Scoop of Yoga

Health & Wellness Question Of The Day

2009-10-27T18:47:00.002-04:00

In an effort to learn more about various health/wellness/yoga subjects I thought it would be fun to post a different health & wellness question every day and see what information people respond with. I know for me when I am at the gym I always pick up a magazine and usually end up reading about some great low fat recipe, an exercise tip, or what foods are good for this or that. Of course I rarely retain this info after leaving the gym. Given all of the sources these days for this type of info I thought many people out there probably know a lot of things that I don't. Some questions will just be for fun and others an effort to gain more knowledge on a particular health and wellness related topic.

So with that being said let's start off with an easy one:
What is your favorite yoga pose and why?

Where's the Yoga?

2009-10-27T17:31:00.002-04:00

Hi Folks,

I haven't been writing as much lately and frankly that's due to me taking a hiatus from yoga. I got so addicted to the Migun bed that instead of splitting my time between that and yoga I was focused just on Migun. It feels so good! However having realized that the optimal things to help my back are a combination of yoga and Migun. I have decided to start up my practice again. However I decided this during the worst Flu season ever. I have to admit I'm a bit of a hypocondriac and the thought of going to a small common yoga space with people who may be ill isn't thrilling me right now. Even though most yoga studios tell you to stay home when you are sick sometimes people are in the early stages and don't know it yet. At any rate I'm not risking it so I'll be doing yoga in my tiny bedroom.

Namaste,
Michele

Yoga Accessories Coupon

2009-09-16T10:54:00.001-04:00

Save 15% on orders over $50 at YogaAccessories.com. Use Code AFSAV15 at checkout. Expires 10.15.09.

Free Shipping at Nature's Inventory

2009-09-15T19:31:00.002-04:00

Baby Yoga Clothing

2009-05-31T12:14:00.011-04:00

A while back I did a post on baby yoga, classes that mom and baby can do together. Well as a followup to that I wanted to share with you some really adorable baby yoga clothing lines I've come across. Lotus Children carries "Omsies" and tee shirts. The lion toddler tee is a clever design .

yogaspeakbaby's" Store at Zazzle has a few onesies and tees I love!

Yoga Speak Baby : Tree Pose Yoga Baby by yogaspeakbaby

Yoga Speak Baby : All Baby Chakras by yogaspeakbaby

make custom gifts at Zazzle

Namaste,
Michele

Migun Massage Benefits

2009-05-31T11:57:00.002-04:00

Some of the benefits I experienced after having several Migun massages were:
-I was able to sleep more soundly
-I had more energy
-I woke up feeling happy, refreshed and feeling as if my chi was running smoothly
-I felt more calm
-My mind was more clear
-I had an overall sense of well-being

Some of the benefits listed on a poster at the Migun massage place were:
-Reduce muscle stiffness and joint pain
-Strengthen the immune system
-Increase flexibility
-Remove toxins
-Reduce stress
-Increases melatonin for better sleep
-Increases serotonin- the "Happy Neurotransmitter"
-Improves circulation
-Lower blood pressure
-Benefits of negative ion-forest environment at home

Here is a link to more of the clinical research.

I hope you get to try this wonderful massage bed.

Namaste,
Michele

My Migun Massage Experience

2009-05-04T10:00:00.002-04:00

As promised I have an update for you on my trip to the Migun massage center. Let me start by saying that I had to restrain myself from going ahead of when my yoga instructor and I had planned to. After viewing the Migun website and seeing how the massage beds worked I was incredibly eager to try them. But I waited until the agreed upon day.

When we first walked in I immediately noticed a sense of calmness about the place. People were lying peacefully, scattered among the 8 different beds, there were no overhead lights, and new age music was streaming through the store. My yoga instructor and I signed in and she immediately went to a massage bed while the manager discussed with me the various conditions (pregnancy, pacemaker, etc.) that prohibit you from using a Migun bed. After rattling those off to me and seeing that I didn’t fit into any of the prohibited categories he handed me a form to read and fill out and told me he had a short video for me to watch and afterwards he would explain the bed and how it worked.

I filled out the forms and he turned on a small TV with a cued up local Denver television report on the Migun center in that city. Then he explained what the Migun bed was, how it was invented, how it works, and the benefits you might experience. The Migun beds are inspired by the by the effects of Acupressure, Acupuncture, Heat-Therapy (Moxibustion), Chiropractic, and Massage. Most importantly he told me not to jump up when the massage was finished but rather to lie there for a few minutes, sit up slowly, then after sitting for a few minutes I could get up. Anyone that has ever had a massage knows that there are lots of toxins released from your body during a massage and you can become lightheaded, dizzy and dehydrated immediately following the massage. Since Migun is a massage the same holds true for it. They also tell you to drink plenty of water following the massage again this is true with any massage.

Then he led me over to a bed and explained that once I was settled correctly on the bed he would turn it on for me. He explained that there were five settings on the type of bed I was using; the first was an all over massage, the second worked only your upper back, the third worked only your lower back, the fourth concentrated on acupressure points to help your chi flow better and the fifth was also an all over body massage but went a lot faster than the first and was only a 15 minute program. Most of the programs are 20-30 minutes. He clicked the bed on and I was off for a most delicious massage.

The massage was wonderful and when the bed clicked off I was disappointed that it was over. I cannot say enough about how good these massage beds feel. I have told everyone about them. You really must experience it for yourself. Check to see if there is a Migun massage center in your town. I went everyday for three days after my first massage. They tell you the cumulative effects of going 3-4 times a week is how you will get the greatest benefits. Yes, I am addicted.

As a side note, one of the things the manager asked me initially was if I had high blood pressure. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to do the massage because I do in fact have hypertension. He assured me that I would be able to do the massage and that the reason he was asking was he said many people with high blood pressure have actually seen a decline since using the Migun massage beds. So he told me to keep track of my blood pressure (which I do anyways) so I would be able to identify any significant decreases. He said some people have even been able to get off of medication.

Up next – what I experienced post Migun massage!

Namaste,
Michele

Migun Beds, Massage and Scoliosis

2009-04-19T14:04:00.006-04:00

My yoga instructor emailed me last week to tell me about a woman with scoliosis who had used a Migun bed with incredible results. I had never heard of a Migun bed before. They are in a nutshell a thermal massage bed that uses infrared heat. You can learn more about them on their website. Apparently it is free to use the Migun beds at Migun centers. The ultimate goal I believe is selling you a very pricey Migun bed. She said the woman went to the Migun center 50 times (all free) over the course of 6 months. Upon returning to the doctor they no longer saw a curve. Interesting huh?

Now I don't know her but I'm thinking that her curve was a functional curve as opposed to a structural curve. Remember when we talked about the difference between the two? Structural being when there is a fixed curve of the bones of the spine and functional being a result another problem such as a difference in leg length, habit (carrying something on one side of the body for a long time), etc. I’ve read many articles that say if you bend over and your spine straightens out then you have functional scoliosis. Of course you should never self diagnose. Only a doctor can tell you what type of scoliosis you have. Well as I mentioned early on, when I first started this blog, my scoliosis is a functional curve as a result of wearing a book bag on one shoulder for many years in high school and college.

So back to Migun, my yoga instructor asked if I'd like to go with her to try out the Migun bed. We are going to go this week and I can't wait to try it out! Not that I'm saying it's going to rid me of scoliosis but I'll be interested to see how it makes me feel. And I might do a little experiment like the woman I mentioned earlier. Go once or twice a week for several months and see if it helps to reduce my curve.

I know that muscles can be "trained" a certain way just like a part in your hair. That's why so many people with muscle tension and related issues continually get massages, to try and re-train the muscle. I've always felt that if I could get the muscle(s) that is built up on the left side of my back to loosen up that it might help my scoliosis. However I am not one that enjoys massage. Simply because my back is so sensitive from the scoliosis that I can usually never completely and fully relax until the massage is half way over. And I've never had the disposable income to get massages on a weekly basis. A friend of mine told me once that he had gotten a massage from a friend that was in school for massage. He said it was painful because his muscles were so kinked up and she told him that the pain would subside with subsequent massages. She said his muscles were trained a certain way and that it would take many sessions to work out the years of tension that had accumulated in his muscles.

The other interesting thing about a Migun bed is that is said to reduce blood pressure. There are jade massage heads in the bed and jade is said to contain various minerals that aid in the lowering of blood pressure. I also have hypertension which I take medication for. I regularly monitor my blood pressure as well. So if this bed does lower my blood pressure I should notice it in my readings.
I sort of have a this sneaking suspicion that I am going to love the Migun experience as much as I love Svaroopa yoga and that I am going to become addicted. We’ll see…

Beyond Yoga

2009-04-10T12:55:00.003-04:00

I discovered a new line of yoga clothes this week called Beyond Yoga. They have everything from pants to camis to super soft long sleeve tees. I just ordered two camis to try out the line. The great thing is some of their items come in organic cotton so for those of you for which that is important this line offers it. The Beyond Yoga line is from the “I Am Beyond” label. Check it out!

While I am on the subject of yoga clothes and finding new lines I want to tell you about a company I also recently came across that gives back. Volunteerism and altruism are very important to me. I like giving back to my community as well as the global community and so I always am impressed with companies I run across that make giving back a foundation of their business. Zohba is a yoga clothing company that gives back to various charitable organizations through it’s Zohba Foundation.

From their site: “The Zobha Foundation (TZF) is a non-profit organization created and funded by Zobha founder Jamie Hanna and her husband. The goal of TZF is to leverage the values of the Zobha brand to benefit charitable organizations in the yoga, wellness, education and environmental arenas. In addition to the founder's contributions, a percentage of all profits from Zobha sales will go directly to The Zobha Foundation.”

Do you know of other yoga or wellness companies that make giving back a part of their business? Let us know! Email us at scoopofyoga@gmail.com.

Namaste,
Michele

Candles For Your Yoga Space

2009-02-13T08:00:00.002-05:00

I am a very sensory person. When I do yoga I need to immerse myself in an environment of calmness. That means a space free from noise (except for yoga music) and distractions, dimmer lights (I turn my salt rock lamp on) and a soy candle with a natural essential oil fragrance. Candles help create a soft light and depending on the scent can help your relax even more deeply during your practice.

My husband is a big fan of the lemongrass/peppermint/eucalyptus candles. He had one with all three of these essential oil fragrances a few years ago and has been unable to find one with the same combination since. I’ve looked and have found peppermint and eucalyptus or lemongrass and eucalyptus but not all three. If you’ve found a candle with these three scents comment back and let me know. I recently ordered a lemongrass and eucalyptus candle on Target.com. I really like it and am using it in my yoga space. Any candle with essential oils of eucalyptus, lemongrass and/or peppermint is going to be an invigorating scent. I also like bergamot and tobacco flower candles. I have one from the Paddywax Eco Collection. When I first discovered bergamot and tobacco candles I thought “ewww! A tobacco candle?! Yuck!”. Until I smelled it, it’s a nice mellow scent. Obviously the bergamot works well with the tobacco flower, if the bergamot was not there you could skip the candle and walk into any bar.

Namaste,
Michele

Wellsphere.com

2009-02-11T10:57:00.002-05:00

I was thrilled to be picked to be a part of the Wellsphere blogger network! Wellsphere is an online community where people can interact with health specialists and professionals to connect and share knowledge. You can find information on everything from diets and diseases to yoga (sorry! I had to plug yoga!). Check it out!

Yoga Day USA

2009-01-24T08:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Yoga Day! Today, 1/24, is officially Yoga Day USA.

Many studios offer free classes on this day to get more people interested in yoga and to entice those who have fallen out of practice back to the studio. Find information on a studio in your area on the Yoga Day USA website, www.yogadayusa.org.

I've read several news articles of late about how the economic crisis is turning people turn to yoga. Since there isn't any harmony or balance in the markets people are finding that harmony and balance in the blissful poses of yoga.

If nothing else do yoga today, whether it's in your home or at a studio. Even if you don't do yoga during the rest of year. Even if you only relax and practice your breathing. Take some time out for yourself today and relax.

Namaste,
Michele

Baby Yoga

2009-01-20T15:33:00.003-05:00

Often yoga studios offer "mommy and me" yoga classes for babies and/or toddlers and their mothers. I think these types of classes are great as they allow the moms to socialize and the kids to get some good stretches in. If you're not into socializing with other moms, you want to save money on these yoga classes (especially in today's economy) or you just want to give your baby the benefit of yoga at home, then the Yoga for Baby DVD, from the publishers of Parents magazine, is your answer. This DVD helps parents bond, relax and play with their babies. This DVD would even make a great baby shower gift. I have several friends that pregnant right now so I have baby shower gifts on the brain.

Yoga for Baby DVD includes:
· stretch ‘n’ play routine: parents can connect and bond with their babies through playful stretches that promote motor development
· divine digestion routine: poses and movement to help soothe babies’ tummies
· sweet sleep routine: slow and soothing moves to help babies relax and sleep more soundly and for longer stretches of time
· especially for newborns: routines tailored for babies up to 10 weeks· bonus feature: one-on-one with infants and active babies

The Yogini that leads the DVD, Helen Garabedian, combines yoga and infant development moves to help baby sleep more soundly, digest better and grow stronger. Helen is a certified Hatha and pregnancy yoga instructor, certified infant developmental movement educator, and an IAIM certified infant massage instructor. She founded Itsy Bitsy Yoga.

Namaste,
Michele

Yoga playlist

2009-01-19T11:02:00.010-05:00

This is the second yoga playlist I've compiled for home practice.

I hope you like it.

Inner Peace by Steven Halpern

Ancient Voices by Karunesh

Sacred Mountain by Karl Maddison

Home Again by Drala

Hearing You Now by Karunesh

Gratitude by Chinmaya Dunster

Punjab by Karunesh

Flowing Bamboo by Karunesh

Call of the Search by Anugama

Namaste,
Michele

Yoga Toes

2009-01-14T10:24:00.006-05:00

I am sitting on the couch working and using my Yoga Toes. I got a pair for Christmas and love the way they make my feet feel. If you haven't heard of Yoga Toes they are simply toe separators that are made of a very lightweight, flexible gel. And they're not cheap! Overstock.com has them for $44.99.

I will say that my feet feel more relaxed after using them and I haven't had any foot cramping of late. There are some great testimonials on Overstock from others who have ordered them. I was thinking of getting my mother a pair for her birthday which is coming up next week as she always has foot aches and pains. They do tell you to start out wearing them only 10 minutes a day and gradually build up to wearing them longer. They also claim to help with circulation.

Here's the skinny from Overstock:

YogaToes work while you relax to stretch, strengthen, and align foot muscles
Foot aid increases circulation, straightens bent toes, and can even realign the bones
Relieve foot pain while improving strength, flexibility and appearance
YogaToes are soft and flexible, made from the highest quality medical grade flexible gel
YogaToes are odorless, hypo-allergenic, easy to clean and durable enough to last a lifetime

If anyone has a pair comment back and let me know what you think!

Namaste,
Michele

Svaroopa Yoga - Magic Four

2008-12-31T15:55:00.003-05:00

I alluded to the magic four pose sequence in my earlier post about rotated stomach pose. The magic four sequence is a series of four poses in Svaroopa yoga whose main purpose is to open up and release tension in the tailbone area.
The sequence is as follows:
1. Slow Motion Dive - Prasarita Padottanasana
2. Crooked Leg Pose - Janushirshasana
3. Lunge - Anjaneyasana
4. Rotated Stomach Pose - Jathara Parivrttanasana

I found demonstrations of all the poses in the Magic Four on Youtube. Sometimes it helps to see how a pose is done rather than to read how it is done.

This is a delicious set of poses. Enjoy!

Namaste,
Michele

Svaroopa Yoga Pose - Rotated Stomach Pose

2008-12-28T10:24:00.000-05:00

Of all the Svaroopa yoga poses Rotated Stomach Pose, or Jathara Parivrttanasana, is my favorite. This pose is a reclining spinal twist. It is a very easy pose, releases a lot of tension in your back and is very calming. I also like it because you can do it in bed before you go to sleep at night or in the morning before you get up. It releases the thorasic spine, shoulders, and neck. Rotated Stomach Pose is part of the "Magic Four", a set of four core poses in Svaroopa Yoga, which I will talk about in another post.

1. Lie on your back holding your knees to your chest with your hands. Your knees should be touching. You should feel your back will flatten to the floor.
2. Let your arms fall wide out to your sides and let your legs roll onto your right side. Your legs and knees should be stacked on top of one another.
3. Bring your left arm down along your left side and move your right wrist so that it is touching your knees, palms up.
4. Turn your head slowly toward your bent knees.
5. Remember to breathe and stay here for a few minutes.
6. Slowly turn your head back to the middle follow with your knees, holding on to your knees
7. Repeat on the left side

Enjoy the deliciousness of this pose!

Namaste,
Michele

Lucy.com Outlet in Williamsburg, VA

2008-12-15T16:23:00.004-05:00

If you are a fan of the website Lucy.com, which carries yoga and workout wear, you'll be excited to know that the first Lucy outlet store is in Williamsburg at the prime outlets! I was there today and picked up a cute lotus tank for $7! They are the only outlet store for the website. If you're ever in Williamsburg check it out.

Namaste,
Michele

I Found My PVC Free Yoga Mat

2008-11-29T17:38:00.009-05:00

I finally found a PVC free yoga mat a few weeks ago and it didn't cost me a fortune. I had been looking in a few places on the internet but hadn't made up my mind yet. I was in TJ Maxx and saw that they had yoga mats. Surely I wouldn't come across an eco-friendly PVC free yoga mat in TJ Maxx, of all places! I went over and checked them out and saw that the brand of mat was called EcoWise Fitness.

The box indicated that it was made from closed cell foam material and was Latex, PVC, Phthalates, and Chloride free. Perfect! It came in four colors - pink, green, purple and blue. And the best part was it was only $16.99!!! Far under the $30 or more I was expecting to pay. I settled on the blue or "Lagoon" as they called it. I've used it in my practice and it's great!

I would have really liked to have found a mat with a design on it but the ones I saw on the internet on sites like Gaiam weren't PVC free. I'd love to know if there are any mats with designs on them out there that are eco-friendly.

Namaste,

Michele

Yoga Instructors To Ride Along With Travelers At Miami Airport

2008-11-26T11:00:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving week is one of the busiest travel times of the year. Lots of people are hurriedly traveling to be with loved ones on Turkey Day. Getting to your destination is usually a hectic, frustrating experience. Especially if you are flying. We all know how pleasurable airports are these days.

To combat the frustration and aggravation that a lot of people end up feeling as they travel one company in Miami, FL has decided to hire yoga instructors at Miami International Airport to help people practice their breathing, calm down and relax a bit. Airport Fast Park (AFP), a company based in Cincinnati that operates parking and shuttle services at 18 facilities throughout the U.S., has hired yoga instructors to provide yoga tips and breathing techniques on board the shuttles as passengers are being transported to and from the airport.

Svaroopa Yoga in Richmond

2008-11-19T17:29:00.003-05:00

If you live in the Richmond, VA area and are interested in taking a Svaroopa yoga class, Deborah Woodward of Easy in Your Bones LLC, offers classes at two locations.

Easy in Your Bones LLC
Winter Series: November 17, 2008 – January 25, 2009
In the next 8-week series of Beginning classes, we’ll experience the primary poses of Svaroopa yoga for releasing deep, core muscles in the lower spine. We will look at how the poses relate to each other, and at the muscles that are engaged in these key poses. In the primary poses, you begin to experience more of who you really are, without stress, tension, unease. In Continuing classes, by popular demand, we’ll keep working with the abdominal poses for a few more weeks, because they are so important in relieving strain and chronic pain in the lower back. Then we’ll move to standing poses, which will ground you in the qualities of resolve, integrity, strength and stamina. Standing poses will help you discover where you are well grounded within yourself and where you are not—a great practice for standing with ease, physically, mentally and emotionally.

Artspace - 3rd & Decatur
Saturdays, 10 to 11:30 a.m. - Continuing

2039 West Grace Street
Wednesdays, 10 to 11:30 a.m. - Continuing
Mondays, 6 to 7:30 p.m. - Beginning
Wednesdays, 6:30 to 8 p.m. - Beginning

Tibetan Chakra Meditations

2008-11-11T13:56:00.004-05:00

I discovered this CD last week and love it! Whether you want to pull certain tracks off to add to a yoga playlist or enjoy the entire CD to align your Chakras, it's perfect.

It includes a track for each chakra as well as a "singing bowl" track for each.

Chakras are energy centers of the body. There are seven of them and they are said to interact with various systems in the body as well as with each other.

1. Brow Chakra - Perception
2. Crown Chakra - Divine Bliss
3. Heart Chakra - Compassion
4. Root Chakra - Evolution
5. Sacral Chakra - Fertility
6. Solar Plexus Chakra - Empowerment
7. Throat Chakra - Communication

Tibetan Chakra Meditations

I will write a longer post on Chakras later. I wanted to get this post out because I know you will enjoy this CD.

Namaste,
Michele

Yoga at St. Andrews

2008-11-06T12:01:00.005-05:00

Most people go to the old course at St. Andrews in Scotland to play golf right? Well that doesn't mean you can't get a yoga pose in here or there in between swings. Here's a picture of my cousin and fellow yogi, Brian, doing crow pose at the old course.

This just proves you really can do yoga just about anywhere. If you have unique pictures of you or someone else doing yoga in a not so ordinary place, like a studio or your living room, send it to scoopofyoga@gmail.com and we'll post some of our faves.

Namaste

Eco friendly PVC free Yoga mat

2008-10-27T08:45:00.004-04:00

I got my Yoga for Scoliosis DVD in the mail last week and viewed it this weekend. They suggest watching it all the way through first before you begin the practice. I learned that I need a few yoga props that I don’t currently own, the most important item being a mat. Yes, I know what you are thinking. This girl has been doing yoga for five years and doesn’t have a mat!? I know, I know, it sounds a little strange but the reality is the type of yoga I practice on a regular basis doesn’t require a mat. Everything is done on and with blankets. So begins my quest for an eco-friendly , PVC free yoga mat. Price matters to me as well so I am looking for a mat whose cost will be easy on my wallet. If anyone has suggestions of sites let me know! I will keep you updated and let you know when I’ve found one.

Stylish Sigg water bottles

2008-10-21T08:00:00.012-04:00

Have you been looking for a BPA free water bottle?

These Sigg water bottles are like works of art and are safer than plastic.
I love the Maharadsha bottle below!

Here are some of my other faves:

Sunray, Yin Yang & Earth

You can find sigg bottles at Whole Foods or online at REI.com

Carry a sigg bottle to class and be the ultra hip yogi!

Scoliosis and Yoga

2008-10-17T20:40:00.004-04:00

I found out I had Scoliosis when I was nineteen. I was in college and starting having back pain. One of my friends noticed that one of my hips was higher than the other and upon going to the doctor learned that I had Scoliosis. I was always checked for it when I was in school but they never said I had it. It’s possible that I had a growth spurt my senior year in high school and since they didn’t screen for it then it may have been overlooked.

It didn’t help that I carried my book bag, loaded down with heavy textbooks, on one shoulder, as opposed to the correct way, on both shoulders. The one shoulder thing was cool. It was cool in junior high, high school and part of college. My sophomore year of college I started wearing my book bag the correct way with the straps on both shoulders.
Some people are born with scoliosis but most develop it during childhood/adolescence, when the person is growing. PLEASE tell you kids not to wear their book bags this way. I don’t think this is the “cool” way anymore but just in case it comes back into fashion, don’t let them! Kids today may be smarter anyways than I was when I was in school.

The medical community doesn’t really know what causes Scoliosis and most cases of Scoliosis are labeled “idiopathetic” meaning unknown cause. This label is often used with adult onset scoliosis as well as when Scoliosis is a secondary symptom of another condition such as Cerebral Palsy. Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine but can also be a rotation. This can cause the ribs to stick out more on one side, one hip to be higher than the other, etc. Those with Scoliosis can develop an “S” curve (two curves) or a “C” curve (one curve). The curves can be on either side of the spine. In my case I have a “C” curve (right thoraco-lumbar) the major curve is to the right in the thoracic and lumbar region of my back.

After college I had back pain associated with my Scoliosis and never really found anything to help alleviate the pain. That is until I found Svaroopa yoga. See Svaroopa yoga post for more info. I’ve been doing this type of yoga for almost five years now and can honestly say that the only time I get pain or back problems is when I haven’t been doing my yoga!

Recently, my yoga instructor told me about another yoga instructor from Palo Alto, California named Elise Miller. Elise, who has Scoliosis herself, teaches yoga specifically for those with Scoliosis and other back problems. She is a faculty member at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco. I just ordered her video and am very excited to try the Iyengar yoga style. I will keep you all posted on my experience with Elise’s video!

You can read an article Elise wrote for Yoga Journal here.
Elise also wrote an extensive article for teachers in Yoga Journal.

Namaste

Enlighten Up!

2008-10-14T18:15:00.002-04:00

Enlighten Up! is a new yoga movie about a 29 year old skeptic named Nick who has been selected by the filmmaker to prove that yoga can transform anyone.

Enlighten Up! will be screening at the San Francisco International Documentary Festival on October 25th and October 28th. More info here.

Yoga playlist

2008-10-11T22:10:00.000-04:00

In an effort to encourage myself to do more home practice I've started putting together some yoga itunes mixes. This is my first playlist. Let me know what you think!

Spiritus Lenis/Gentle Breath by Riley Lee

Gentle Awakening (From Peace Dance) by Dean Evenson & Soundings Ensemble

Deep Bamboo by Steven Halpern

Opening the Gates by Drala

Nothingness by Terry Oldfield

Mountain Path by Terry Oldfield

Eventide by Steven Halpern

Earth and Sky by Terry Oldfield

OM by Medwyn Goodall & Terry Oldfield

Namaste

Doesn't this look like somewhere you'd like to do yoga?

2008-10-11T15:50:00.001-04:00

This is the view from Nepenthe, a resturant in Big Sur, perched 800 feet above the Pacific. The views are truly breathtaking. If you're not planning on being there any time soon you can always check out their weather cam. It's a nice little escape to dream of Big Sur when you are stuck at your desk. And of course there are lots of places in Big Sur to do yoga, they just don't all have the view that Nepenthe does.

Yoga for soldiers

2008-10-10T18:03:00.006-04:00

In an effort to help returning soldiers with post-tramatic stress disorder the U.S. government is looking into alternative therapies including yoga. According to USA Today, about 300,000 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans suffer from PTSD or major depression. They are spending $5 million dollars to study the therapies.

You can read the complete article here

Give your car some OM!

2008-10-09T14:39:00.005-04:00

Can't decide which fish you want on your car?
Now you can have an OM emblem on your car!
Check it out at sivanaspirit.com

Namaste

Svaroopa Yoga

2008-10-09T12:19:00.011-04:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I discovered Svaroopa yoga almost five years ago and have been hooked ever since. I highly recommend everyone try this style of yoga.

Svaroopa® yoga unravels the deep-seated layers of tension in your body and mind. This inner opening creates healing and personal transformation, and gives you an illuminative experience of your own divine essence, which is the goal of all yoga.
Master Yoga Foundation

"This style of yoga teaches different ways of doing familiar poses, emphasizing the opening of the spine by beginning at the tailbone and progressing through each spinal area. Every pose integrates the foundational principles of asana, anatomy, and yoga philosophy, and emphasizes the development of transcendent inner experience, which is called Svaroopa® by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra. This is a consciousness-oriented yoga that also promotes healing and transformation."

"Svaroopa® Yoga was developed by Rama Birch, who founded and directs the Master Yoga Academy and created the yoga program for Dr. Deepak Chopra's Center for Well Being, both located in La Jolla, California. Birch says teaching asanas became increasingly frustrating, because the students seemed to be trying to "impose the pose upon their body rather than unfolding it from within." She began looking for ways to guide her students to the deeper effects of each asana, speaking of them as "angles that provide opening, rather than poses to be learned." New students find this a very approachable style, often beginning in chair poses that are comfortable and have a deep healing effect in the spine.

For more information or to find out if there is a teacher in your area, visit www.masteryoga.org.
Yoga Journal (Winter, 2000)

If you live in the Richmond, VA area you can contact Deborah Woodward, a certified teacher, at art1am@verizon.net

Namaste

What is yoga?

2008-10-09T11:35:00.002-04:00

In Sanskrit Yoga means "union". Practicing yoga is a way of unifying your mind, body and spirit. It originated in India approximately 3,000 years ago.
Through "asanas", or poses, and with control of the breath, "Pranayama", you can achieve a higher level of consciousness as well as an improved physical state.
The goal of yoga is balance. Balance in your mind, balance in your body and balance between both the mind and body.

By practicing yoga you can:
1. increase flexibility
2. increase strength
3. quiet the mind
4. improve concentration
5. create emotional balance
6. facilitate healing
7. relieve tension
8. improve blood flow throughout the body
And so much more!

Namaste

The day I met Yoga and myself

2008-10-08T11:20:00.006-04:00

I’ve had the wonderful experience of yoga in my life for about four, almost five years. It has been an amazing, blissful journey of discovering my body and my "self". Yoga came into my life when I was looking to discover myself as well as help my aching back. I have scoliosis and had never found anything to help alleviate the pain until yoga.

In 2004, recently divorced, and discovering all the extra time I had on my hands, I wandered into a yoga studio that had advertised a free yoga class on a Saturday. I had taken hatha yoga in college but that was the limit of my yoga experience. A few downward dogs, that's about all I could remember. This studio specialized in Svaroopa yoga. I had no idea what that meant but was excited about the fact that the flyers indicated it was the “achievement of bliss through the opening of your spine”. Open spine -- that sounded a whole lot better to me than my “aching back”.

I walked in and quickly saw I wasn’t the only one taking advantage of the free class. The studio space was small but Kat, the owner, was so welcoming and calm it didn’t matter that I was crammed into a room for the free session. Svaroopa yoga, which I will talk about more in depth in another post, has a lot of poses that are done while lying on your back. If you’ve never done Svaroopa yoga before and you are walking around with a lot of tension in your body, the first time you lie on a hard floor your back literally SCREAMS at you. “Get up!, get up!, this hurts!, what are you doing!?” But once you “settle into the floor” the tension starts to leave and your back flattens out, happy to be so close to the earth.

The class started with Shavasana, then Kat lead us through some poses, we did Shavasana again at the end and I woke up feeling like I had been to the far reaches of the universe and the far reaches of my self. I was hooked! I couldn’t wait to scramble up and ask her where to sign up! When I did get up my hips felt very “open” and I felt like I was walking strangely but actually I was walking fine. I was walking the way I should always be walking-without deep tension in my body. So that’s it folks! That’s the story of how yoga entered my life and it's been bliss ever since.

Namaste