119 Search Results for "workshop"
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jeffreydavis123
- Views: 146
- Comments: 21
- Since: 3 months ago
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10 Ways to Trick Your Husband 10 Ways to Trick Your Husband Into Doing Yoga
- From: Erica
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Description:
1. Tell him it will make him sleep like a baby -- a happy, relaxed, content baby.
2. Try this line: "Yoga is about being, not about doing. You're actually doing it right now, Honey. You just don't know it."
3. Embody the bliss . . . and wait for him to come to you. I think it was Alanna Kaivalya who in a workshop I took with her at the Miami YJ Yoga Conference said you can't get someone to come to your way of thinking by forcing them. It's much more effective if you attract them by being nonchalant and mysterious about it. "Wow, you look really relaxed and great lately . . . What are you doing?" "Oh, nothing really. It's just the yoga. You can come with me next time if you want."
4. Start simple, with one pose. I suggest Savasana (Corpse Pose) or Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose).
5. Let him think it's a massage. Spy your dearest hunched over his keyboard. Take the opportunity to give him a sweet shoulder adjustment. Over time, you'll see him sit up a little straighter in the chair.
6. Sneak a little yoga philosophy into your everyday conversations. "I'm sorry you had a bad day at work. But we can enjoy the evening together, right? Just be here in the present moment?"
7. Take advantage of holidays, birthdays, and special occasions. Anwser the question "What do you want for your birthday/Christmas/Valentine's Day/our anniversary?" with a simple. "If you don't know what to get you could always just go to a yoga class with me . . ." Just make sure it's a jovial suggestion, and not a guilt trip or a nag.
8. Play Krishna Das in the background while you're doing chores around the house.
9. Don't try to be his teacher. Imagine how you'd feel if he were correcting your poses. Unless you're doing a restorative practice together, leave your house and go to a class for heavens sake! You want this to be a pleasant experience not something that causes an argument.
10. Make sure your intentions are for his happiness and well-being, not your own.
- Blog post
- 2 years ago
- Views: 992
- Comments: 13
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Yoga and Chocolate Yoga and Chocolate
- From: sironasky
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Description:
Discuss the relationship between yoga and daily food choices. Exchange recipes, gardening tips, strategies for change, and anything else related to food. Your group leader is sironasky.Did you know that chocolate is one of the best foods you can eat!Cocoa - The Super Healthy Fruit
You may be surprised to learn that cocoa is actually a FRUIT - and even more surprised to learn that it is actually one of the most healthy fruits commonly eaten by man!
Recent research studies have shown a link between cocoa and cardiovascular health, with reduced risk of blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks.
Cornell University food scientists discovered that cocoa powder has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine, and up to three times the antioxidants found in green tea.
Raw cocoa has the highest antioxidant value of all the natural foods in the world!
The ORAC score per 100 grams of unprocessed raw cacao is 28,000, compared to 18,500 for Acai Berries, 1,540 for Strawberries, and only 1,260 for raw Spinach. The ORAC score for a typical manufactured Dark Chocolate is an impressive 13,120 - although one unique, organic, and non-roasted brand of Dark Chocolate has a much higher ORAC score. But for Milk Chocolate the ORAC score is much lower at 6,740.
Cocoa also appears to have anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties. And cocoa is a good source of the minerals magnesium, sulphur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, and manganese; plus some of the B Vitamins.
When heart problems occur, magnesium is the most likely mineral to be missing in the person's diet.
Cocoa has a high content of the "beauty" mineral, sulfur. Sulfur helps build strong nails and hair, promotes healthy and beautiful skin, helps detoxify the liver, and supports healthy functioning of the pancreas.
Fresh cocoa beans are super-rich in the type of bioflavonoid called flavanols which are strong antioxidants that help maintain healthy blood flow and blood pressure. The heart-healthy flavanols in cocoa, especially the epicatechins, prevent fatty substances in the bloodstream from oxidizing and then clogging the arteries.
Flavanols help make blood platelets less likely to stick together and cause blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes - without the negative side effects associated with the use of aspirin (ASA) and other pharmaceutical blood-thinners.
Cocoa beans contain 10,000 milligrams (10 grams) of flavanol antioxidants per 100 grams - or an amazing 10% antioxidant concentration level! When it comes to supplying your body with effective antioxidants, no other natural food can even come close. No exotic super-fruit like Acai berries, no high-antioxidant fruits like prunes or blueberries, and no vegetables. The antioxidants in cocoa are easily absorbed by the human body, and are more stable and long-lasting than those in any other foods.
Cocoa also contains the amino acid Tryptophan which makes the neurotransmitter known as serotonin, which promotes positive feelings and helps keep us from feeling depressed. Cocoa contains the neurotransmitters dopamine, and phenylethylamine (PEA), and contains anandamide and MAO Inhibitors - which make this heart-healthy food a healthy food for the brain too.
Phenylethylamine (PEA) helps promote mental alertness and the ability to concentrate. The PEA in healthy chocolate can be of help to students taking tests, and to senior citizens who want to retain the mental capacity of a younger person and postpone the onset of dementia.
Studies have indicated that consuming dark chocolate produced an increased sensitivity to insulin (which indicates a protective effect against diabetes).
While you may have believed that cocoa and chocolate were "bad for you", the truth is that THE RIGHT KIND OF CHOCOLATE provides many health benefits that make it not only "good for you" but better for your body than most of the fruits and vegetables your mother made you eat when you were a child.
Eating a healthy dark chocolate provides a sweet, sensual, sin-free pleasure, as well as some significant health benefits. A heart-felt gift of healthy dark chocolate to a loved one offers a heart-warming, delightfully delicious treat, as well as a super heart-healthy food that promotes a longer and healthier life.
If the pharmaceutical industry managed to produce a patented product that offered all the health benefits of cocoa, they would likely proclaim it a "miracle drug"! But since cocoa is widely available, is relatively inexpensive, and does not require you to pay for a doctor's prescription nor pay fees to a dispensing pharmacy, you are not likely to hear many members of the medical establishment recommending chocolate for its many health benefits.
You may also be surprised to learn that dark chocolate can help you lose weight! Because it has appetite-suppressant properties, cocoa is often added to weight loss products to help control hunger.
While you may have been told that chocolate is "fattening", the truth is that the fats found in cocoa butter are actually healthy fats! Cacao contains oleic acid, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat which is also found in olive oil and is believed to raise the level of the "good cholesterol" known as HDL cholesterol (the acronym HDL stands for "High Density Lipid").
Healthy chocolate can be of great benefit to tobacco smokers - but not just because they need lots of the antioxidants which neutralize the free radicals generated by the toxic compounds in tobacco smoke. A recent study in Switzerland indicated that dark chocolate may help prevent hardening of the arteries.
A 2006 clinical study by Swiss researchers found that within minutes of consuming dark chocolate, their test group of 20 smokers experienced a significant improvement in the function of the endothelial cells which line the artery walls. Smoking tobacco has long been linked to hardening of the arteries and an increase in the production of clot-forming platelets in the blood.
Raw cocoa beans contain over 300 chemically identifiable compounds. This makes cocoa one of the most complex food substances on Earth!
Here is a comparison of the ORAC score per 100 grams for some common foods known to have a high antioxidant level, listed in descending order.
* Unprocessed Raw Cacao - ORAC 28,000
* Acai Berries* - ORAC 18,500
* Dark Chocolate - ORAC 13,120
* Milk Chocolate - ORAC 6,740
* Prunes - 5,770
* Wolfberry Juice - 3,472
* Pomegranates - 3,307
* Raisins - 2,830
* Blueberries - 2,400
* Blackberries - 2,036
* Garlic - 1,939
* Kale - 1,770
* Cranberries - 1,750
* Strawberries - 1,540
* Tahitian Noni Juice - 1,506
* Raw Spinach - 1,260
* Raspberries - 1,220
* Brussels Sprouts - 980
* Plums - 949
* Alfalfa Sprouts - 930
* Steamed Spinach - 909
* Broccoli - 890
* Beets - 840
* Avocado - 782
* Oranges - 750
* Red Grapes - 739
* Red Bell Pepper - 710
* Cherries - 670
* Pink Grapefruit - 495
* Kidney Beans - 460
* Onion - 450
* Corn - 400
* Cauliflower - 385
* Frozen Peas - 375
* Potato - 300
* Cabbage - 295
* Banana - 210
* Carrot - 200
* Apple - 207
* Tomato - 195
* Peach - 170
* Lima Beans - 136
* Pear - 110
Yoga and Chocolate: Living the Moment
David Romanelli
David Romanelli (“Yeah Dave”) is Yahoo’s mind-body expert, blogging about everything fun, entertaining, and off the beaten path in wellness and spirituality. His soon-to-be-released by Broadway Books/Random House debut book is Yeah Dave’s Guide to…
Full Bio & Programs
Join David Romanelli for a weekend of flowing vinyasa yoga, great music, and delicious Vosges chocolate. If your mother or wife is a fan of chocolate and yoga, there is no better way to enjoy Mother’s Day than by spending it together at Kripalu.
David will share a fresh, new spin to his popular Yoga and Chocolate experience. The workshop will focus on simple pleasures ranging from tasting a buttermilk banana pudding chocolate truffle to hearing a mind-bending Hendrix guitar jam. By the end of the weekend, you will know how to transform simple pleasures into powerful rituals that clear a path to the present moment.
Underlying all these experiences is a deep teaching: Every moment of your life is precious. With all the distractions of life, you owe it to yourself to learn easy, valuable skills that help bring awareness to each moment. As Hazel Lee said, “I held a moment in my hand, brilliant as a star, fragile as a flower, a tiny sliver of one hour. I dropped it carelessly. Ah! I didn’t know I held opportunity.”
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 525
- Comments: 12
- Not yet rated
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Tears Tears
- From: BellaYoga
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Description:
I have been taking yoga for quite some time now and each class is always different. I've seen people cry in class, laugh in class, express anger or complete happiness. I have never ever found myself to be emotional in class. So i guess I was never able to relate to those people in class. But let me tell you... after this weekend I know exactly how all of you feel!!
I was in a Yin Teacher training intensive this weekend. And it was definitely an emotional roller coaster. I went into the teacher training sooooo excited. I was introduced to Yin yoga only a few months ago. And I go to Yin classes regluarily and practice on my own as well. I love this yoga and decided this is really what I want to teach. But there is a lot more to Yin than I thought.
The first night was great. I was so calm and relaxed and really got into "my zone." This feeling was exactly why I fell in love with Yin. The second day, much the same, but I found my self not being able to get as focused and my monkey mind was taking over. Non the less, it was still a good day. That night I went to my busy job, and I stayed at my cousins house to help him watch two babies... something I wished I never agreed to now. I had to sleep on the couch. And its always hard making a lunch out of someone elses fridge.
So I guess I can say on the third day, I was moody and slightly angry during my practice. The vibes in the room had shifted that day. Many people commented that they were feeling angry as well. We had a morning practice and the poses mostly focused in on the hips. These poses are never a problem for me and except I was starting to feel almost vulnerable. And then this confused me. We were coming out of a pose and I started to notice maybe a 1/4 of the room were crying. By the time we came out of the next pose I had tears streaming down my face.
What was happening to me!.. I'm not the person that usually cries in Yoga.. And of all things I couldn't even explain why. It just was coming out.. and then it wouldn't stop. I finished the rest of the practice in tears. And it took so much of me not to walk away from the class. But I stayed and finished. Once we did a bit more moving around and more flowing Yang poses the crying finally stopped. Did I maybe just have to much Yin in me and not enought Yang?..
This teacher training showed me how powerful yoga can be. It is so interesting how energies and emotions flow through the body. And I also learned on a personal note, that these things happen and to approach them with ease and be openminded. If I would have left the workshop I probably would have not ever wanted to do Yin ever again. And now I'm signed up for a 35 hour Yin teacher training and looking forward to every minute of it. I am just going to ride the emotional waves and let them come and let them go.
I can now be classified as one who has cried in yoga... and I can totally relate even though I maybe not be able to explain how I was feeling. We are all in this together. Thanks to my other yogis who make this a safe place to be.
- Blog post
- 3 months ago
- Views: 95
- Comments: 9
- Not yet rated
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YogaHarmony
- Views: 80
- Comments: 8
- Since: 1 month ago
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YOGA DAY: Experience!! YOGA DAY: Experience!!
- From: satyam
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Description:
Namaskar,
Hosted a wonderful Yoga Day this past Saturday! Had a 100+ people attend, free raffle with donations from the community, free classes, yogi tea, Haiti collection and lots of music by elementary school kids.
Here is the full write up: CLICK HERE.
There is even a podcast of one of the songs performed by the kids, more coming and photos on the way as well...
For all this and more, life has been busy and I have not been as present here in our YJ community as I would have liked. Though the schedule does not let up, I am "on" the next twenty days with full teaching routine, my new Restorative Workshop (thanks Sara), and our first ever Renaissance Yoga video shoot!
I promise however to check in daily and be here with all of you...all the best!
Satyam
- Blog post
- 2 weeks ago
- Views: 101
- Comments: 7
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A Musing on Group Think A Musing on Group Think
- From: healingyoga
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Description:
Years ago I was taking a workshop with an excellent teacher who spoke about "group think" in the yoga world. He'd teach us a pose and invariably, someone would say "That's not how I learned it." He'd smile and encourage us to examine whether our thoughts were a result of group think. The truth is, at the time, his teachings were quite different than what my yoga practice consisted of. Yet rather than dismiss his teachings or go along with yoga group think, I kept an open mind and thoroughly enjoyed this new view of yoga.
This past week I've been sick with a cold. A plain, simple, garden-variety cold. Yet I can't tell you how many people chimed in with "Do you think it's Swine Flu?!?!!" (said in a tone of concern and horror) The honest answer to that was/is -- NO, I don't think about Swine Flu. I know that it's all the rage in the media right now but I don't blindly follow along with the media. My first reaction was, "hmmmm...guess I got run down and am getting a cold." Swine Flu didn't even enter my mind. But this idea of group think and the power of group think certainly did.
Just as with Swine Flu, much of yoga's perception is built on what we see/hear in the media. You'd think that group think in terms of yoga only happens with folks that don't practice. For instance, when I tell folks what I do for a living, I often get the following:
- Oh, I can't practice yoga -- you have to be flexible to do that and I'm not flexible at all.
- I need to de-stress but I don't have time for a 90-minute yoga class. I know that you need to spend at least that much time practicing a day and I don't have that kind of time.
- I've seen yoga magazines on the newsstand and I just don't have the "yoga body." That's why I don't practice.
The list goes on and on.
Of course there's a list for yoga practitioners too. There's a group think about how yoga should be practiced, how long a practice should be, the importance of asana, and so on and so forth. You can choose to agree or disagree with yoga group think. What I think is most important is reevaluation. After you've been practicing a while, check in with yourself by asking -- "Why do I practice yoga this way? Where did my thoughts about my yoga practice come from? Is it time to change?"
I've been thinking about my practice quite a bit this week. Interestingly enough, my practice this past week looks completely different than the group think that I had about yoga 10 years ago. Ten years from now my practice and views on yoga may be totally different than they are today. That's the beauty of change. And that, my friends, is why challenging the group think every now and again can be a very cool thing.
Tonight I'm resting up and sipping my favorite tea (a bath and a good book are also in my future). For all of you tea lovers out there, check out this excellent podcast from Buddhist Geeks -- Buddha in a Cup of Tea. Not only will you learn some interesting facts about tea, but you'll also hear more about the simple joy of sipping a cup of hot tea. Mmmmmmmm. Perhaps you might even want to sip and consider how group think is affecting your yoga practice and your life? Just a suggestion...
Namaste!
- Blog post
- 4 months ago
- Views: 180
- Comments: 7
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Life is a Dog on your Head Life is a Dog on your Head
- From: suedon0527
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Description:
As I'm sitting here, slouching in a comfy chair, with the dog on my head. Yes, really on my head (he's a 14lb bichon who is mainly perched on the back of the chair but his butt, is so nicely placed on my head! :) ) I realized that I'm going to let go of my disappointment. Today, while unpacking the groceries, a soda can fell off the plastic ring and fell on my foot. I have a deep cut and have to use crutches for 3 to 5 days. Stinks but doable. I'm disappointed because a friend of mine and I were going to a workshop in NYC on Wednesday and we were going to spend the day in the city. I was looking forward to the workshop, shopping, eating at a great bookstore/cafe we recently found and just enjoying a yoga day. Now I can't go and I'm bummed. So as I sit here, dog on head, waiting for Carvel (indulging my sadness : ) ) I thinking of the seeds that I've planted to bring this about. I've recently finished the book How Yoga Works and a lot of it speaks about the seeds we plant in our lifes that cause good and bad to happen. It's a huge concept. It's karma to the nth degree. So are there no accidents? According to this book there aren't. So the seed, planted however long ago, from some bad/negative deed I did, ripened and out came my cut foot. The authors talk about meditation, thoughts on bad deeds and few other things that will get rid of bad deeds before they hatch. With 3 children, 5000 loads of laundry and a dog on my head, I wonder how much I can put in a day. I live a yogic life now and have for a while but before, let's just say I had my moments. So where do we find the time and when are the negative seeds gone?
Right now, the dog is up, Carvel is here and I'm wishing all of you a pleasant night.
Namaste,
Sue
- Blog post
- 7 months ago
- Views: 196
- Comments: 7
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The Yoga Student/Teacher Relat The Yoga Student/Teacher Relationship
- From: healingyoga
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Description:
One of the characteristics of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is saravat, which translates to full of essence. The Sutras are short yet full of meaning, which means that it's necessary to learn from a teacher rather than try to figure them out on your own.
Since I've done both -- read through the Sutras on my own as well as study them with a teacher -- I can say with conviction that it is necessary to learn them from a teacher or with the guidance of a teacher.
Moving onto the first sutra, we see the use of the words atha and anusasanam, which implies experiential teaching with atha representing the student and anusasanam representing the teacher. Rather than a mere intellectual inquiry, yoga requires a teacher and a student and a strong commitment between the two. The idea is that the concepts are so experiential that you won't get it unless you have a teacher.
Teachers are mentioned throughout the sutras as helpers, ones that can help bring you out of suffering. The student/teacher relationship has a long tradition in India, with students often leaving home and traveling to a teacher to study. It's been said in India that taking more than one teacher is like taking more than one wife.
The American culture is a bit different. There seems to be an inherent mistrust of teachers, with students questioning anything and everything being taught. We encourage this questioning -- after all, when we question that means that we have a sharp and intelligent mind, right?
I remember the first time I was taught by an Indian teacher. The class was filled with Americans -- Americans who were questioning this wise man's teachings. He seemed non-plussed by the "sharp, intelligent minds" of his students. It was obvious that he was not used to questioning his own teachers and didn't understand this type of behavior. He deflected the questions by calmly stating that he was teaching us the teachings of his teacher.
At the time, I soaked it up, yet still there lurked a voice in the far reaches of my mind that said, "Are you just going to take this man's teachings for law?" [I remembered those games of operator with great clarity so I knew how a message could get garbled as it moved from person to person] I'd heard contradictory teachings prior to studying with this man, so my brain was working on overtime to bridge the gap between the two. My brain was sabotaging my trust. Yet, there was something about this man that I believed in. Whether it was something as nebulous as his energy or something as concrete as his experience, I can't say. All I know is that I choose to not question his teachings and I took them in the spirit he offered them -- with gratitude.
It took me a long time to find a teacher that I wanted to offer up my trust to. Perhaps it was all of the stories I'd heard about gurus gone wild or perhaps it was my untrusting and ego-centric nature or maybe it was the fact that I had an idea of what a teacher should be -- and let me tell you, my exptectations were high. I'd never found anyone who could live up to them.
I remember being at a yoga conference and taking a day-long intensive with a prominent teacher some years back. This particular teacher had -- and still has, I'm sure -- like many well-known yoga teachers, a large group of fanatic fans. Years prior I had heard about how amazing this teacher was -- her teachings were wise, her strength and flexibility unparalleled, her style of yoga vigorous and the sure path to nirvana. I admit that I was curious. I wanted to see what all of the hoopla was about. The minute she walked into class I found myself as non-plussed as my Indian teacher had been -- THIS was the paragon of yoga that everyone had spoken so highly about?!? No only did she look dour (I highly doubt she smiled once in the 6+ hours I was in her class) but her energy was seriously negative. Her focus seemed to be on the physical aspects of yoga only, with little thought to the other tools. She wasn't exactly what I would expect a yoga teacher to be.
It was combination of this experience along with many others (that were equally disappointing) that got me more excited about the guru within rather than the guru without. I got a bit too attached to the idea that I was my own best teacher, filled to the brim with wisdom. Yes, I still think that I have a vast amount of wisdom inside of me that I can tap into when I get quiet and listen. Of course, what I learned through a regular yoga practice is that I had quite a few obstacles or antarayas in the way of the quiet. My ego loved to assure me that I was just perfect the way I was and that I had nary an antaraya.
Yeah right! Lucky for me, I found a teacher who enlightened me to the fact that, hell, yes, I have no dearth of antarayas. More importantly, I learned that while yes, we have the widom within us, sometimes we lack the discernment and the discrimination necessary to tap into it and then put it into practice.
That's not to say I don't occasionally push against the idea of bonding with a teacher. The voice in the back of my head still questions. Then I remember a conversation I had with a friend about 3 years back regarding a training that he had considered taking and I was in the middle of. I was headlong into the training and I had a mentor with whom I would speak to on a weekly basis for the entire length of the training. The mentor requirement of this training, while a plus for me, was a drawback to my friend, who ultimately decided to nix the training. He felt that if he didn't have a mentor who was older and more experienced than he -- which would have been tough being that he was quite convinced that he had a vast amount of experience and wisdom -- than he wouldn't be able to respect the mentor and value their relationship. My response was, "Well, even though this person might not be older than you or have some of the experience you do, he/she DOES have more experience in this modality than you do."
Touche.
Yoga teacher Sarah Avant Stover recently wrote an article regarding the student/teacher relationship as she paid tribute to luminary Pattabhi Jois. You can read the article here. It was reading this article that made me reflect on my initial aversion to and now heightened desire for a teacher.
I'd like to know what y'all think. Do you have a teacher -- and by teacher, I mean not one that you study with every now and again through a workshop but a teacher that you study/work one-on-one with on a regular basis either via phone and email or in-person. What do you think of the yoga student/teacher relationships here in America? Are they going strong, or non-existent? If you study with a teacher, what have you gained vs. working on your own? If you don't have a teacher, do you think that your yoga practice suffers because of it? If you do have a teacher, how do you feel that the relationship has enhanced your practice?
I'd love to hear about your experiences, so please tell me your stories.
Namaste! - Blog post
- 8 months ago
- Views: 251
- Comments: 7
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Yoga Thoughts on Being Human Yoga Thoughts on Being Human
- From: amy@yogawithspirit.com
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Description:
When I told my husband that the yoga workshop I was attending last week started at 11:00 each day, his response was, “I guess you’ll be with a bunch of yoga professionals if they can practice in the middle of the work day all week.” While I wasn’t even sure what a “yoga professional” was, it sounded intimidating. “Nah.” I replied. “It’ll be fine. I’m sure it will be other regular folks like me who love yoga.”
Famous last words.
I could not have been more mistaken. The women in the workshop with me had breathtaking practices. They reminded me of a hybrid character from The Incredibles – as strong as Mr. Incredible and as flexible as his wife, Elastigirl. Additionally, they seemed to be able to defy gravity, a feat I don’t think any of the Incredibles had in the movie. When these women moved back into chatarunga (the push-up) during Sun Salutations, they literally floated back to land lightly in a low plank. It was the same, if not slightly more awe-inspiring, when they moved from Downward Facing Dog back into the forward bend. If they were jumping (and it certainly did not look like it), these were the slowest, lightest, most effortless jumps I’ve ever witnessed. They simply lifted up onto their hands and moved their feet to the top of the mat. I’ll stop here. You get the picture. And I’ve only described their Sun Salutations.
Suffice it to say that when I reflected back on the experience that first night, I was feeling a whole lot of yuck. Rather than inspiring, the practices I’d witnessed seemed out-of-reach. My own practice, which infuses my life which so much peace and joy, seemed embarrassingly clunky and juvenile. I was astounded by the envy I felt towards those women. I was even more astounded at how powerfully judgmental I was feeling toward myself. As I grappled with these messy, dirty, not-so-admirable feelings, I thought, “Good LORD! All of this yoga and I still feel this way???”
And that’s when I understood. While yoga is a transformative practice for sure, it does not transform us into something other than what we are – human. Having a deep, well-established yoga practice on and off our mats does not mean that we’re not going to have feelings like the ones I had after that first class. What our yoga practice does offer us is a certain space and objectivity from these feelings. First off, we notice when we’re having these types of feelings. In noticing, we defuse some of the power that the feelings have over us. Rather than reacting to our feelings, over time our yoga practice provides us with the ability to act in spite of our feelings.
Without my years on my yoga mat, I might have left that workshop on Tuesday and not returned, deciding that it was clearly intended for people of a different level than mine. This would have been a shame, as over the course of the week I learned an enormous amount about my practice. Were it not for my established practice, I might have spent even more energy than I did beating myself up for my negative feelings, rather than approaching them with curiosity and questions. This would have been a missed opportunity to learn a little more about myself. Worst of all, were it not for my yoga practice, I might have let my surge of envy persuade me that, after all, yoga must not be for me as I’ll almost certainly never reach the level of the practices I witnessed that day. And this would have been a tragedy.
No matter our physical gifts or limitations, yoga is a powerful practice that can transform our lives from ordinary to extraordinary. The gifts of yoga come from opening our bodies so we feel better; from honing our mental focus so we perform up to our highest potential in whatever we choose to do; and in creating a deeper sense of spirituality in our daily lives. These gifts are available to us all – elastic or stiff, strong or not! Whether or not we can lift up into an effortless handstand is purely incidental. This isn’t to say I wouldn’t like to learn how to do that some day. I would! But I know that the real gifts of a yoga practice are already nurturing and sustaining my life.
Namaste,
- Blog post
- 11 months ago
- Views: 211
- Comments: 7
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Missing syllabus and reminders Missing syllabus and reminders
- From: jhazelp
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Description:
Background: I'm a freelance writer, editor, translator, and project manager -- not a professional bodyworker.
I started studying yoga about four years ago (reading books, DVDs weekend workshops, intensive short courses [week-long], a power yoga course, and now kundalini). I'm a former school teacher. And for the past six years I've been teaching Pilates.
I still consider myself a beginner in yoga.Queries:
1. Is it common for yoga teachers to NOT pass out a syllabus that let's students know what they'll be doing during the workshop or course?2. Is it common for yoga teachers to NOT constantly remind students to contract their abdominal muscles and/or pelvic floor muscles before entering a pose that could injure their backs?
I always give my Pilates students a syllabus, and I constantly remind them before, during, and after an exercise to do what is necessary to (2) protect themselves, (2) get the most out the exercise, and (3) enjoy the exercise.
Look forward to your feedback!
Judy - Blog post
- 11 months ago
- Views: 271
- Comments: 7
- Not yet rated
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My Journey into Handstand My Journey into Handstand
- From: lotuspetal
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Description:
For me, handstand was always one of those poses - you know the kind, the kind you maybe make a half hearted effort to get into and then basically just watch as others gracefully launch up into it and hold it with what seems like ease.
During teacher training and a few subsequent workshops, I actually did make an effort to kick up into the pose. I am strong, I rock climb, I figured I should be able to get into a handstand and hold it, and besides, I did it when I was 10 so why should it be so difficult now? But it was. There was an inversion workshop where the instructor came over to me and helped me kick up and get into the pose. He held me in the pose but I felt such effort, such strain, even with his assistance just to stay there. This did little to inspire any confidence in me. During later classes, we worked on getting into the pose sort of backwards, with your legs up the wall. I found this extremely difficult and could not even hold myself in such a position for a few seconds. Basically my handstand was going no where fast.
So I gave it up. I decided that my shoulder problems were the reason I couldn’t get into the pose and left it at that. I never taught the pose to my students (as I couldn’t demonstrate or even discuss it adequately) and I gave up trying in my own personal practice.
Then this weekend I went to the yoga journal conference is Estes Park Colorado. An incredible experience, 3 days of nonstop yoga, many amazing instructors from all around the country all set high in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. I took a backbending class with the excellent instructor – Jason Crandell. Doing handstand was the furthest thing from my mind. The class of course decided that doing scorpion pose was in order and you can access scorpion pose either from forearm stand or, you guessed it, handstand. Right when he called out to get into handstand my arm went up and I said I needed help. I thought about going to the center of the room to do an alternative pose but decided I might as well try, what harm could come of it right? So Jason effortlessly helped me get into the pose and as he held me there, I felt no strain and pretty much at ease. Quite a different experience from the inversion workshop a year or so back. The next round Jason did not help me and I spent a lot of time trying to kick up into the pose. Then for just a fraction of a second I had it. That fraction of a second was all it took. My mind went reeling into thoughts of actually doing the pose.
After class when everyone left I pulled my mat to the wall and began to kick up. Things were going ok but then I let fear come back in. My arm buckled and I collapsed in weakness. A fellow student was still in the room and came over to me to help. She told me to visualize myself in the perfect handstand. A few tries later I kicked up and GOT INTO HANDSTAND!!!! This was so thrilling! And while I held it it didn’t feel that difficult. I remembered to breathe. I came down and a few minutes later decided to try again. After just one try I kicked back up into handstand again and held it again.
I left that day feeling elated, and also rather thoughtful. What made me suddenly get up into the pose? First, I had totally let go of the pose. I had no expectations and no pressure to get into the pose, just the thought to give it a try. Second I visualized myself as being in the pose, holding it with ease and strength. I then let go of the idea that I could not do it. I became present in that very moment as different from all other moments and allowed the experience to unfold.
There are other poses I tell myself I will never do for this reason or that. Each moment we find ourselves in is different from the next. Each downward facing dog is different from the next no matter how many times you go into it. If you can see this and experience it for what it is, feel it for what it is, be with yourself truly in the poses then that is the true nature of yoga.
- Blog post
- 5 months ago
- Views: 219
- Comments: 6
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Broken wings and bystander yog Broken wings and bystander yogis
- From: yogaspy
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Description:
Inspired by calvino1976's post, I wrote more on the topic (helping others, in any way we can) on my Yoga Spy blog. I've excerpted most of it here:
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Would you stop for an injured bird? What about a deer hit by a car? A dog? A human?
Even in non-emergency situations, do people go out of their way to help others? My friend NC, a yoga teacher, once attended a packed workshop taught by guest teacher Sarah Powers. Coming from a class, she was slightly late and the glass door into the studio were locked. A suntanned blonde quick to smile, NC stood at the entrance in clear view of the students seated inside. But no one stood to let her in. People actually tried to avoid eye contact. Eventually the director of the studio, who knew NC, had to walk all the way from the opposite side of the studio to unlock the door.
Yoga students nod with earnest conviction when taught about the yamas and niyamas. But in real life, do they act properly?
Not opening a door is inexplicable, but relatively benign. (The story gave NC and me a good chuckle, as we wondered, "Who are these people?") But it illustrates the psychological phenomenon of "bystander apathy" (also called "bystander effect"). People tend to avoid acting in emergencies when others are around. The more people present, the less likely they intervene to help.
Psychologists have conjectured reasons for this phenomenon. People tend to reinforce one another's behavior: No one else is standing to open the door for NC, so staying put and pretending she's not there is socially acceptable. In a large group, there is also "diffusion of responsibility," with people counting on others to intervene: I'm comfortable sitting here, part of the crowd; another person will surely get up and open the door.
People unfamiliar with yoga often comment on its challenges: It takes a limber body. It takes a quiet mind. But the hardest tests might be the first two limbs of Patanjali’s eight-fold path, the yamas and niyamas, which govern the hurly-burly of daily life.
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- Blog post
- 5 months ago
- Views: 274
- Comments: 6
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workshop workshop
- From: snuller
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Description:
So I have again wasted my time. Darren Main from SF was on a visit here in Copenhagen and very kindly agreed to give a workshop. But it was such a waste of time. And then I get irritated because my time is precious, I paid good money for nothing and more importantly I could have been doing something wonderful at home in stead . I don't know how to judge these things better beforehand, obviously I don't do enough to do that, but this is also a part of the problem I get too few chances to see new teachers.
Do others find it worthwhile to go to workshops?
Karen ( still growling a bit)
- Blog post
- 6 months ago
- Views: 240
- Comments: 6
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Yotran
- Views: 193
- Comments: 6
- Since: 9 months ago
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Felipe52
- Views: 20
- Comments: 5
- Since: 3 weeks ago
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jimy45
- Views: 25
- Comments: 5
- Since: 3 weeks ago
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Floating Headstand Floating Headstand
- From: DoRestorativeYoga
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Description:
I went to an "Inversions" workshop on Friday and found myself working on headstand. I have been practicing headstand for a few months now. I was not strong enough to go into it until I took a couple of months of a specialty "Core" class. I had watched my teacher do a headstand where her legs floated up (straight) from the floor to overhead without a waver. I thought "WOW - how did she do that?" But after taking the Core class and practicing, I too could do a headstand. But it was a struggle. I could float my legs up but once I was up there I wavered and tipped after just a few breaths.
At this workshop we did a lot of practice poses where we practiced how to hold our arms, where to put weight, and what to do with our shoulders. Then we tried headstand with our heads next to the wall, then with our feet to the wall and heads were a leg's length away and then finally free of the wall (but close enough to touch a toe just in case).
I actually floated. It was the neatest feeling. I didn't feel tippy or scared. I was just resting there. Who would think headstand could feel so restful? Om.
- Blog post
- 11 months ago
- Views: 639
- Comments: 5
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There's Yoga for Everyone: The There's Yoga for Everyone: The Case for No One-Size-Fits-All Yoga
- From: healingyoga
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Description:
One of the reasons I tend to shy away from teaching group classes and focus solely on one-on-one sessions is because I don't believe in one-size-fits-all yoga. I see it in classes all the time -- people forcing their bodies into yoga postures that they shouldn't be attempting to get into. I completely understand it, as I used to do it myself (and, to be honest, I still do on occasion before I catch myself -- it's a samskara that I'm working on changing).
I'm not sure whether it's an ego thing or a follow the leader/listen to the teacher thing, but often students act without listening to their body. The problem with that is that practicing in this manner emphasizes form over function. If you want to get the true benefit of the pose -- rather than just look nice -- you have to achieve the function of the pose.
Let's take Bow pose for example. Traditionally, this posture is meant to be done with legs and feet together. Yet, when you watch folks execute this pose in class, the feet and legs are often apart. That means that instead of the back stretching and the front opening, the hips and legs are compensating for the lack of back flexibility. Consequently, your back isn't getting the stretch and your front isn't opening as it should be in this pose. So you basically have someone getting into the pose and looking okay, but he/she is only compensating for weak body parts rather than strengthen and stretch what needs to be strengthened and stretched. Rather than loosening the knots in your body, practicing in this way can actually create knots -- or bypass the knots you have by working around them.
That's not really what yoga is about. Yoga is about loosening the knots in the body and mind. Granted, it's not easy to loosen the knots. It takes patience and dedication and it requires one to drop the ego. Of course the benefits of practicing in this way are countless. Again, this comes back to the question of why you're practicing yoga. Are you practicing because you want to excel (getting into as many postures as you can, doing the postures" right," looking good while you're doing it, keeping up with the person on the mat next to you, etc.) or because you want to change your mind and your body? Forcing doesn't get you there. Only patience and persistent practice does. And the ego has to take a back seat.
I'm experiencing this all first hand at the moment. My teacher gave me a practice to loosen a knot in the body that I just didn't want to admit to having (gotta love that ego rearing its ugly head -- if that's not a knot in the mind, I don't know what is.). I found myself avoiding the practice and defaulting to a practice that I found to be easier for me. It was a practice that I liked and felt good. What I failed to realize is that the practice wasn't benefiting me, either physically or emotionally. I didn't want to work in a way that really worked my knots -- I just wanted to stick with taking the easy route and letting my strong parts compensate for my weak parts. What's the benefit here?
I realized yesterday that I haven't been practicing yoga. I've merely been moving my body and catering to my ego. It's time for me to work on loosening what's tight and strengthening what's weak and work on unraveling the knots in my mind. That means sticking with my practice, regardless of what my mind and ego are saying. While it won't always been fun, in the long run, I'll reap the benefits by opening my mind and my body.
Because I believe that yoga is about changing the quality of the mind and balancing out imbalances, strengthening weaknesses and working on the knots in the body and mind, I encourage my students to try practicing differently. I've found that it takes a little education with folks -- you have to prepare them for what this style of yoga is all about. It's not about the burn or the workout or tight buns but about the function of the poses.
I remember the first time I practiced this way. I had been practicing in a very ego-based sort of way and moving to this style of yoga really opened my eyes. My first thought was, "This isn't really yoga." By the end of that first practice, my thoughts changed considerable to "Ahhhh, this is actually true yoga." It was like being reintroduced to yoga all over again.
It reminds me that you can become entrenched in a way of thinking and doing for so long that you sometimes lose sight of what's real. And you can become caught up in misperception based on your past experience, ego, memories, beliefs, etc. and not see things for how they really are. I'm continually getting that wake-up call.
Just the other day, I was introduced to a Web site -- Yoga-Poses.com -- that offers videos of the majority of yoga postures. While on the site, I discovered something very interesting...
Did you know that there are 800 versions of Sun Salutations? See for yourself. The next time you're struggling to force your body into a posture, perhaps you can think about this idea that there are many ways that people practice yoga (because everyone's body is different).
You have to practice the right way for you and your body. You're not supposed to look like the teacher does in a pose or look like the person on the mat next to you or the world-renowned teacher that you took a workshop with -- you need to be in a pose the way your body is meant to be in the pose. That may mean that you aren't fit to do some poses (because you'll be muscling your way into the pose -- again, form over function, which isn't very beneficial). That may mean that your ego has to tone it down when it sees other folks muscling their way into poses and encourages you to do the same. That may mean that you may not think you're getting a benefit because it's something that comes over time and is subtle.
What it will also mean is that you will be practicing in a way that will truly change your mind, body, and spirit.
Namaste! - Blog post
- 11 months ago
- Views: 200
- Comments: 5
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My Head is Spinning My Head is Spinning
- From: suedon0527
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Description:
I've had a very long week.
My daughter was having what I thought was a panic attack but turned out to be dehydration. EKG and echocardiogram came back fine. Just waiting on heart monitor. My friend was having some scary tests done (All but one is in and so far so good). Another friend thinks her marriage is falling apart. I had an extra teacher training class. 2 new blog questions for teacher training. Started working in a new studio. Went to a workshop with some friends. Was told there was a sad, male energy in my basement (Ugh, did a clearing so all is good). My daughter has strep AGAIN. Kids off from school - superintendent's conference. Valentine's Day can't come soon enough for my son because he wants a new Lego set - he's asked me a thousand times a day if he can have it - I'm not exaggerating - 1000 TIMES. My dog is punishing me by CONSTANTLY eating everything in sight (apparently, he thinks I'm sitting down eating bonbons and not giving him enough attention) So now I have a nice sharpie marker stain on my bedding and then there's everyday life.
So now I have to think of a good question for the Yoga Study Group to ponder. Here is where I draw the line (LOL)! I'm putting it on your shoulders. There are so many interesting topic out there. Why don't you come up with one and we can get a discussion going. Go to the Yoga Study Group and get posting!
Blessings,
Sue
Yoga Study Group Leader
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 227
- Comments: 5
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