuroplasticity" sweeping self-help books is belied by false syllogisms such as:
Brain cells are malleable. Meditation relaxes people, thus, meditation changes brain cells.
This is inaccurate and misleading. Tools such as meditation were not and CANNOT be designed to change particular brain cells. Specifically, meditation was designed to alleviate suffering by learning to transcend or tame the restless mind. Why is the mind restless? Because your society has trained you to think (8, above) more, better, different will make you happier, that (7, above) you are not safe and must keep your guard up and adrenaline pumping or you will get hurt, and (6, above) there must be something wrong with you. However, it is equally possible to train your mind to believe that you are not presently in danger, there is nothing wrong with you, and your life is unfolding exactly as it should be unfolding. So don't worry about your prefrontal cortex or synapses or neurons or limbic system or anything that you cannot directly experience through your five senses; worry about showing up and being present for your life. 4. Self-discipline = self-worth. We have an epidemic of people in our culture who suffer from low self-worth, low self-esteem and "negative self-talk" that manifest as alcoholism, infidelity, gambling addictions, shopping addictions, eating disorders and a host of other afflictions. Whenever patients think that their accomplishments are "not good enough," I ask, "Whose voice is that?" Usually it is a teacher's or parent's or sibling's voice. No bonobo ever thought, "Yes, I'm enjoying this delicious fruit right now but I'll only be truly happy when I have an entire plantation!" If you suffer from low self-worth and want to correct this, then cultivate personal discipline: make commitments such as eliminating high-fructose corn syrup and sugar from your diet, meditating every day for a month, going someplace you've never been once a week, etc. and stick to those commitments. I've noticed in my psychother apy practice that people with low self-worth have problems with self-discipline and and vice versa; one way to raise self-worth is to be sufficiently disciplined to have daily practices that you can be proud of accomplishing. 3. Realize that most of the things you learned through popular culture - acquiring money, power, sex, materials possessions, "bling" - do not correlate strongly with happiness. We all know alot of people who have more money than god and are still miserable. Ironically, it turns out that givers are happier than takers in the long run. Being generous and helping others is infinitely more satisfying than looking at your bank account statements; only an idiot wants "Richest Guy in This Cemetery" on his tombstone. The only thing that correlates strongly with authentic happiness is trustworthy, positive, loving relationships; being giving and generous helps build those relationships. 2. Authenticity. You created a false self, a facade, a persona to survive your childhood and the defense mechanisms you developed became your "way of being," your personality. There is a good chance that your facade/personality is quite functional and even seductive; however, you know that underneath it lies an authentic self that is rather messy and unseemly. Relationships based on facades crumble so you must be brave enough to be vulnerable, show your authentic self, and express yourself authentically and compassionately in order to cultivate vibrant, positive, loving relationships. 1. This moment is everything that you will ever have. If you say, "Yeah, yeah yeah... I'll do these things (meditate, exercise, eat healthily, speak authentically, explore new places) tomorrow," studies show that you will never do them. Happiness is a choice and it is up to you to embrace a lifestyle and incorporate tools that will keep you at the top of your happiness range TODAY.
This article has also been posted at The Huffington Post
By Ira Israel
Psychotherapist Ira Israel is the author and star of “Mindfulness for Urban Depression,” Mindfulness Meditations for Anxiety,” and “Yoga for Depression and Anxiety.” Ira is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, a Certified Yoga Therapist, and an E-RYT500.
Click here for a complete listing of Ira's classes and meditations.
Then the other day someone asked me what it “means to be an outlaw” and I didn't have an answer for them.
(I don't pretend to be the sharpest tool in the shed.)
What does it mean to be an outlaw?
F*ck, I don't know...
It's sort of like obscenity or integrity – you know it when you see it. I don't know what being an outlaw means for you, but I think for most it starts with responsibility...reclaiming the unique responsibility for your thoughts, words, and deeds.
For me it starts with discipline and ends in integrity, and lies in the crafting of a unique path that suits me and me alone.
Then walking it.
An outlaw is part nomad and part renegade...they're part romantic too because they believe that no matter how deep is their sleep, man will wake up, rise up and overcome whatever hurdle that's placed in their path, that when belief and work are present what could be has a chance to become what is.
The outlaw is a workhorse.
They know that nothing happens without work and that laws make us lazy – obedience is all that's required to do what's lawful. An outlaw knows that it takes real discipline to do what's right, and that it starts within.
The outlaw has a voice.
There's an inherent rejection inside of the mind of any outlaw, a voice that shouts against that of the small self and everyone else's small self combined – the collective voice of preprogrammed doubt and internally generated shame.
A voice that says, “I know best...at least for me”.
There's power in walking this outlaw path, a path that, because it comes from within, can't help but produce an authenticity born of integrity and belief, a belief before all else, in oneself.
This outlaw voice is alive in each and every man and woman ever born on this planet but it gets dulled over time by environmental factors beyond our control (public school, pollutants, etc.). It's drugged through the years by chance and by choice until, in time – and in most – it becomes faint, quiet or silent.
But in the outlaw, this voice is present and loud and it rages creating conflict and confusion within. At least until its power can be recognized, prioritized, and multiplied.
Anyone can be powerful, but an outlaw empowers.
Being an outlaw doesn't have anything to do with being a criminal. You're not an outlaw because you break the law, especially if the law you break hurts someone else – even causes them undue stress or shits on their day (incidentally the only good reason not to run red lights or rob banks, if you ask me).
Real justice must be more than personal, it must be transferable and include an aspect of empathy even and especially for the inlaw – the person on the other side of the gun. The oppressor suffers as much or more as those they oppress, even if they feel less pain.
Outlaws are accepting.
I don't know what being an outlaw looks like to you, but I know what it looks like for me. And that's good enough for me...
And maybe that's what it could mean to you – being alright with whatever the hell being an outlaw means to you?
In your story it might mean being a great stepmom who trusts her instincts instead of wanting to be temporarily popular to a teenage kid? Or being a graffiti artist who paints beautiful, consciousness-raising, protest-themed murals? Or maybe it means not paying your income taxes, or being a yoga teacher, or being bisexual?
F*ck, I don't know.
But I do know that silencing the inner outlaw, the voice that shouts “Stand up” for too long will kill you from the inside, out. Whatever your inner outlaw is saying, listen to it. Encourage it. Help it get louder and prouder and do whatever you can to empower it to sing from whatever platform it requires.
Sing, Outlaws.
But don't let me or anyone else tell you what words to say. Everyone's got their own story going in which we're all just supporting characters. And what kind of main character would you be if you let a supporting character tell you how to play your unique role?
At the end of the day, maybe being an outlaw can be as simple as not have anything to prove to anyone but yourself?
F*ck it, I don't know...
You tell me.
Outlaw Yoga is coming to YogaDownload this January!
.or is it?! Unless you’re one of the few, the proud. . . a member of the Elite Early Holiday Shoppers Club, this time of year can actually be quite stressful! December is already well under way, and chances are you still have a few people on your holiday shopping list to check off. Don’t panic, dear yogis! We've got your back again this year with some seriously sweet last-minute gift ideas - and you don't even have to leave the comfort of your own home. So chillax, put on your favorite comfy yoga pants, and get the perfect gift for all the yogis on your list…
All-Access Memberships, Yoga Packages and Programs, Cash for Downloads Each of the below “take yoga anywhere” gifts pair nicely with YogaDownload Packages & Programs, or YogaDownload Gift Certificates, which you can use to gift a cash amount, a program, or a subscription!
Anti Slip Yoga Pant by Electric Yoga No yoga mat? No problem! These one of a kind yoga pants are made with anti-slip foot coverings, making them perfect for the jetsetting yogini in your life who’s always practicing on the go.
Men’s Sutra Pant by prAna These sexy pants made from hemp, Lycra, and recycled materials tread lightly and comfortably from indoor studio to outdoor playground and lounging around the house in between.
Barefoot Yoga Co. This place is seriously a one-stop shop for ALL of your yoga accessory needs. Clothing, mats, bags, props. . .Barefoot has it all. Bonus: They are currently offering 20% off and free shipping! Go Free Yoga Backback by Manduka This innovative, fresh hybrid of backpack and mat carrier is perfect for guys and gals. The convenient quick release buckle straps can secure virtually any yoga mat. Give that special yogi or yogini in your life the freedom to take yoga anywhere, and feel great doing it!
Nutribullet Unlike everyday juicers and blenders, the NutriBullet completely breaks down ingredients in to their most nutritious, most absorptive state. The best part is, there’s virtually no mess to clean up!
Dosha Pops – Go on a health lick with these handmade lollipops made from ingredients that support a healthier lifestyle. Dosha Pops are created on the belief that candy shouldn't have to be a guilty pleasure but more a celebration of a balanced lifestyle with healthier indulgences. These sweet, delectable treats not only awaken taste buds with uniquely amazing flavors, but support an individual’s specific dosha. Great stocking stuffer!
Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook Written by nutritionist Tom Malterre and Chef Alissa Segersten, this cookbook provides information on the importance of living a whole foods lifestyle, and how to transition into one. With over 300 delicious, nourishing recipes, readers will discover amazing, new ways to cook whole grains, fish, poultry, meat and veggies. This book is a must-have for health-conscious, mindful eaters!
Daily Routine Kit by Banyan Botanicals This kit will provide the self-care lovin’ person in your life with the basic supplies to kickstart an Ayurvedic daily routine: Daily massage oil, Triphala tablets, a Tongue Cleaner (seriously, one of the best inventions EVER!), and Nasya Oil. Another great stocking stuffer!
Aqua Zinger by Zing Anything We all know the importance of drinking enough h20 each day, but let’s face it: water can get a little boring. Enter: the Aqua Zinger! Aqua Zinger works by infusing your water with flavors. From cucumber to lemon and lime, to blackberries, kiwi, strawberry, raspberry, peach, ginger, even mint and basil, the Aqua Zinger can infuse them all! Acupressure Mats by Spoonk: Spoonk mats have 6210 acupressure stimulation points that, once pressed against troubled areas of the body, will increase circulation and will relax stiff muscles and decrease pain. In the process, the body can release endorphins (pleasurable hormones) which induces a feeling of wellness and a positive attitude. Regular use will create the desired level of relaxation in your body that prevents the accumulation of stress and tension.
Faux Fur Scarves by Eden Hero These deliciously luxe faux fur scarves are perfect for on the mountain, around town, après-yoga and at the barre. Handmade in Denver and inspired by an active, aware and playful lifestyle. Wear inside out or outside in! Custom design options available.
Hand-Carved Yoga Frog The perfect alternative to a Buddha or Ganesh statue! Sitting in full lotus and holding Anjali mudra, this whimsical frog is bound to bring blessings of abundant smiles to all who may cross its path. Bonus warm fuzzies: It's signed by the Balinese artist who was paid fair trade!
Mala Necklaces & Bracelets by the Mala Collective With many options for guys and gals, the Mala Collective offers an unparalleled selection of gorgeous malas that are handmade, fair-trade style, on the lush and magical island of Bali. The Mala Collective aims to help people live a more conscious lifestyle, manifest their dreams, and meditate deeply.
The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte For the lover of all things personal development in your life, The Desire Map is a holistic life planning system that picks up where most others leave off. Most life-planning tools focus on external attainment and results. Which is valuable. Getting results is what moves life forward. Except that most goal-setting systems fail to harness the most powerful driver behind any aspiration: the way we want to feel.
I’ve been DOing a lot these past few years; admittedly some choices have come out of fear and/or survival mode. With that chapter, now completely over, I am supported, confident, and crystal clear about how I feel in just about every moment I am engaged in. Not only that, but my intuition is my best friend …pointing me in every direction I need to go.
I asked students today to use the words “crystal clarity” as their focus for the week. Why not just clarity? Why crystal clarity? Because now is the time for complete focus in what it is that you are passionate about so you can DO THAT instead of distracting yourself with anything else.
Crystal clarity means tapping into what “feels” good and recognizing what does not. It means trusting that the Universe has your back and that everything happening to you is actually happening for you. It means letting go of all victimization and standing in your stories, ready to witness the revelation. It means falling into tempo with the Universe and allowing everything to rearrange without a ton of effort or struggle.
Dial in the aperture on the lens of your life. You can no longer live out of focus. The world needs people ready and willing to use this life and LOVE this life. Ground into your feet and ask to be clear. When you are in a moment, feel into that space between the belly and the heart.
Feel into that space in any exchange, any decision, any relationship you are experiencing. It’s your beacon of truth and it will tell you: expand or contract.
Then ground into that truth and open your eyes wide to the clarity of it all. Trust in the truth. It may be totally different than what you are experiencing right now or it might be spot on. Just know it and begin to embody it… all the way. Not just half-assed.
Here’s my clarity:
Over the next few months I am participating in a training to lead girls and their mothers on an amazing journey of self-discovery and expansion. I am also learning about astrology and yoga and how the two combined bring us closer to the rhythms of the planets. Not only that, but I will finish my Reiki certification as well as go back to using essential oils in my classes and my work.
All of this in preparation for 2015, when I launch my 200 and 300 hour yoga teacher training and the revolutionary Girls Elevate. The lens of my life has come into clear focus and seemingly everything else is falling away.
Now I ask you …What are you clear about? What’s your passion? Sit … breathe … ask.
Alchemy … A seemingly magical process of transformation, creation or combination. The medieval forerunner of chemistry, based on the transformation of matter.
The art of transformation. The science of being. The Egyptian Science of spiritual forces and how they affect both matter and living entities.
What does this have to do with yoga? What does this have to do with breath? What does this have to do with life?
Everything. So much so that I’m not quite sure where to start.
First off, when you surrender to this power… you realize that everything happening around you is being created by your own thoughts. And you wake up to it all. Sometimes it’s almost as if my life is working in slow motion, and I think a thought and then wait for it to manifest. And now, now it’s to the point that when I witness myself falling into an old pattern, some lower vibration, I literally stop what I’m doing and ask for a do-over.
Because why? Because we can do that. We are transforming in every single breath and in every single moment. Why not be alive and awake to it all and then direct and consciously create your life, right!!
Secondly, this whole idea that yoga is at the forefront of human consciousness resonates deep within me and has become my lifestyle. Yoga: to yoke, to unite. To bring together breath, movement, thought, reaction. To release the stagnation in the body so you can begin to see with your inner knowing and cease to rely on the external world for guidance. That’s where the magic begins … going inward.
Third and most important I think is this: the heart. Om my Goddess, the heart. Sometimes when I drop into the energy of the heart, I cry. Not because of pain but because I can feel the vastness.
I love the heart. It holds it all; it holds the love, the intimacy, the compassion, the forgiveness and it holds the grief, the sorrow, the loss and all the pain you have endured and experienced since the moment you incarnated. The heart … the heart was the first thing that became YOU! The first thing that connected you to feeling. It knows all and it has it’s own “circuitry system”. We spend our lives shielding and protecting our heart; we open it and then we close it. It gets damaged and it heals.
The heart is the true alchemist of our human-being because it can alchemize everything into love. Yes, that is correct. It can do this through the breath. Visualize the heart as you inhale, expanding exponentially and when you exhale, it empties completely. Every time you do that, imagine the heart and breath massaging what’s in there; turning it into love. It will, if you allow it. If you open the heart and you surrender to its mystical possibility, it works magic.
What stops alchemy? Our mind. The illusions that we know it all. That we know better. The obligations, the responsibilities, the patterns and projections all stop the magic.
This is why I love yoga so much, although I didn’t know it until recently. It’s the movement of the body in sync with the breath; it’s the stillness of the mind amidst the busyness; it’s the radical transformation that can happen when we are open and drop into the magic of the heart.
I say try it, what have you got to lose?
I must admit, I’m not much of a pumpkin pie girl, I much prefer chocolate, but this nearly raw variation is heavenly.
It’s silky, creamy, rich and decadent. Free from sugar, dairy, eggs and gluten. And best of all, it tastes just like the real thing!
Enjoy and be sure to whip up some homemade vegan coconut whipped cream to go on top.
Yield: 8-12 slices
Ingredients:
2 cups raw pecans ¾ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 6 dates, pitted and chopped (about ½ cup) ¾ tsp. vanilla extract, divided ¼ tsp. sea salt ¼ cup + 1 TB. melted coconut oil, divided 1 15 oz. can of pumpkin (about 1 ½ cup) ½ cup almond butter 2 TB. maple syrup 2 tsp. ground cinnamon ¾ tsp. ground nutmeg ½ tsp. ground ginger Pinch of ground cloves & sea salt Stevia, 10-20 drops or to taste (optional)
Directions: To make the crust, in a food processor fitted with the S blade, add pecans, shredded coconut, dates, ¼ teaspoon of vanilla, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, and 1 tablespoon of melted coconut oil. Pulse until the mixture has the consistency of breadcrumbs and pulls away from the sides of the container. Scoop the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan and press evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of the dish. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
To make the filling, add remaining ¼ cup of melted coconut oil, pumpkin, almond butter, maple syrup, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and spices to a food processor or blender. Blend for a couple of minutes or until silky. Once blended, taste the mixture for sweetness. To make sweeter, add 10 – 20 drops of stevia slowly until you’re happy with the flavor.
Remove chilled crust from the refrigerator and scrape filling into the crust. Use a spatula to level and smooth filling. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer back to refrigerator and let chill at least 8 hours, or overnight.
Serve with a dollop of homemade vegan coconut whipped cream.
By Julie Pelaez and Jo Schaalman
After you make this yummy soup practice a healing yoga class with Jo or Jules:
I define it as something that takes your breath away. That makes time stand still. That fills your heart with expansion.
It feels like an abundance in life; an overflowing of love and of all resources.
It’s not free from challenges, or pains, or uncomfortable-ness. No, devotion holds everything.
Devotion gives you super-human powers to go beyond; to see clearly; to live in the realm of nothing that holds everything. To live in the unknown because in that unknown, everything makes sense. To live in the darkness knowing that the light will shine when it’s time.
Devotion breeds unconditional love, acceptance and integrity. And, it’s fueled by an inner compass that is indeed, indescribable. Our devotion defies gravity, logic, reasoning and sometimes Universal Laws. It needn’t make sense, we can’t possibly understand the “logic” of the heart because it’s more intricate that our brain, so how could we understand it?
Sometimes we are told what to be devoted to. You know, that’s really impossible because no one lives in our own personal heart of hearts. No one can hear the song of our heart except ourselves; only we know what we are devoted too. We may try to be devoted to someone else’s path or idea but really, it is our own that will keep calling us back.
We may stray, when things are blurry or we are in a state of fear or confusion. That’s okay. Because in that straying we learn; we gather, and we observe other ways of doing things. We may uncover portals into something new that sparks our heart and sends it back to it’s path.
Sometimes we stray because we are so afraid of the transparent vulnerability that comes with devotion, that we must look away. The light of devotion illuminates everything and until we are okay with this light and what shadows it creates, we will continue to live in mediocrity.
Devotion is the only way to live fully. Being devoted to a moment. To a breath. To presence. To your partner, to your children, to evolving, to expanding, to learning, to loving unconditionally.
To loving it all, without putting anything outside of that ring of love. To holding space for it all and allowing yourself to fall into everything that has brought you to this moment.
Try our Creamy Black Bean Soup with Coconut Lime Crema!
This recipe calls for dried black beans for a few reasons. For starters, dried beans don’t have the astronomical sodium levels so often dumped into the canned counterparts. Dried beans, whether bagged or bought in bulk, also don’t contain BPA (bisphenol A) or other harmful chemicals used in the canning process. We also have more control over seasoning with dried beans. And let’s face it…they just taste better.
If you’ve shunned beans in the past because they’re too hard on your belly, consider soaking and rinsing the dried beans. Doing so helps to eliminate the natural acids and enzymes that make it harder for our bodies to digest and absorb their nutrients.
Try soaking them and you may have a whole new experience!
Since we believe clean, healthy eating doesn’t have to be all or nothing, I’ve also included a canned bean, stovetop variation that can be simmered in a short amount of time. Just make sure to check can labels for “low-sodium” and “BPA-free.”
No matter which recipe variation you’re using, make sure to whip up some coconut lime “crema” to drizzle over your soup. You may not believe it yet but you may never go back to that dollop of dairy.
Sort through dried beans and discard any foreign debris or broken beans. Pour dried beans into a bowl and cover with water by a couple inches. Soak beans for at least an hour or, better yet, overnight.
In a large crock pot, add onion, carrots, garlic, vegetable stock, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves. Stir, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat.
Drain and rinse beans well. Add beans to the crock pot and cook on high for about 6 hours or until beans are soft and creamy. Add more stock as necessary.
Once beans are cooked thoroughly, turn the slow cooker off. Remove bay leaves and add sea salt, thyme, ½ cup cilantro, and apple cider vinegar. Stir together. If desired, use an immersion blender (or blend in an upright blender in batches) until the soup is as chunky or creamy as you prefer. Add more stock to thin a too chunky soup.
To make the coconut lime crema, add coconut milk to a medium bowl. Pouring slowly, whisk in lime juice. Add zest and stir to mix.
Serve each bowl of soup with a few spoonfuls of crema and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.
Variation: In a time pinch? Using canned beans can speed up the soup making process! Substitute dried beans with 2 large cans (25-29oz) of low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed well. Begin by adding vegetable stock, carrots, and onions to a large pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until carrots are softened. Then add rinsed beans, garlic, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add fresh thyme, cilantro, and apple cider vinegar and simmer for 5 minutes more. Serve with coconut lime crema and fresh cilantro.
There's nothing more grounding than cradling a warm bowl of soup. Enjoy!
Here are a few ideas to keep you motivated and feeling good, no matter how cold it is outside:
FALL
Watching trees change from green to all shades of yellow, orange and red is so beautiful! The air isn’t hot and sticky anymore. Instead, it’s brisk and refreshing. That makes Fall the PERFECT TIME for outdoor exercise. The temps are just right for biking, running, or hiking. Even some crazy people love this weather for kayaking and canoeing (it’s a little too chilly to me for THAT but whatever floats YOUR boat – ha!). Even getting out to a farmer’s market or pumpkin patch with the kids can be exercise and entertainment all rolled into one. If you’re looking for more grown-up entertainment, go to a winery and take a tour of the vineyard before you settle down with a bottle of chardonnay and a cheese board, take a tour of the winery or just stroll through the vines. Do anything and everything you can to soak up the sunshine and the fresh air before winter sets in.
Fall is also a great time to test out those root veggie recipes you read about during the summer. Farmers’ markets are coming to the end of their seasons, with fresh produce plants fading with each chilly night, but you still have time to supplement your meals with green veggies if the recipes don’t turn out as you intended.
WINTER
The cool air of Fall gets me excited for the first snowfall of the season, which can come as early as September here in Boulder. Cold and snow is no excuse for hiding inside. There is so much to do outside!!
I moved to Boulder from LA. I didn’t waste a minute thinking about how much I might hate winter (I’d be dumb to hate winter and move to Colorado!). Instead, I learned how to snowboard and I loved it. I drove up to (insert city here) every weekend to go snowboarding! It was so much fun and it got me through the first several winters. Another fun thing I discovered about winter in Colorado is how many people have heated pools and will swim all year round! It is SOOOO pretty to swim around in a warm pool with snowflakes falling all around you. And there are a ton of cold weather outdoor activities.There’s ice skating, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, or just going for a long walk in the snow can be pretty challenging! You can build snowmen with your kids.
I’m not much of a tea drinker during the summer, but when it gets cold, that’s when I love to dive into my tea collection, or find new concoctions to try. It’s like I have a whole different palette when it gets cold out.
If you’re a fashionista, you have a whole different wardrobe to dive into. For me, digging out my winter clothes is almost like going shopping – I get to wear all the stuff I’ve had packed away all spring and summer. And these days the styles are SO CUTE! There’s every cut of jeans imaginable, warm, fuzzy sweaters that aren’t all big and bulky, and there are so many styles of boots.
“IT’S TOO COLD!!”
Maybe you know that you are not cut out for cold weather. Don’t sit around and complain about it – plan a winter vacation to go somewhere warm so you have something to look forward to, to get you through the cold months.
And don’t make ‘it’s cold out’ an excuse for not exercising – there is plenty you can do in the comfort and warmth of your home to keep active and you don’t even need equipment to do most of it. You know you don’t need to leave the house to do yoga. How about doing some stretches? Play hide and go seek with your kids, crank up the sound system and dance!
If you really suffer from seasonal dysmorphic disorder, invest in some full-spectrum light bulbs for your house. They can be pricey, but they seem to really help people during the months when there’s less sunlight and isn’t a happy state of mind worth it? Your indoor plants will love it too!
Changing seasons is really rough for some. Take the time while it’s still nice out get out into the crystal clear sunshine and soak it up while you can.
I’ve just given you some tips for enjoying the weather, no matter how cold it is. How do you keep yourself active through the cold months?
XO Hayley
Originally published on Positively Positive.
By Hayley Hobson
With her unique specialization in the combination and complement of pilates, nutrition and yoga, Hayley offers a cocktail of lifestyle changes that produce real and lasting results. Hayley is a columnist for Yoganonomus, Positively Positive, Mindbodygreen and Elephant Journal and has been featured in Pilates Style Magazine, Bridal Guide, Natural Health Magazine and Triathlete Magazine. She currently lives in Boulder, CO with her husband, former world-ranked triathlete, Wes Hobson and their two beautiful daughters, Makenna and Madeline. Read more about Hayley and check out her new book at HayleyHobson.com
Shake the chills with Hayley's soul-warming classes:
Core Yoga 4
What is i-Pad Reboot and Recharge? i-Pad Reboot and Recharge is a relaxation technique where you focus on closing down the applications you have running in your mind and body, leaving you refreshed, recharged and revitalized.
How does it help me? Have you ever left your i-Pad or other device (i-Pod, computer, phone etc.) on all day and night and not recharged it? The battery ran out, right? Well, people are not much different. Our minds and bodies are very busy machines that work really hard; to keep them functioning at an optimal level, we need to unplug and rest up every now and then.
By mentally scanning the entire body and visiting one area at a time, you will become aware of areas or “hot spots” where you carry tension and can consciously release these areas. Sometimes we leave apps running when we are not using them – for example: the mind might chatter away when we are trying to sleep or focus on something! This technique teaches you the skills required to be in control and enjoy a deeply meditative and relaxing experience for the mind and the body. Reboot and Recharge!
How do I do it?
WE need to close down your apps and charge you up so you will feel like new again. Let’s journey through the apps and close each one down by focusing on it and allowing it to relax.
Tips:
By Lisa Roberts
Lisa Roberts E-RYT 200, RCYT, and Certified Children's Yoga Therapist, has worked in the pediatric wellness field since 2006. The founder and director of YoYo Yoga Therapy (www.yoyoyogatherapy.com) she works with individual clients and small groups on a regular basis, and teaches at a variety of family and youth support centers in the Saint Louis area including a major children’s hospital where she founded the yoga therapy program offering yoga, meditation and relaxation to patients, patient siblings, parents/families and staff. Lisa also offers professional trainings on Kids Adaptive Yoga for professionals who work with children. She is the author of Breathe, Chill - A Handy Book of Games and Techniques Introducing Breathing, Relaxation and Meditation to Kids and Teens.
Reboot & Recharge with the following YogaDownload Classes:
Chakra Awareness Meditation - April Laliberte Counting Meditation - Danielle Diamond