Dara's Centering

I got to take a class on Monday with my friend, a fellow yoga teacher, and a generally great lady on Monday. Dara seemed comfortable with silence in a way that I am still working towards in my classes. Sometimes I feel like I am always inserting some instruction, hint, modification, alteration, mental instruction, physical instruction, etc. and etc. in fear of the room just being silent. In her class, I was able to see how good it can feel as a student to have that space created by the teacher, and sustained.

This centering is completely lifted from her class. I loved it so much I used it in all of my classes that week. If it works for you as well, may the thread continue!

Dara's Centering

1. Begin in a seated position, eyes closed.  (Note: this is a long-ish centering, so it might be best to start on a cushion or blanket)

2. Come into a dirgha (three part) breath

3. Add ujayyi (ocean sounding breath) if it suits you

4. Become aware of your skin. Of the clothes on your body, of the part of your skin touching the floor. The hair follicles on every part of your skin. Feel the skin breathing, as it does, just like you feel the breath coming into and out of your lungs.

5. Pause (and be silent!!!)

6. Notice any noises in the room. Heating vents, air conditioner, street noises. Now take your awareness into the quietest noise in the room, which is often your breath. Have the quietest noise in the room be your focus.

7. Pause

8. After hearing and listening to your breath, feel the breath moving into and out of the nose. What part of the nose does it touch on inhale? On exhale? What do you smell on the inhale? On the exhale?

9. Pause

10. The eyes being closed this whole time, it may seem like you are seeing nothing. But take your awareness into the back of your eyelids. See the back of your eyelids like you would a movie projection screen. What colors, shapes, light or dark splotches do you see? Not referring to visions or images in your mind, but literally. What do your eyes see when they are closed?

11. Pause

12. Take your awareness into your mouth. Relax the jaw, let the tongue be heavy in the mouth. Let there be a parting in between the lips. See if there is a taste in the mouth. Whether your last meal was 10 hour or 10 minutes ago, there is a taste always there. Become attuned to whatever subtle taste there is in the mouth.

13. Pause

14. Now bring your awareness into all of the senses. Feel the energy of all of the senses constantly at work in your body, even when you do not notice them. Feel energized and enlivened by the complete awareness of your senses. And... breathe.

Readmore »»

Yoga to put you to sleep

This is what I've been doing the past few nights to help put myself to sleep. Whether it just works very, very well or I am just very, very tired... I can't say. Probably a combination of both. Either way, this is a good tool to help students (and yourself) focus on your breath during final relaxation or Savasana.

1. Begin by closing your eyes and bringing the breath into and out of the nose. Start by focusing on the breath and the sensation of the breath entering and exiting the nose. What part of the nostrils does the air touch on inhales and exhales? Do you smell anything while you breathe? Is there a different smell on exhales? Be fully present in your breath.

2. Now take the awareness into what you see while your eyes are closed. Do you see splotches of light? Colors? Dots? What do you still when you eyes are closed?

3. Against the back of your eyelids, see the numbers 1-10 lining up against the back of your eyes. The number one appears to be in the right corner of your right eye, the number 10 on the other side, appearing to be in the left corner of the left eye. The rest evenly line up in between.

4. Beginning with an exhale (that part is important! Have to begin on the exhale) count the number one and "see" the number one with your eyes closed. Inhale, keeping the "gaze" on the number one. Exhale, and shift the gaze to the number two that you are envisioning. Inhale on two. Exhale move to three, and continue until you inhale with your eyes seeing the 10 that you visualized in the left corner of the left eye.

5. If your mind wanders during the count, begin again at the number 1.

6. If you can make it to the number 10 without passing out, start again at one. If you can go through it twice without the mind wandering or with lots of restarts, are you really tired? Are you trying to go to sleep just because you think it's a good time to? Sleep can't be forced, but we can bring our bodies and minds into a state more open to it.

7. If you start to have those weird, loopy half-sleep thoughts as you count, don't push the counting. Isn't sleep the point?

I hope this works for you! I have a really lovely class intro meditation that pairs well with this... coming soon!

Sleep tight, my sweet yogis and yoginis! Readmore »»

Guest Post: Meditation Tip-- Unclutch

Meditation Tip | Unclutch

By Swami Nithyananda

The mind is nothing but a collection of thoughts. These thoughts rise up in succession like the bubbles in a fish tank. All these thoughts that rise in the mind also appear to be connected. But just like the bubbles in the fish tank the thoughts in the mind are also independent and unconnected.

You can do a small exercise. For ten minutes sit silently and observe the thoughts that arise in your mind. Don’t try to control or stop thinking. Just be silent and witness the thoughts coming. The moment a thought comes quickly, write it down on paper. Then, at the end of ten minutes read out whatever is written. You will see that it’s a mad man’s diary. There is utter chaos. There’s no connection between the previous thought, and the next one. Only when you write down your thoughts you come to know that the thoughts have no real connection. You may be thinking about having a cup of tea and the next moment you think about some pending office work. There is no real connection between having a cup of tea and the office work. Both are independent events. Even if there are two consecutive thoughts about the same event, the thoughts are unconnected as there is no continuity. There exists a silent gap between these thoughts of which one is not aware.

These thoughts by their very nature are unclutched. The problem begins when we start connecting these thoughts. When these independent and unconnected thoughts are linked together, we create illusions of pleasure or pain based on the nature of thoughts that we choose to combine. This is a play of the mind that is constantly happening within us.

When we perceive every incident as a new incident we will see life in a more beautiful way. Everything seems joyful and blissful. You stop taking things for granted. Once you start accepting life from moment to moment, bliss happens to you naturally.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Known as the “life bliss swami,” Paramahamsa Nithyananda is a young enlightened master of Yoga and meditation who has inspired more than 4 million followers worldwide. He has dedicated his life to helping people overcome mental, physical and spiritual barriers to achieve enlightenment and live lives of bliss, success and peace. Find out more about the art of levitation at Nithyananda's next Inner Awakening event which will be held on Dec. 1-21 near Bangalore, India. Visit http://www.innerawakening.org and www.dhyanapeetam.org.

Readmore »»

Guest Post from Lindsey of Joy for Life blog

This guest blog post was provided through TeachStreet’s new Guest Blog Exchange Program.  The program helps excellent teachers of various subjects (including Yoga!) connect with great bloggers who share the same interests as they do.   If you’re interested in writing a post or hosting a post on your blog, feel free to contact Kenji Crosland at kenji [at] teachstreet dot com.

Holiday Helper

"I don't know exactly how it happens," my friend, a yoga teacher, said, "But when I go home for the holidays, I lose it. I lose the person I usually am when I'm not there. I get cranky, stressed, argumentative....what's the deal with that?" All I could do was nod. It happens to me too.

Yup, I do write a blog that features a lot of stay-calm tips, but in all honesty I'm not really sure what the deal is. A bunch of things might do it: We're in closer quarters than we're used to, with more people than we're used to; we're not getting the usual food that keeps us balanced; or we're not getting the same exercise that releases adrenaline. Or, we've eaten way too many of our dad's homemade almond cookies even though we know sugar makes us cranky, and reverted to the selves we know we can be around people who love us no matter what, even if we do sometimes resort to teenage-like bickering with our big sister. Not that I've ever done that, of course.

Home For The Holidays: 5 Yoga Tips For Keeping Your Cool

Aside from the usual admonitions: getting the R & R we need, eating well, lowering our expectations of getting our dream Thanksgiving...

1 Tap In

We can take five minutes in the morning to tap into that person we know we can be, through anything that works for us. Some suggestions:

   
• asana (vinyasas work really well when short on time)
   
• meditation with long, deep breathing
   
• journaling

2 Pause and Check

Got a snarky reply on the tip of our tongues? A one-second pause to recognize that the source of our bad mood is likely coming from us and whatever leftovers we're hanging onto from the fight we had when we were 12--not them--is often enough to help us let that response go.

3 Reprogram

On the yoga mat we learn to meet physical stressors and challenges with peace and equanimity. Just remembering that we've done that can help us consciously tap into that when we meet stressors in the living room. "Oh, hiiiiiii, (smarmy and irritating goon) Uncle Ted!"

4 Release

And when it all just gets to be a bit too much? Head to the basement, shut the door, turn down the lights, and take Lions' Breath at least 10 times, while standing. Adding big, sweeping arm movements, reaching high then out and down, on each exhale, adds oooomph.

5 Escape

Do what an acquaintance of mine is doing this year: head to Mexico!

Lindsey Lewis is a lover of yoga, writing, and life. She’s a yoga teacher, plus a bunch of other fun things. Connect with her at her blog, Joy for Life

Readmore »»

Sequence for digestion

It's the harvest season here... and you know what harvest means. Harvest means food.  Halfway between Canadian and American (US) Thanksgiving, there are all sorts of beautiful things clamoring for space in my refrigerator. Beautiful orange squashes, dark greens, and the completely sexy color of beets make my plate an exquisite thing. Not to mention sweet potatoes, which are my favoritest, are literally popping up out of the ground. Most delicious treat ever?: Baked sweet potato with salted, crunchy peanut butter, cinnamon, honey, and extra salt. Decadent and filling.

In addition, of course, to the amount of apples Chris is bringing home. Don't even get me started. 

From Chris' blog

It's a very happy thing and these days the eating is so good. What's better than fall harvest? Accordingly, here's a sequence for massaging internal organs and aiding in digestion. Eat up, and enjoy!

1. Begin in Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined Bound Angle). Take hands to the lower ribs, thumbs to the back (towards the floor) and the rest on the front of the ribcage. 
2. Breathe deeply, feeling the expansion in the ribs with the breath. Feel the movement underneath the hands. 
3. Remain here for 1-3 minutes
4. Draw the knees together with the hands and drop them to the side for a supine twist. 
5. Repeat other side
6. Supta Pavana Muktasana (Reclined Wind Relieving Pose). Repeat other side
7. Draw both knees tightly into chest
8. Urdhva Prasarita Padasana (Straight Leg lowering and lifting). Repeat 12x.
9. Jathara Parivartanasana (Straight legs side to side). Repeat 12x.
10. Place hands on belly and gently massage and breathe
11. Come onto belly
12.  Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose). Using the breath, rise higher and inhale and lower on exhale. Continue to raise and lower for 6 cycles of breath
13.  Bhujangasana (hold for 5 cycles of breath)
14. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose). Repeat 3x. On third time, use breath to "rock" body in Bow.
15. Release to floor, allowing legs to "windshield wiper" side to side, releasing lower back
16. Garbasana (Child's Pose)
17. Walk hands in front of you to one side. Side stretch. Repeat other side.
18. Savasana

Readmore »»

A clean slate

“There's always a clean slate, a fresh sheet of paper, a waiting space, a chance to have another shot at it tomorrow.”
 —Herb Block

Coming back out of what turned out to be a longer period away than I had originally intended. What never went away, though, is the mindset I had developed over a year's worth of blogging. Whenever I think of anything that might be of interest to more than just myself, I ask, "Could that be developed into a post?" The difference here is that when I had these thoughts, I continued to develop them and see where they went... and then they just went. I don't remember any. It doesn't mean that they weren't worthwhile, but it speaks to a degree of non-attachment that feels healthier than some patterns I took on over this year. 


During this time off, I missed writing. There's no doubt that a lot of this practice is for my self (in addition to seeing it as seva). Blogging every day makes me a better writer. Not blogging every day has me thinking about how I should write more than actually writing. Boo hiss on that one. The goal becomes working on writing aside from here in addition to continuing to write here. 


Here's why I am really back and what I want to share:


1. I am much better at not apologizing for everything and saying "I'm sorry" like other people say um. And it's changed the way I interact with people, the way I carry myself, and allowed me to notice other phrases I overuse. 
2. Nikki said, "Laughing engages your core muscles." It's your sequence of the day, too. While the sequence is something I'll take to a strong, "power" class of experienced students, that quote I'll take for me. 
3. I kissed a student today. On the arm. After class, during a discussion. They said a very nice compliment, which, apparently, I couldn't accept very gracefully. I promptly called my mother afterward and told her I felt very foolish. I'll put that one on the list, too: Learn how to accept compliments and hold the space when I receive them gracefully as opposed to doing something silly to change the mood. 
4. Someone wanted me to promo their Etsy site, which is called EatPrayShop. That's what the world needs: the exchange of "love" for "shop." The stuff may be lovely, I didn't really look, but the name... I couldn't get over that. 
5. And we're going woo-woo hippie landia in 5,4,3,2,......: When you frown, you create tension in your third eye, which is also an important pressure point in the body. Smiling relaxes the face which in turn relaxes important pressure points, which in turn relaxes the body. So smile. See #2 for further instruction. 


And, finally. The comments I received after my last post. You can see #3 again for this one. I am not good at accepting such lovely, beautiful things as were written under that post, but that is no excuse for taking so long to respond. What everyone wrote very deeply moved me (and, as a side note, also brought great joy to my mother). I cannot thank you all enough. You are family.


Atha Yoga Nushasanam. Many different spellings and translations exist, but the one I go with:


And now the study of yoga begins (Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 1:1). Readmore »»

Yoga + Non-Greed

Aparigraha is the fifth yama and is defined as "greedlessness." How do we embrace and teach greedlessness is our culture of "stuff" and "more more more"? I think this yama comes last in the list for good reason. As we bring non-harming, truth, non-stealing, and moderation into our lives greed begins to melt away. A sense of abundance and trust envelopes our every day and our perspective shifts. We need not fill our lives with all that "stuff" because all that we need we already have.

From the perspective of yoga teacher Aadil Palkhivala, aparigraha is also defined by not coveting what is not ours. Wanting something that does not belong to us or desiring to be someone we are not is rooted in jealousy and this yama is encouraging us to be exactly who we are - nothing more. Aparigraha is about seeking to discover our true selves so that we do not need to covet what someone else has or who someone else is.

When practicing non-greed, we discover contentment with what we have and who we are. We accept what has been given and we cultivate gratitude for all the abundance surrounding us. We begin to see what we have rather than what we do not have.

When teaching aparigraha as a yoga teacher, I like to encourage my students to practice with themselves - without looking around and coveting other people's asana practice. I ask them to find gratitude for making it to class and honoring the body that is with them in this life. In doing so, I hope it enables all of us to find thanksgiving for all that we have, all that we achieve, and all that defines who we really are.

I recently started a gratitude journal. Every night before bed, I write five things I am grateful for. Often there are repeats and sometimes what I write surprises me, but it sure does give me a sense of hope at the end of the day because there is always something to appreciate and doing so gives me gratitude for all that is my life.

Thanks for reading my past five posts on the yamas. I am going to take next week off (hope that's ok Emma!) and get started again October 26 with the Niyamas! Cheers + Namaste!

Readmore »»

OCTOBER 2010

YOGACLUB!

colorful

clothing

optional!!!!

Sunday Mysore 8:30-11 AM

Monday&ThursdayMysore 5-8 PM

Wednesday Level 1 5:45-7:15 PM

Saturday Guided Primary 9-10:45 AM

Classes are by donation

Please do not let $$$ keep you from practicing at yogaclub

IOUs and chocolate gladly accepted

Park in back on left side or along side porch in driveway if possible

(trying to keep off street parking for my neighbors)

Class Description

Mysore: All levels welcome, including complete beginners.

Level 1: Fundamentals of Ashtanga Yoga: suryanams & standing poses

Guided Primary Series: Instruction on postures will be limited.

If you are not familiar with the entire series, you are welcome to attend

and practice as is appropriate, then sit and observe. This is a hard class.

New to Ashtanga? New to Durham? Visiting?

email any questions to: suzyruth2@yahoo.com

yoga related emergency? call/text suzy’s cell 919-475-9579

thanks for checking out our cute little blog!

Readmore »»

Reconsider Columbus Day

Readmore »»

One Year Later

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of me and my blog. Like any relationship, its had it's ups and its downs. Recently, though, we had to have a long talk, and see where the future of this relationship was going.

The essential question here is: Why do I write this blog? Not in the past, because as neat as it would be, I'm not living there and don't plan on visiting in the near future. Now, why do I write now. I write because I enjoy doing it and think that a daily blog forces me to take the time to sit in front of my computer and work on writing skills. In doing this every day, I think I have better developed my "voice" and some speedy (if sometimes not perfect) editing skills.

I really enjoy the people and blogs I have found because I started this project. These relationships seem a lot like the relationships I have offline, if perhaps even more honest. Here, I have the time to really think my responses out as opposed to giving reflexive dialogue. And, as per one of my original intentions in beginning this blog, I have learned a lot about yoga. More times than I can count, entire class plans have been sparked by something online. Whether it be a pose or an idea or an intention, the blogosphere has become my main source for educating myself so I can be a better yoga teacher.

Sometimes, in class, I'll amaze myself at the amount of Sanskrit I know. In the beginning, sequences would take me so much longer because I would have to translate. I can't think of the last time I had to look up a word in the Dharma (see right panel link) dictionary. My vocabulary is awesome and it has helped in classes in unexpected ways. For example, I can discuss the root of the word in relation to how the body is moving and feeling. Today, in Fire Log pose, I talked about how the pose's name could come from the way the shins are stacked... or from the fire that some might be feeling in their hips.

But it hasn't been all roses. In fact, my blog has never given me roses, although I have received a small bit of swag. There have been nights when I come home late, having been gone and busy all day, and I hammer out a post with no love. Just because I said I'd do it every single day. Days when I felt like I didn't have much to say, but I burdened you all anyway. Because I said I'd do it every day. Moments where Chris would ask, "Are you listening to me?" And the answer would be no, because I was more invested in my computer screen. Because every day means every day.

Days when instead of practicing yoga I write about it (no, in this case, this doesn't count as doing yoga).

I am pitta (fire-y, pushy, bullheaded) and when I say I'll do something I'll do it, dammit. The dammit often comes afterwards. I've done my year and I am proud that I have, but now I need to find something that works. So in this beautiful, earthly swirl of love, self-care, and the seeking of balance, I'm making a change. Henceforth, I write when it doesn't affect my practice and my relationships. When I am not exhausted. I write when I have something to say and when I have nothing to say (because if we only wrote when we had something to say, we might never write, right?).

In the end, I'll write when I write. Sometimes I'll include the sequences I've been working on in my personal practice and with classes I teach and sometimes there'll be nothing at the end of the entry. In yogawords, I'm following my prana, darlings.

I'm still always looking for guest posts and guest articles, sequences or no sequences. I'm still equal opportunity, so as long as you write about yoga/health/wellness you'll probably get posted (even the blatant self-promo bits, because that's what equal opportunity means to me, and who am I to judge?). After I post this, I'm going to go update my motto; no more one yoga sequence every day. Thinking about changing the look, too.

Now, with this very-big-deal-for-me-and-my-entire-life I would love to hear from the ones I love, which is everyone who reads this. What do you think? Honest opinions. One year check in. How am I doing?

Thank you for reading.  I mean it.

Love,
Emma Readmore »»

I'm sorry

I'm sick of saying I'm sorry. I apologize when someone else bumps into me, even if I wasn't even moving. I apologize for things that I am not really sorry for. Every time that I apologize, I take away some of the power and truth from the times I am really and truly sorry for a mistake I have made or feel empathy for a situation someone is in. Essentially, per Katherine's post on Satya last week (side note: you should also check out her excellent post on Bramacharya from yesterday) every time I apologize in this way, I am telling a lie. I am also diminishing my personal power.

When it comes down to it, I think this is a gender thing. I know I hear women apologizing a heck of a lot more than men. It's meek, it's subjugating, and, really, it's not me. If I knock into someone, I should say pardon me. If someone knocks into me, I can still say pardon. But not sorry. I tend not to say like or um. My place holder is, "I'm sorry."

My goal this month (heck, let's bring it to the end of the year) is to stop saying I'm sorry. Just entirely. I can work it back into my speech when I really mean it, but, in the meantime, use other words. For example, when I really did make a mistake or do something in anger I can say, "That was my mistake. I'll try to be more aware in the future." Or "How I responded was innappropriate. I'll check myself before responding so quickly."

I will be bold, sure of myself, and clear in my language. But I will not be sorry.

I'm sorry

A completely unapologetic practice. 

1. Vajrasana (Diamond Pose)
2. Kapalabhati Pranayama (Breath of Fire)
3. Practice breath retention with Kumbhaka if it is a part of your practice
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 2x
5. Cat/cow in table
6. Vyaghrasana (Tiger Pose). Curl leg into chest and extend with "Ha!" exhale. Repeat 10-12x
7. Repeat other side
8. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose). Pedal heels, bend and straighten knees. Warm up
9. Lift one leg, bend at knee and draw circles with knee for hip opener
10. Repeat other side
11. Adho Mukha Svanasana
12. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog) or Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
13. Move between steps 11 and 12, making sure not to bend elbows out to side, and keeping them close to the torso. Repeat until very warm
14. Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose)
15. Bend back knee towards ground, letting it hover right over floor, and return to straighten. Move between the two locations.
16. Yajnasana (Cross Pose)
17. Chaturanga Dandasana
18. Adho Mukha Svanasana
19. Repeat steps 14-18, other side
20. Virabhadrasana I
21. Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
22. Parivrtta Virabhadrasana (Revolved Warrior)
23. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
24. Utthita Tadasana (Five Pointed Star Pose)
25. Virabhadrasana II
26. Vinyasa to repeat steps 20-25 on other side
27. Vinyasa to seated
28. Urdhva Prasarita Padasana (Upward Extended Feet Pose), lift and lower legs
29. Chakrasana (Wheel Pose)
30. Eka Pada Urdhva Dhanurasana (One Leg Upward Bow Pose)
31. Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand Pose)
32. Halasana (Plow Pose)
33. Karnapidasana (Ear Pressure Pose)
34. Spinal Rock
35. Savasana (Corpse Pose)

Readmore »»

Suburban Yogini on the D.L.

And by D.L. I mean download. What were you thinking?

Per today's post on her site she is starting to create download-able classes to enjoy in the comfort of your home. Because we are a whole bunch of busy, on the go people.

Her first sequence is a freebie, so go out there and hear her sweet, beauteous voice singing out the yoga! Readmore »»

Moderation is Key.

Brahmacarya is perhaps one of the most misunderstood yamas. This fourth yama was completely perplexing to me during my 200 hour teacher training - the definition taught to us was "celibacy." Much to the dismay of my partner, I seriously thought that refraining from sex would help me attain a higher understanding of yoga. Well, that didn't last for too long and thankfully that then-boyfriend is now my husband! Brahmacarya is truthfully my favorite yama because the way I have grown to understand its meaning is "moderation." In our culture of "go go go" and "more more more" it sometimes is challenging to connect with the idea that less really is more!

It's all about seeking balance - something I've had many challenges with. I lived for many years filling my days with as much activity as I could squeeze into my planner pad. Brahmacarya for me is about discovering and following the desires of your heart. Opening yourself up to that takes courage. It is difficult, but energizing to discover the power of non-doing and simply being. It is about sitting with yourself, finding your truth and implementing moderation in order to discover our own dreams. This yama is a reminder that if we use our energies wisely we will lead a productive life.

When sharing Brahmacarya in a class setting I like ask my students in asana to become aware of the muscles they are using to be in this pose that may not be needed. I encourage them to find places they are holding on to and let them go; to bring a sense of moderation into the pose; to put just the right effort you need to be comfortable and reserve the rest of that energy for the rest of your day. I also think it's important to find moderation in the ways we practice. I love a good challenging class or heavy personal Ashtanga practice, but seek to recognize when it's my ego pushing me to do it and whether it's what my body is really needing at that time. Listening to the body and allowing moderation is hard when we are inundated with images encouraging us to push & do more, but we may actually experience more when we push less.

Take a moment and write down everything that you did today. Then assess whether those things give you energy or are energy vampires - sucking it all away. Step back and observe where you can find moderation? It can be in so many different places: finances, work, time management, hobbies, exercise, food - you name it. Pick one and give it a try. Set your intention in the morning to find reserve throughout your day. Observe how moderation can bring calm clarity in your life.

Any thoughts on how less is more in your life? Or struggles to find that ever tottering balance point in your life or asana practice?

Less is More Sequence

• Arhda Surya Namaskar (4-6 Half Sun Salutations)

holding the following poses for 5-10 breathes

• Uttanasana (Standing forward bend)
• Adho Mukha Savasana (Downward Facing Dog)
• Bhujangasana (Cobra)
• Balasana (Child's Pose)
• Setu Bhandasana (Bridge Pose)
• Savasana (Rest)

Readmore »»

Yoga for Busy People

I am a busy person today and only have a few minutes to scribble down a post. I'm sure that's how many feel about the time that they have for a yoga practice. But you must get it in there! Here is a post from a busy lady, for the busy yogis out there. Hopefully, it will create more space in your life, which can feel like more time.

1. Uttanasana (Forward Fold). Hold for 2-3 minutes. Come into it gently, don't pull yourself deeper. 
2. Hands to sacrum/low back. Raise your chest towards the ceiling for slight back bend (chin slightly tucked)
3. Lateral stretch, with single arm going towards opposite side above head
4. Taking feet 2-3 feet apart, swing arms like empty coat-sleeves, allowing torso to twist as comfortable. Gently hit yourself. On the twist exhale a strong "HA!" sound, inhaling through the nose in between. Speed up or slow down as you feel is right for your morning body. 2-3 minutes. Note: If you do allow your hands to gently hit the back body, the usual location is right over the kidneys. If you're not hitting too hard, this can massage the adrenal glands, and work like a cup of coffee by encouraging the flow of adrenaline in the body. 
5. Marichyasana (Marichi's Twist). Or any good twist. This helps untangle the nerves along the spinal cord. Hold each side for a minute, and gently twist in the opposite direction before switching sides.

Readmore »»

Yoga and Sinus Pressure

When I have a cold, for example now, there are some things my body just does not want to do. For me, though, sinus issues do not necessary mean that I feel sick in the rest of my body. I still want to get my move on. Is yoga off the table? Never!


Here's some yoga that might take some of the pressure off.

Yoga and Sinus Pressure

As always, I ain't a doctor, nurse, and all of my anatomy has been taught to me by people that may never have taken a science course in their life, for all I know. I just know what feels good for me. If your brain feels like it may explode with pressure, please stop. Otherwise, enjoy!

1. Tadasana
2. Deep breaths in and out. If you cannot breathe through the nose, make a tight "O" shape with the mouth to inhale, and deep full relaxed exhales
3. Sun breaths
4. Ardha Chandrasana (Standing Half Moon, side stretch). Repeat other side
5. Take hands to lower back for slight back bend
6. Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I)
7. Repeat on other leg
8. Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
9. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose). Take the head into a comfortable position. 
10. Utthita Tadasana (Five pointed Star)
11. Repeat steps 8-10 on other side
12. Tadasana
13. Sarvangasana (Shoulder stand). Hold for 3-5 minutes. Use bolsters and make into supported shoulder stand if desired
14. Halasana (Plow pose). Hold for 1-2 minutes. Again, use props as desired. 
15. Supine spinal twists
16. Savasana

Readmore »»

How the Swami Levitates: a guest post

Expanding Your Mind to Defy Gravity

The Art and Science of Levitation

By Paramahamsa Nithyananda

What you call ‘mind’ is nothing but a constant flow of thoughts, where each thought is being swiftly replaced by the next. You hardly have any control over what thought is going to enter your mind next because thoughts themselves flow in an illogical, chaotic manner. We often give too much respect to this chaos, basing our whole life on the dictates of the mind. As a consequence, we connect a few thoughts that run through our mind and give profound meanings to them.

For example, if you believe that your whole life has been suffering, you unconsciously collect — and connect — only the painful incidents of your life. This strengthens your belief that life is suffering. You’ve created a ‘pain shaft’ — making an imaginary connection between disconnected painful incidents that gives the impression that life, itself, is painful. The same thing can even occur with joy. You connect all the joyful incidents and start believing that life is nothing but joy. But here’s the thing: Whether you create a pain shaft or a joy shaft, you have to understand that both are not true; these shafts do not exist outside of your imagination.

Thus, there are only two kinds of lives to live — one of thoughts or one of enlightenment. When you learn to disconnect or ‘unclutch’ from thoughts, you will become free of the play of the mind to actually live enlightenment, in the moment and without any preconceived ideas. You will suddenly see that your whole life becomes effortless, attracting new and different situations, people and incidents. Only when you begin to live enlightenment and expand psychologically to unclutch from your thoughts, will you be able to experience levitation.

An unbounded benefit of enlightenment, levitation is a powerful yoga technique for balancing samana — one of the five major energies circulating in our bodies — and happens as a result of the energy alchemy between master and disciple. As an enlightened master, I’m able to teach the simple process of healing and balancing my students’ samana to allow extraordinary yogic powers (ashta maha siddhis) to express themselves in their bodies.

Students may experience anima, a feeling of lightness of the body; or laghima, a very heavy feeling. Some students may experience a feeling of great expansion, mahima; or they may experience a feeling of shrunkeness referred to as garima in the ashta maha siddhis. No matter which yogic power the student is experiencing, in every instance, each has allowed himself or herself to unclutch from their thoughts to live enlightenment. Just like you should be doing now.

Reading this you may be thinking levitation is not possible. But this is your thought — your mind at work — and not necessarily truth. What you think may hold you back from what’s possible, though the truth will never restrict.

But we can never know the truth until we experience it. This is especially true when it comes to levitation. See, when you levitate you are essentially defying the massive gravitational force of the Earth. You are allowing yourself to expand psychologically. This can tremendously affect your health, wealth, relationships and consciousness. You are no longer firmly rooted to the ground, but now one with the universe. You are now positioned to live an emotionally balanced life, free of conflict and past traumas, with all the energy and creativity you need to fulfill your desires.

Most importantly, living a life of enlightenment will fuse the connection between you and the ‘Whole’ because the truth is, there is nothing such as a separate, individual identity. Our emotions also affect others without our having to say a word.

As you go deeper, you will find that you are increasingly connected to the collective consciousness. At the deepest level of being, you are just part of the one Whole. All the suffering you experience, whether it is physical pain or mental suffering or spiritual bondage, is born only out of the idea of being a separate being. Once you become aware that you are part of the collective consciousness and there is no one standing against you, you will experience a deep relaxation and liberation.

Remember, there is an ocean of bliss within each of us. Connecting to this reservoir of overflowing joy can help bring out immense creativity, energy, and intelligence within each of us. The degree to which we are able to draw from this inner space of life determines how we grow in health, happiness, and success in our outer life.

Levitation is just a fun byproduct of the path to enlightenment. Enjoy it, but don’t miss the big picture, which is to reach enlightenment soon in this lifetime.

———————————————————————————————————————————

About the Author: Known as the “life bliss swami,” Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda is a young enlightened master of Yoga and meditation who has inspired more than 2 million followers worldwide. He has dedicated his life to helping people overcome mental, physical and spiritual barriers to achieve enlightenment and live lives of bliss, success and peace. Find out more about the art of levitation at Nithyananda's next Inner Awakening event which will be held on Dec. 1-21 near Bangalore, India. Visit http://www.innerawakening.org and www.dhyanapeetam.org.

Readmore »»

Victoria's Secret Gets it's Yoga On

I don't go to the mall very often. Maybe a few times a year. It makes me nervous. So, maybe I'm a bit late hopping on this train, but in the mall yesterday I walked past a Victoria's Secret store to see a big ad for Yoga Underwear. I don't even know what this means. I went to their website and found that they now carry a whole line of yoga clothes. It's a smart business move, no? Cotton, not difficult to manufacture, and people are willing to spend money consistently for inner peace. And a cute booty.

Sexy Tree Pose

I know Old Navy has a whole section of clothing called GoGa (or something along those lines) because I've bought pants there. Looking around, I found this blogger who writes about all sorts of things you can buy that somehow are supposed to relate to your yoga practice.

I believe that I need to look professional, clean, together when I am teaching a yoga class. Sometimes I feel weird about looking in the mirror before I leave the house to teach, but, ultimately, that makes sense to me. What I am worried about, is the continued process (often discussed on yoga blogs all around) of making yoga into a consumer culture. I'm waiting for the day what someone asks me, "What style of yoga do you do?" And I'll have to answer "Victoria's Secret."

Victoria's Secret Gets it's Yoga On

Here's a sequence to do in your underwear, in the privacy of your own home. 

1. Vajrasana (Diamond Pose)
2. Take your arms parallel to the floor directly in front of you. Flex at the wrist and rotate arms. Pause. Circle wrist. Flex wrist forward and back.
   
3. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
4. Begin a "swimming" warmup. Allow whole body to naturally follow movements of arms. Taking a wide stance, begin breaststoke arms.
5. Forward crawl arms
6. Backstroke arms
7. Doggy paddle (kidding)
8. Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose) Side Stretch. *In Kripalu and Bikram yoga, Ardha Chandrasana is the pose where from Tadasana you bring both arms overhead and to one side.
9. Repeat other side
10. Tadasana
11. Taking a wide stance, allow your arms to swing side to side like empty coatsleeves. Twist your torso as you swing.
12. Begin Hara breath, saying "Ha!" as you twist
13. Come to stillness
14. Standing Yoga Mudra (Seal of Yoga), clasping arms behind back as you fold forward
15. Slight backbend with Yoga Mudra arms
16. Garudasana (Eagle Pose)
17. Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III Pose)
18. Natarajasana (Dancer's Pose)
19. Repeat 16-18 with other leg
20. Vinyasa to Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
21. Lift and lower fingers
22. Vinyasa to Adho Mukha Svanasana. Bend one arm and then the other. Bend one knee and then the other. Hold for ten breaths, moving
    
23. Vinyasa to Adho Mukha Svanasana to hold
24. Jump to Bakasana (Crow Pose)
25. Chaturanga Dandasana (Plank Pose)
26. Ardha Salabasana (Half Locust Pose). Repeat other side
27. Salabasana (Locust Pose)
28. Navasana (Boat Pose) on stomach, hands interlocked behind lower back, using arms to help lift chest
29. Garbasana (Child's Pose)
30. Pasasana (Noose Pose). Repeat
31. Upavistha Konasana (Seated Wide Angle Pose)
32. Kurmunasana (Tortoise Pose)
33. Baddha Konasana (Cobbler's Pose)
34. Gomukhasana (Face of Light Pose). Repeat other side
35. While seated, roll, bend and flex wrists
36. Marichyasana III (Marichi's Twist)
37. Savasana (Corpse Pose)

Readmore »»