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Kathryn Budig

As an urban yogi I often day dream about coming to a bustling, messy street square and seeing–instead of garbage and taxi cabs– hundreds of yogis. Wouldn’t that be a sight? Well, Bay Area yogis are in luck because you are all invited to yoga it up in Union Square on August 7. Stephanie Snyder and Darren Main have signed on as volunteers to lead the masses, and just to add a little agave-flavored icing to this holy granola treat; registration fees benefit City of Hope . Here’s the spiel: Yoga for Hope is an event for yoga beginners and experts alike to bring awareness to the benefits of yoga practice for patients with life-threatening illnesses. Join City of Hope’s efforts to expand awareness of the importance of the mind-body-spirit connection is when battling cancer, diabetes or HIV/AIDS. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for Yoga Journal’ s sponsor booth to get a goody bag and magazine. There are also prizes and incentives to raise donations above the registration fee, for more information visit Yoga for Hope. Who says New York yogis get to have all the fun?

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Yoga in Union Square

Last week I took Lucien to swim camp. Now, “swim camp” when you’re two involves getting into the water with your parent or caregiver and practicing the most basic skills like kicking and blowing bubbles into the water. I wasn’t exactly dropping him off for sleep away camp. But, on the first day, my guy was terrified of getting in the water, even though we swim together in one of the public outdoor pools in Vancouver. He refused to go in. Lucien’s fear and resistance reminded me of how I feel when I’m in yoga class and it’s time for backbends, specifically Urdhva Danurasana. Give me a chair backbend or an Ustrasana and I’m happy, but when it comes time for wheel, I have a hard time not heading for a bathroom break. But when, despite my urge to flee, I force myself to stay and work through the tightness in my upper back and shoulders and the voice in my head saying “No! I’m scared. I don’t want to do that pose!” I end up feeling a sense of freedom and elation that only come from breaking through a mental or physical block. Back at the swimming pool, it was seriously touch-and-go for a few minutes (major crying and “No, I am NOT a fish!” on Lucien’s part, and some serious cajoling–um, make that supportive encouragement–on mine).  Eventually we made it into the water. As you can imagine, Lucien loved it once he was in. The water felt great on a hot day, and the songs and games his teacher used to encourage comfort and familiarity with the water worked like a charm.  By Friday morning, the fifth and last class of the “camp” session, Lucien refused to get out of the water! All in all a huge success.   Sometimes, you have to force yourself to stretch. Which pose makes you say “No, I’m scared!”?     Jessica Berger Gross is the author of enLIGHTened: How I Lost 40 Pounds with a Yoga Mat, Fresh Pineapples, and a Beagle Pointer (Skyhorse), she lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband and two-year-old son.

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Swim Camp

Summer is busy. This week, my lovely man did a yoga session on a sheet of plywood covered by a raincoat. He said it was great. I have done handstands in my office, downward dogs on an enormous rock by the lake, and side planks at the public library while waiting for a meeting to begin. I sneak yoga while waiting for my car to be repaired. And I would do it in the park and I would do it in the dark and I would do it on a rock and I would do it on a dock Yesterday I hung in a forward bend at the grocery store while looking at cans of tuna on the bottom shelf. No one said a word. I was there for ages. Where will yoga show up next?  Where is your favorite place to sneak it in to your day? Thanks to yoga for being so delicious that we want to sneak it here and there, we want to sneak it everywhere, and thanks to you for the conversation. Kristin Shepherd is a chiropractor, actor, speaker, and workshop wonderwoman in North Bay, Ontario.  Join her at kristinshepherd.ca or on Facebook at Dr. Kristin Shepherd.

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Yoga Here and Yoga There

testing entry for Challenge Mondays

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Monday test

Parent-baby and parent-toddler yoga classes seem to be growing in popularity, but does it really help the children find their center? Shivani Vora from the Wall Street Journal reports. “A growing number of classes around the U.S. and DVD programs insist kids can reap all the benefits of yoga–but in a less-structured format. They say that yoga is calming for children, teaches them more awareness about their bodies and even helps with their development. But Punam Kashyap, a senior developmental and behavioral pediatrician at the Institute of Child Development at the Joseph Sanzari Children’s Hospital in Hackensack, N.J., says there is very little evidence that the practice can have a positive effect on young children. “It’s a theory, not a fact that yoga can calm babies,” she says. “That said, as long as your child is having fun in a class, it’s not going to harm them in any way.” As parents, we were curious if yoga would do anything to mellow out our small children. We tested three classes and a DVD for comparison. (Read the entire blog for the details of the “experiment.”) Our daughter paid attention for at least half of the DVD before her attention started to waver. She attempted a few of the poses and was fascinated by the animal and nature sounds like a hissing snake and barking like a dog. We aren’t sure if it made her any calmer, but she did have a good time and now keeps asking to “do yoga” to her disc. While the children didn’t seem noticeably more chilled out in the end, yoga did amuse them and introduce them to a practice they can use to de-stress when they’re older. For us, that makes yoga for kids a keeper.” What do you think about kids doing yoga? Are they old enough to reap the benefits?

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Is Yoga for Kids any Good?

Sting just started out for a summer tour, and, unfortunately, the only buzz we keep hearing is about this mysterious scandalous tantra stuff. Allow Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler, to explain themselves in Yoga Journal ’s exclusive interview . Stephanie Syman, author of The Subtle Body: The Story of Yoga in America , also plans to set the tantric-yoga record straight once and for all in her Wall Street Journal blog: “Traditionally, Tantra refers to a loose and varied collection of practices detailed in the Tantras (Indic texts). Some of its most salient features are secrecy and worship of the female principle. The feature that has most intrigued and shocked observers–both Indian and Western–is that Tantra enjoins the aspirant to either visualize sex or engage in acts of ritual intercourse. The purpose of this conjugation, often depicted as the union of Siva and Shakti, is to reach Samadhi, a blissful state of consciousness devoid of any sense of personal identity. Succeed, and not only do you turn your mind into a “point of awareness,” as Ram Dass once put it, you obtain special powers (siddhis). You could say that we’re all Tantrics now since the most popular form of yoga today, Hatha Yoga, has been a central feature of Tantric practice, and its creators were affiliated with Tantric sects. But as with most cultural imports, our assimilation of Tantra has involved equal parts interpretation and invention. No wonder. Tantric practice is no quick route to sexual gratification. It’s traditionally demanding, complicated, highly formalized, and at times, tedious. And only some types of Tantrics (known as “left-handed”) engage in ritual sex at all. Tantra then presents a paradox: it can involve sex and yet its prerequisites mitigate the pleasure. And while you may enhance sexual performance via Tantric practices, the goal is not to get good at sex, the goal is to alter your consciousness so radically that embodied existence is no longer relevant.” Still curious? Read Todd Jones’ The Truth About Tantra. Erin Chalfant is a writer, yoga teacher and the Web Editor at Yoga Journal.

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Truly Tantric

Two fantastic things occurred over the last 24 hours. 1. We experienced an earthquake yesterday. Very exciting. It lasted 26 seconds. The dog growled for a few seconds, and the antennae on the TV shook for a full minute. In fact, the quake shook much of the province, which was wonderful, because it led to phone calls with my mother in Ottawa and my sister in Toronto. It’s the kind of thing everyone wants to talk about.  2. I tried naked yoga this morning. My goal was to last longer than 26 seconds. There is no doubt I was shaken more by the naked yoga than the quake. If you haven’t tried it, if your dad is British, say, and you’re uneasy in short sleeves, if you wear flannel clown pants to bed every night and peel your socks off during the middle of the night as you become unbearably hot–if you do all of that–well, we can talk. (If this isn’t you and you’re the type who goes naked to the movies, you have no idea what I’m talking about. In my next life I’ll be just like you.) The first 26 seconds are spent dismayed by the complex surface of my thighs, which look as though they have undergone several earthquakes of their own. Then I forget about them, perhaps because it is hotter this morning than it’s been all summer, and as humid as cottage cheese. My first forward bend makes me sweat. I make it to 40 minutes, naked. I put my clown pants back on for seated postures, to avoid rug burn, I say to myself. I conclude that this naked thing is no big deal. And then something unexpected happens. I move off the rug and onto the wood floor for Savasana. And, oh, oh, oh, the floor is as cool as ice cream on my poached back, so cool that I take my clown pants off again for the last couple of minutes. I press my low back into the floor and when I relax it makes a deep, suction-y, rumbling, farting sound that is the best thing I have EVER heard during my practice.  A soft, funny earthquake of my very own. I am CERTAIN you have things to teach me about your naked (or not) home practice. My ears are quaking. Thanks to earthquakes, to cool floors, and to you for the conversation. Join Kristin at kristinshepherd.ca or on Facebook at http://kristinshepherd.ca

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An Earth Moving Experience

As our nation turns to backyards, barbecues, burgers, bright colors and explosions in the sky, it seems appropriate to celebrate independence in a personal way as well. Perhaps with some yoga? Independence. Freedom. Liberation. Moksha. Most cultures take time to celebrate a form of letting go and feeling open and alive to possibility, and it seems the height of summer is the perfect time for this expression. Your pores are open and warmed by the sun, encouraging your body to release, the days are long and, in most places, the weather is inviting.  What do we, in this modern day, need to do to disentangle ourselves from our oppressors?  What are our oppressions anyway, and why do we feel tangled in the first place? Yoga can help answer all of the above. I woke up with Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” in my head: “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds.” This will be my mantra in practice this weekend. Any obstacle I perceive has been placed there by me, and I can also choose to remove it. My morning yoga practice, of course, will be my revolution. Today I celebrate independence from the mind stuff, vritti .  I will not allow myself to be worried about the extra traffic caused on a Friday before a holiday weekend…or the longer lines at the grocery store, or the wait at the bank or how crowded it will be at the park and the beach. These things are fun and they are choices. I will enjoy my liberation with breath, movement, and maybe a little reggae. How will you liberate yourself this weekend? Check out the accidental yogist if you’re in SoCal and looking for studios that are celebrating their independence. Erin Chalfant is a writer, yoga teacher and the Web Editor at Yoga Journal.

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Independence Day

I was out at lunch with a friend in Brooklyn the other day. She’s Israeli, and she enjoys teaching me Yiddish words that seem random. (Like the word for suspenders, or shleykes .) I was telling her about my decision to spend the rest of 2010 engaged in a hugging practice. For the first half of the year, I toured like crazy, a rewarding yet hectic experience of meeting students and studio owners across the country. For the next few months, and into 2011, I’m going to hug in, or streamline and focus as much as possible, on what positively serves my goals of teaching Core Strength principles to people. And I intend to limit the things that drain my energy unnecessarily so that I have more quality instruction to share when I do teach. “Gurnisht!” my friend interjected. “What?” I replied. She explained that in Yiddish, this word means “done” or “a decision made.” That’s it, that’s all, that’s all she wrote. Gurnisht is what we do whenever we choose not to participate in something in favor of doing something else. Yogis go a step further, We aim to bring a consciousness and compassion to our choices, so the decisions we make end up helping us to stay healthy and balanced, with energy to give to the important projects and relationships that nourish us in return. I know that, for me at least, it’s much easier to say yes than to say no. It’s uncomfortable to disappoint people. It’s also intense to keep energy inside that could have gone out to something or someone else, as anyone knows who has ever held Chair Pose for what seems like an eternity instead of running screaming out if the room. The key to balance is to know when a yes or a no will best serve your highest good. Often, my students express anxiety about saying no, because it feels like a negative thing. Well, it inherently is, and yet when we realize that a boundary can be as positive as an offering, our perspective of saying gurnisht might also shift. After all, without banks, a river becomes a stagnant swamp. If we truly want to move anything forward in our lives, it’s important to first identify the areas to which we want to give our commitments. Then, the borders we build with the solidity of our focus around those agreements encourage our energy to flow forward into action. Over time, these positive habits carve a path toward our preferred creations, careers, loves, and life choices. This sounds great, but it is supremely challenging to do, whether you’re saying yes to a wonderful opportunity or no to participating in relationships or responsibilities that take you off track of what you wish to cultivate. Understanding when to employ agreement or denial is a skill we use each time we step onto the mat. In our asanas, in any given moment, we get chances to hug in or expand in infinite ways: Do you want to express outward into Full Wheel or back off in Bridge Pose to protect an injured shoulder or to save energy? Through refining our choices based on what we think will empower our ultimate harmony of sthira-sukha , or steadiness and ease, we learn how to more easily navigate the constant stream of requests coming from within and, once we move off the mat, from the outside world. One could even say that sthira is our no, and sukha is the freedom and joy of our big yes that sthira helps to make possible. After all, there can hardly be one without the other. In our poses and in our lives, we employ not only conscious yeses, but conscious nos. Yoga teaches us that when you choose your dharma, and step into the current of your highest expression of health and happiness, freedom and delight, you undeniably serve the highest good of everyone else around you. Think about that for a moment. We yogis know that even though good is served doesn’t mean it will feel good to say no to drama and yes to our dharma. At times, moving toward our own truth can cause anger, fear, insecurity, and pain–for others and for ourselves. When your heart and your core tell you that it’s time to hug in, and say “no more” to leaking your attention and prana (life force)–instead making room for freedom from suffering and freedom to be yourself–remember the principle of gurnisht and don’t do it! Core Pose: Half Chaturanga Dandasana Just because this is half a Chaturanga doesn’t mean it’s not fully challenging. I see so many students rushing or collapsing through full Chaturanga, and they flirt with shoulder, elbow and wrist strain, instead of reaping the core and arm-strengthening benefits of the pose. This variation will help you back off to go deeper. Coming into effective alignment and generating the freedom of more power and safety means you have to create boundaries all around the pose. Begin in Plank Pose, fingers wide, palms and fingertips grounding. Place your knees down on the mat, not under the hips, but farther back. Remain lifted at the navel with a long tailbone and spine. Reach your chest forward between the upper arms without sinking toward the floor and winging the shoulder blades; they stay firmly on your back. Hug your elbows in, not squeezing the ribs but also not leaking energy by opening too wide. Keep the elbows directly over your wrists. On an exhalation, float your heart forward to maintain the vertical line of your forearms, push the floor with your hands, pull up the side waists and lower belly, and begin to lower, by about 2 to 4 inches. Resist the urge to go to as far as full Chaturanga. Staying higher will keep you working from the belly, or center, of your muscles, so you gain tone instead of stressing connective tissue and joints. Try 3-5 repetitions, holding each Half Chaturanga for 1-3 breaths. Press back into Child’s Pose and rest for 1 minute after your last pose.  

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Hugging in–and saying No

I’m about to do something radical. Something I’ve never done  before. I’m about to pack my yoga mat, board a plane, and leave Lucien for five whole days while I go on a yoga retreat.  He’s two-and-a-half and we’ve never spent a night apart. Until a few months ago when we finished breastfeeding, going away without him wasn’t even an option. (I never managed to get the hang of pumping.) I can count on both hands the days we’ve been away from each other for more than seven or eight hours.  My husband Neil has been out of town a dozen times or more.  Not jetting off to a man spa or anything. But every month or two or three he gives a talk or has an academic conference or meeting to attend in Ann Arbor or Sweden or Atlanta.  Lucien and I hold down the fort here. Now it’s my turn. Thanks to my husband (and morning day-care plus a  babysitter) I’ll be studying for five days with one of my favorite  teachers, Marla Apt, at the Feathered Pipe Ranch in Montana. I’m elated–and scared, too.  Sure, Lucien and his dad are as close as can be, but will my baby be okay without his momma? As much as I want to go on the retreat, as eager as I am to study with Marla, I wonder if I’m doing the right thing. The day I signed up for the trip I practically had a panic attack and needed Neil and  two of my best friends to convince me to buy my ticket. The truth is, while I’m worried about leaving Lucien and how much we’ll miss one another, I know he’ll be fine, more than fine with his dad. They’ll have a great time. And I’m longing for the chance to rediscover my yoga practice-and myself-while on the retreat. I love being a mom and I love the pace of life with a young child, but  I need a break. What I’m most looking forward to is the stillness, the alone time, not having to run to catch a bus after Savasana. But I’m going to miss my boy like crazy. I’ll let you know how it goes… What was it like the first time you spent a night or two away from  your child or children? Jessica Berger Gross is the author of enLIGHTened: How I Lost 40 Pounds with a Yoga Mat, Fresh Pineapples, and a Beagle Pointer (Skyhorse), she lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband and two-year-old son.  

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Feathered Pipe Retreat

All this World-Cup-inspired team spirit reignites the debate about yoga as a sport. Bikram has been lobbying for a Yoga Olympics for ages. One need only watch the New York Regional Yoga Championship video from New York Times to conclude that yoga is VERY challenging and amazingly beautiful and fun to watch. There are of course pros and cons to having all this attention in the yoga world. Those opposed say yoga cannot be judged and that doing so misses the point entirely. Supporters say exposure inspires children to get involved at a young age.   What do you think about yoga as a sport?  And what about some of these crazy poses…is that even good for you? More advanced poses here: Extreme Yoga Poses Join the debate: Can that be Good for You?!

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World Cup Yoga?

You’ve probably heard at least something about the record breaking three-day tennis math between the United States’ John Isner and France’s Nicolas Mahut, but you may not have heard about the interview with Isner where he clearly qualifies himself as a yogi–immersed in willful intention without concern for results. “Especially once the match got past, you know, 25-all, I wasn’t really thinking,” said Isner. “Hitting a serve and trying to hit a forehand winner is the only thing I was doing.” When it did conclude, Isner dropped down to the court, rolled on his back and kicked his legs in the air–sounds like Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby Pose) to us. And we aren’t the only ones feeling inspired by Isner’s presence; Matt Harvey has put out all call for people to tweet tennis inspired haikus to his account @wimbledonpoet. To watch highlights: ESPN Sports And to write a haiku about it: @wimbledonpoet

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John Isner: Yoga Champion

What’s with the naked theme? I write a blog about loving home practice, and you, some of you, write in that you love naked yoga. I write a blog about favorite poses, and you write in about naked yoga. I write a blog about meditation or chanting or acting, for goodness sake, and some of you (is it the same people? The Naked Yoga Alliance? I don’t know!) write back that you love naked yoga. Billy Connolly, the marvelous Scottish comedian, writes that he loves an ordinary love life with his wife. A meat-and-potatoes kind of lover, he is.  He’s all about comfort. It takes some self-assuredness to admit that. I feel that way about yoga. I love yoga in my flannel pajama bottoms. I start with two t-shirts and peel one off as I warm up. Sometimes I start in socks. This naked thing? I don’t know. It’d be like grocery shopping while naked, or bowling while naked, neither of which is ever going to happen, so don’t feel you should write in about those. Besides, where I live, anyone in a canoe can see me unless I downward dog in the dark.   All right, all right! I’ll try it. I’ll try it in the dark (by the park, for a lark, with a shark. I’m going all Dr. Seuss in my nervousness.). I’ll let you know how it goes. Thanks for the conversation, I think. Kristin Shepherd lives in North Bay, Ontario. She is a chiropractor, workshop facilitator, actor, writer, and parent of two grown children and a perpetually infantile dog.  Check her out, fully clothed, at kristinshepherd.ca or on Facebook at Dr. Kristin Shepherd. 

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Why Naked Yoga?

One of the world’s largest yoga classes proved also to be one of the shortest. An estimated 10,000 people showed up for yoga in Central Park on Tuesday only to find–mid Surya Namaskar–that lightning and rain would cut the solstice celebration short. Legendary yoga teacher Elena Bower lead the mass of yogis. Participants on the scene say even the rain and thunder could not dampen their moods or destroy their inner peace. One of the greatest things about yoga–and New York City–is its ability to unite young and old, and people from all parts of the city proudly waited in long lines for a chance at this great coming together of community in the park. As they waited, they did what yogis often do: yoga. In the end, the day will be remembered as yet another lesson in willful intention with non-concern for results. Aerial image by Geoffrey Goodridge / Michael O’Neill Photos by J oe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan

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The Faces of Yoga in Central Park

New York Yogis are truly the toughest, most dedicated yogis around. Thousands of mats covered the streets in Times Square and shut down the city center in order to salute the sun  and share a concrete-penetrating AUM! Check it out: Images courtesy of Lem Lattimer.

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Solstice Celebration!

In 2009, Father’s Day cost individual consumers an average of $90.89, while Mother’s Day spending was $123.89, according to a recent National Geographic article . Even though the wallets open less wide than for mother’s day, psychology lecturer Gilbert Cole says the smiles are likely genuine when millions of fathers across the U.S. open boxes, peel back tissue paper, and admire their new neckties–still somehow the most common gist for the holiday. Her research shows that even though dads get less attention on Father’s Day than moms do on Mother’s Day, fathers are more likely to be satisfied on their holiday. This letting go of expectation and contentment with what is presented makes Dad, even though he’s never set foot in a yoga studio, a yogi in my book.  Your dad may also embody the Brahmavihara’s , which Thich Nhat Han considers a blueprint for true love. After some brief reflection, it’s obvious that my dad has done yoga his entire life. Maitri , Loving Kindness My dad’s second grade teacher said that Larry had never met a stranger. He was instantly friends with whomever crossed his path. While my mother sometimes briefly bemoaned the additional guests, our dinner table was always shared with those in need of a friend. My father was that unwavering, loving friend for anyone he met.  Karuna, Compassion Every winter my father, without fail, would gather up our old (and sometimes favorite) blankets and drive them to shelters. I remember being dragged out of bed early on Earth Day to clean up the St. John’s River, missing out on a mall trip to accompany him to a soup kitchen–and on more than one occasion being late to school because my dad had stopped to save a (turtle, rabbit, squirrel) that was (in the middle of the road, sick or abandoned).   Mudita, Sympathetic Joy Whose father has not beamed with pride at their graduation, teared up at a wedding or gingerly framed their first finger painting? These life events make it easy to share in others’ joy, but what about the father who is proud even when you make the tough decision to drop out of college or take a chance and move across the country or even across the world? Putting his own preferences aside, he is able to share joy in that which brings me happiness, truly, honestly and selflessly. Vpeksha, Spaciousness, “Seeing the big picture” Whether I was going through a dramatic break-up or disappointed with my SAT score, Dad was always there to put it back in perspective. Dads are good at that.  Whether he takes his time to enjoy a great meal or simply enjoys being outdoors, in what ways has your father proven to be a yogi? Which of these sounds most like him and which of these can you work to embody in your life? Erin Chalfant is a writer, yoga teacher and the Web Editor at Yoga Journal. She would like to thank Sianna Sherman and the Kapi Shashi Kula for inspiring this reflection.

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Is your Dad a Yogi?

I’ve been away from yoga class for almost two weeks. Granted, I’ve done lots of practice in hotels, other people’s basements, and on the deck of a cottage in beautiful morning sun, but jeepers, I miss class. This morning someone asked me if I have a dog. “Do you like yoga?” I replied. “No,” she said.  “What does that have to do with a dog?” “Nothing at all.  It’s just the only thing I can think of right now.” I have lots of these conversations when I’ve been away from class. I miss my teachers, who are kind and excellent at what they do, and funny while they’re at it. I miss the other students, most of whom are strangers to me, all of whom love what I love and are therefore friends of a kind. I miss the sound of people breathing in unison. I miss the gorgeous, quiet yoga music they play during Savasana. I miss that dopey feeling that comes from a fully relaxed body and mind. And I miss chanting om together at the end.   You forget how lovely all of this is until you’ve been away for a little while. What would you miss if you missed two weeks? Thanks to my home studio for being there tomorrow (I’m so excited!), and thanks to you for the conversation. Kristin Shepherd practices yoga, theatre, public speaking, writing, and chiropractic in North Bay, Ontario. Contact her at kristinshepherd.ca and at Dr. Kristin Shepherd on Facebook.

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Missing Class

My husband Neil–an exceptionally dedicated father, and an equally dedicated workaholic–goes to yoga class on Sunday mornings. This is a miracle ten years in the making. While Neil has always loved the feeling of stretching himself out in an asana class, finding the time in his busy schedule has been a struggle. The only time he attended class faithfully was years ago when I was teaching yoga in the evenings down the road from the college where he was a professor. For a long time after that, Neil would take a class here and there, or very occasionally practice at home, but he never managed to build in a regular practice. Neil, a sociologist, loves his work, and he works very hard. He also puts in a lot of time with Lucien. Unlike me, he never takes the occasional Saturday afternoon to meet a friend, go on a bike ride, or read in the hammock for an hour–on the weekends he’s either hanging out with the family, doing errands for us, or working. With little-to-no personal downtime, I knew how much yoga could help him. The physical benefits of asana practice would be a perfect antidote to his hours at the computer, and the peace of resting in Savasana at the end of class might be the only complete relaxation he’d have all week. But there’s no forcing someone into a yoga practice. Sure, Neil wanted to find time for yoga class, but he wanted to be with Lucien and me and work more. Much more. Every so often, though, I’d bring up the topic. “Wouldn’t you like to…?” I’d ask him, suggesting an evening level 1/2 class offered by my teacher.  But I didn’t push–not too hard, anyway. On his own, after some trial and error, Neil finally found a class that works for him. It’s a Sunday morning “men’s class” at my Iyengar center. At first we worried about losing our Sunday morning family time–the one morning of the week we all have together, since I often take Saturday mornings to catch up on my writing and on the laundry.  We needn’t have worried.  “Daddy doing yoga,” as Lucien calls it when Neil heads to class, has had an entirely positive effect on our family. And Neil doesn’t need to be convinced to go, either! While he hasn’t made it to class every Sunday morning (see my previous posts on how sick we’ve been!), he has gone most mornings since signing up. Lucien and I use the time to host a play date in the backyard, or just to be together. Neil comes home by noon–rejuvenated, rested, relaxed and ready for the week. Jessica Berger Gross is the author of enLIGHTened: How I Lost 40 Pounds with a Yoga Mat, Fresh Pineapples, and a Beagle Pointer (Skyhorse), she lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband and two-year-old son.

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Daddy Does Yoga

Hi guys, I hope you haven’t been feeling left out of my outfit picks, because this week is all about the men! I know many of us, ladies included, often fall back on the standard black and white palette, but don’t be afraid of a little color. It radiates such great energy. I also know you certainly don’t need a hat in yoga class, but this one by Prana was so cool I couldn’t resist. Overall I was impressed with Prana’s men’s collection. Nice basic pieces with a few suprises thrown in. I also adore Toms shoes for men and the ladies, great style and a great cause. the details: Impact Sleeveless shirt by Prana $32.00 Ultra Shorts by Patagonia $55.00 Straw Fedora by Prana $32.00 Paper Tote Bag by Peasants and Travelers $88.00 Grey Heezen/Burlap Men’s Stitchouts shoes by Toms $58.00 Revolution Natural Sticky Mat $90.00

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Wish I was Wearing: Dude Duds

My lovely man is in the shower. He’s got yoga class in an hour. He’s pretty excited. Me too.   I do Vinyasa and Ashtanga classes at the moment. He takes Yin Yoga. You probably know more about that than I do.  What I do know is that ten years ago I might have spent time and energy trying to convince him that my form of yoga is so fantastic that he’d be better off in my class. With my teacher.  My chanting. At my favorite hour of the day. On my kind of yoga mat. In my corner in the back row.  And on and on into ridiculousness. I was a little bit inflexible, which defeats the purpose, don’t you think? I was also chronically bored, which is what happens when I only listen to what I’ve already said 47 times before. I’m happy to say that at the age of 48 I’m just now learning to let the hostages go.  To let others choose for themselves and to be happy with what that brings me. What does it bring me? Hours of discussion about Yin Yoga, for one. It sounds fantastic. I’ll try it in the fall. The second thing it brings me is the idea that although yoga is about union, it is also an enormous and varied collection of beautiful ways to explore and take care of ourselves. I can hardly wait to hear what yoga you love and why. Thanks to yoga for helping me release the hostages, and thanks to you for the conversation.

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Release the Hostages

While chemotherapy can save your life, the process is brutal and difficult to say the least. Patients report sleep loss, loss of hair, little appetite, and a general sense of dis-ease. But a new study –to be highlighted at the next meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology–finds that doing yoga in addition to chemotherapy improves sleep, reduces dependency on sedative medication, and helps patients make the transition back to a normal life. When Bloomberg Businessweek picks up on the story , it’s real–in a stodgy, establishment-oriented, Western medicine kind of way. The study, performed at the University of Rochester , enrolled 410 early-stage cancer survivors, and found that after four weeks, those who did yoga regularly reported significantly improved sleep, reduced fatigue, and a higher quality of life. Lead researcher Karen Mustian, Ph.D., M.P.H.,an assistant professor in Radiation Oncology at Rochester, crafted a practice focused on breathing exercises, gentle asanas, and restorative postures. The video routine, YOCAS (Yoga for Cancer Survivors), is not yet available for one and all, but Mustian notes that any regular practice of restorative yoga is likely to yield similar results.   Your doctor might not yet be ready to jump on the yoga bandwagon; your insurance probably won’t cover it. But why wait for the system to catch up to this breaking news? This is one “alternative” treatment that’s perfectly safe to prescribe for yourself (or for friends and family who might be suffering in the wake of cancer treatment). Better rest, peace of mind, and an improved sense of wellness are a great buy at $15 a class. Or find a donation-based studio, and you can reap the benefits for even less. If you can’t manage to get out and about, dig out your VCR and get yourself a copy of the late Esther Myer’s excellent video, “Gentle Yoga for Breast Cancer Survivors” . Take a deep breath, stretch, and remind yourself that though Savasana might be helpful to you now, you’re not a corpse yet!

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Survive and Thrive

That’s the question I’m asking myself this week, in the quiet space between traveling to California last week and heading to the Midwest this week where I’m teaching Core Strength workshops. I’m blessed to have so many invitations, but it’s easy for me, in my exuberance about what I do, to over commit and give out too much. Then I end up depleted, with emails piling up and other projects lagging behind. Not to mention neglecting my own practice and nourishment. I must have had two hot chocolates a day in Los Angeles as I ran between meetings. It’s great for the soul, but not so much for the body. I’m realizing that there is a fine line between doing something you love, and doing too much of it. On Facebook, there’s an interesting conversation about how challenging it can be when you’re in love to hold your center and not lose yourself. It’s simple to slip into the habit of giving to and receiving from your partner, but not to and from yourself, which is a necessary component of core strength. When I teach yoga, I see students who strive for the next, best pose, but sometimes cross the line from strengthening into aggression, or from a healthy stretch into destabilization. Yoga only became mainstream a few years back, and now that we’ve transformed and become long, lean, and strong, how do we proceed? By doing and stretching more? All of this is the same lesson, actually. There has to be a time in yoga, in love, and in life when enough is enough. When our bodies are strong and our flexibility is in balance. When our hearts are full of love for someone else. And when we’ve broken through our resistance to live from our passion. But then what? Eastern philosophies like Buddhism teach us about the Middle Way, the road of balance. In yoga, we might call this alignment, the place between giving too much and keeping too much. Where we’re relaxed enough, powerful enough, and therefore, ultimately free. In my own practice, which on a good day lasts the other 22.5 hours that I’m not on a mat, I turn to the yogic principle of asteya , which means “nonstealing.” At first glance, it might seem to have little to do with what I’ve shared here, but its alternate meaning is “integrity.” Think of someone who embodies integrity to you. I bet they’re generous with their time and love, and they probably love what they do. In addition, they are uniquely themselves, treat themselves as they would their closest loved one, and don’t allow that inner attention to be drained outwards. Next time you’re in a yoga pose, notice the state of your energy. Are you stealing what you need from yourself by going too far? In relationships, can you maintain your own life, and also not drain too much attention from another person because it feels so good to have them love you? Are you so focused on creating your life’s work that you move out of integrity and stop nourishing your relationships with friends and family? By bringing awareness to the places where steya , or stealing, occurs, we can take actions that move us away from suffering, fatigue. and resentment, and re-tip the scales in favor of the integrity of true center. CORE POSE : Ardha Matsyendrasana  (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose) When I approach this pose, I think of the proverb: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Practice this asana any time you need a reminder to turn inside to empower yourself or to hold center even as you engage in all your many offerings of the heart. Come to sitting and cross your right foot to the outside of your left thigh. To begin the twist, ground your left elbow into the top of your right knee (not your thigh) to create length in your spine. From this place of spinal integrity, begin to revolve your heart center to your right. Let your gaze follow. Make sure that your hips and navel continue to face forward, and only express the pose as much as needed to stay centered in the foundation. Take 5-10 breaths here then release and repeat on the other side.      

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When is Enough Enough?

Photo: Trying to be productive at the University of British Columbia library. I’m sitting in the library on campus with a thermometer in my mouth and a stack of tissues on my desk, feeling entirely unenlightened.   My husband Neil is out of town for work, and I’m sick–can hardly get out of bed sick–for the second time this month, and the sixth or seventh time (at least) since September.   Before having a baby, I’d heard from friends about the dreaded string of colds and flu that a little one can bring home from preschool or daycare.   But Neil and I thought that wouldn’t be us, not with our good eating habits, early to bed early-to-rise schedules, and healthy lifestyles.   Hah!   Lucien goes to a wonderful morning daycare program on campus four mornings a week where his teachers are not only loving and caring, but diligent about washing hands.   Yet no amount of hand washing or hand sanitizing has stopped Lucien from coming home with minor nose drips–which, when we adults get them, turn into raging fevers and coughs and congestion.   Neil had walking pneumonia earlier this year, and I had H1N1 back in the fall, and then the regular flu a couple months ago.   Even a run of the mill fever and sore throat like I have now makes my normal life seem all of a sudden unmanageable–especially with Neil away.   What’s a yogi to do?   I’ve tried vitamins, immune-system building asana sequences, but nothing seems to be enough to fend off the viruses.   What’s strange, too, is that I feel great in between illnesses. Then all of a sudden I feel the tell-tale scratchy throat, sneezes, and the shivers that come with fever.   Sleeping fitfully last night, it was all I could do to make breakfast, pack a lunch, and get Lucien ready for the drive to campus this morning.   Thank goodness our babysitter can come over this afternoon so I can sleep off my fever, b ut I’m determined to figure out how we can get and stay healthy–or at least healthier–from now on.   How do you stay healthy with young children in the house? Ideas and suggestions, please? Jessica Berger Gross is the author of enLIGHTened: How I Lost 40 Pounds with a Yoga Mat, Fresh Pineapples, and a Beagle Pointer   (Skyhorse), she lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband and two-year-old son.

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Sick of Being Sick

Yesterday I stopped into a coffee shop for my near-daily dose of hot chocolate.  It’s my only vice. (Well, unless yoga counts.) While there, I struck up a conversation with a woman who was stuffing straws and stirrers into her back pocket. She saw me looking at her and said, “If I don’t hide these from my daughter, she’ll make musical instruments or little plastic families with them, and I won’t be able to get her to take a nap!” We both remarked how little it took to spark a kid’s imagination. “I wish we could do that as adults,” I said, wistfully. She nodded in agreement, like adults do: solemnly and rationally. Then, straws firmly in pocket and adult caffeinated beverages in hand, she walked away. Later, as I walked down the street, I was struck by my statement. Had I really strayed so far from the path of adventure and childlike delight that I had to say I wished I could do that again? Here I had a hot chocolate in hand and yet I was drinking it like an adult: while I walked to work, instead of like a child, reveling in its yumminess.  Sometimes I feel that the older I get and the more responsibility I accept, the more chronic Boring Adult Syndrome becomes. I want to turn swizzle sticks into trumpets and stop and climb trees instead of just rushing by them on my way to a meeting. Though, really, the only thing stopping me from engaging in life in a fresh and exciting way is myself. The concept of an “inner child” is used in therapeutic parlance, for example, to designate such a hurt part of us that needs to be protected. But I’m in the mood to reclaim that concept and bring my inner child out to play. In yoga, we call this lighthearted and energetic dance of spirit lila , or divine play. It’s a call back to freedom, laughter, and the simple joy of living.  When we access it, we spark a delicious sense of aliveness that makes life that much more worth living. On your mat, are you so focused on getting through a challenging practice that you forget to lighten up and let your life energy flow through the poses? Do you pass by park swings without a glance, or sit down for 5 minutes of glee? Isn’t your office desk due for some bright purple flowers, just because? Opportunities for lila are found everywhere, even in the most somber or painful moments. This week I invite you to open your inner child’s eyes, see from a whimsical perspective, and allow yourself to take advantage of doorways into happiness wherever and whenever you can. Here’s a pose to help you find the way in: Core Pose: Breath of Freedom in Chair Pose Come into Chair Pose (Utkatasana) with feet and knees together. Bend your knees and keep the tailbone long and belly lifting. On your inhalation, open your arms wide behind you and arch your chest. On the exhalation, round in, chin to chest, and hug yourself with both arms. Repeat the movement as long as it’s comfortable. Try and go beyond the physical alignment to infuse the pose with vitality and a sense of gratitude for being alive. You’ll bring a sense of wonder and energy to it that will make it not just a pose, but a living experience of lila.

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Calling on Lila

Purple is a powerful color–it’s also associated with royalty, mystery, and even magic. Maybe the next time I need an extra boost to my own magical powers I’ll try wearing something purple. I think my favorite part of this outfit is the top. I love how it creates the layered look all by itself–like magic! the details: Breathe Easy Yoga Tank Top, Nike Bliss Cover Up, Nike Mynah Crop pants, Lululemon Yoga mat, Lululemon Flip-Flops, Old Navy Earthlust Water Bottle, Vickery Lotus Garden Body Butter, Pacifica Perfume

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Wish I was Wearing: Power Purple

Photo: Blissed out in my favorite restorative.  It’s Lucien’s nap time, 2:30 in the afternoon, and the house is blissfully quiet. I’ve been going all day, in full productivity mode–writing, work emails, laundry, and a few hours of Lucien-care.  What I really want to do now, in this precious hour before afternoon playtime and dinner and bath, is curl up on the couch and watch Oprah. But it’s time to do yoga. (Lucien’s nap time is the only time of day I can consistently fit a home practice in.)  I wish I could say I bound off the couch and into my yoga corner every afternoon, but the truth is that most days I have to drag myself there. More often than not, my practice is a restorative sequence done wearing wool socks.  Some days I rally for standing poses and active back bends. Usually, though, I take a “yoga nap,” as my close friend Kristen Rentz Lewis, fellow mom and author of  YogaNap: Restorative Poses for Deep Relaxation,  calls it.   My absolute favorite restorative pose right now is Ardha Halasana , Supported Half-Plow Pose with a chair.  It’s helped me with everything from headaches to exhaustion, from anxiety to getting over a cold.  The catch is–I can’t get into the pose comfortably without doing several other poses first.  And so, I begin my practice.  Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose), Ado Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose), a headstand, a shoulder stand with the chair.  My baby monitor is on, and yes, I confess that at first I do check my iPhone in between poses for incoming emails!  But twenty minutes in, I’m always glad to be practicing.  Most days I manage to practice for an hour, and sometimes even more.  And then, if Lucien is still sleeping–fingers crossed–I get on the couch and see what’s on Oprah. Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom with a never ending to-do list, or at the office all day and need every moment at home to take care of your household and connect with your children, give yourself the gift of at least a few restorative poses done at home, in a quiet place, each week. Here are some great resources for developing a restorative home practice: The Woman’s Book of Yoga and Health: A Lifelong Guide to Wellness   (see the chapter on restoratives) by Linda Sparrowe and Patricia Walden Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times   by Judith Lasater YogaNap: Restorative Poses for Deep Relaxation   by Kristen Rentz What’s your favorite restorative pose?  How do you spend nap time?   –Jessica Berger Gross Jessica Berger Gross is the author of enLIGHTened: How I Lost 40 Pounds with a Yoga Mat, Fresh Pineapples, and a Beagle Pointer   (Skyhorse), she lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband and two-year-old son.

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Yoga Nap

Are you a Kundalini chant lover? Think you might be? You can find out for sure if you sign up for this year’s Spirit Fest Kundalini Yoga & Music Festival, September 17 to 19 in High View, WV. The festival promises three days of “blissing out” to the best of Kundalini chant, and has the line-up to back up the claim. Snatam, Gurmukh, GuruGanesh Singh, Mirbai Ceiba, Nirinjan Kaur, Sada Sat Kaur, Sat Kartar, Gurunam Singh, and Satkirin Kaur Khalsa–Kundalini chant superstars, each and every one–are on the bill. You can expect lots of singing, sunrise Sadhana, group meditation, and exquisite vegetarian fare; you can hope to be thoroughly uplifted and transported by the experience. Why are we telling you about this now? So you can sign up early and save some money, of course. Since the event is happening at the Timber Ridge Camp a range of accommodations (and prices) is available–you can camp in a tent, sleep in a dorm, or reserve a private room with a private bath. Children are welcome (so plan accordingly). –Hillari Dowdle

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Sat Nam Sing-a-Long

Last night I went to ninja school. OK, that’s not its technical name, but the ancient martial art of ninjitsu is one of the forms I will be studying each week at a dojo in New York City. I’ve been interested in martial arts since I was young, but it took me until now to sign up for a class. What does this have to do with yoga? Well, after 15 years of practicing asana, I wanted to shake things up a bit. Specifically, I am attracted to the experience of beginner’s mind that is foundational in every mindful-movement style. And what better way to do this than to become an actual beginner at something once again?  I can easily bring a sense of the beginner’s perspective in the form of curiosity and openness to even my most repetitive yoga poses. And I learn a lot that way. But it’s not the same as actually beginning a new process.  There’s nothing quite like the feeling of stepping into the complete unknown and confronting the real fear that arises from doing something that you never have before. But as I entered the dojo for my first class, I understood that what I was experiencing wasn’t fear as much as it was excitement. I also recognized that this would be another opportunity to practice saucha , or cleanliness. Now, I took a shower and came into the dojo without perfume, and with nails clipped and hair back as instructed. But the type of cleaning I’m talking about goes deeper than the outer form. By purposefully stepping into a situation where I had no idea what to expect, I was organically cleared of expectation. I didn’t have a historical context to compare this moment to or experience to draw from. So I just listened, and enjoyed the clarity that comes from finding oneself with a washed-clean mind, heart, and history. My yoga practice had actually prepared me well for the movement, alignment, and knowledge of balance I needed to get through the class. I learned to stand more solidly and fall more consciously, partnering with another center of gravity in a dance with my own. But the best part about the experience was knowing that I was capable of being cleaned out on all levels, creating the space to take in a whole new view of the world. If you feel like you’re stagnating, coasting on what you know, or if you are mentally cluttered with perspectives that aren’t serving your growth and fullness of experience, try becoming a beginner. It doesn’t have to be a huge commitment. Sometimes just breaking your routine, hiking along a different path, or listening to another kind of music can spark this saucha of spirit.  The relief from the weight of your experiences will be well worth it. Core Question : What can you do to move outside your comfort zone and try something you never have? Core Pose : Crow Pose I often use Crow as a way to bring students into the unknown, so they can play at their mindful edge and move into beginner’s mind with integrity. These three approaches should get you there, no matter what level you’re at now. Go at your own pace, and don’t rush into anything you’re not ready for. 1) Flying: Plant your hands on the mat, fingers wide. Lift your heels and hips, and squeeze your elbows and knees inward. Round through your back to access core strength then float your heart forward until your elbows stack over your wrists. Keep hugging in and up, and work on flying high. 2) Jumping Back from Crow: If Crow is a breeze, maintain the containment of elbows over wrists, then hop your feet back on an exhalation into Chaturanga Dandasana. Proceed through your vinyasa to Downward-Facing Dog. 3) Jumping Forward into Crow: From Down Dog, walk your feet together and take small hops toward you hands on your exhalations. As your belly pulls in to help you lift up, your knees will widen to touch your upper arms. Over time, you will refine this action to transition into the pose without touching your feet down at all.      

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Cultivating Beginner’s Mind

Photo: My son Lucien in Pacific Spirit Regional Park, Vancouver, BC After my failed attempt at mommy and baby yoga, which I described in my last post, I didn’t know what to do. I mourned and missed my yoga practice, but didn’t have the energy to try a class again anytime soon, and I couldn’t imagine getting a home practice going, either. What I could do?  Walk.  While walking’s obviously not the same as asana, they both involve moving your body in a kind of meditative way.  Before getting pregnant I’d gone on retreats where we’d practiced walking meditation. So why not try meditative walking? Walking is something I could do with just Lucien and a pair of sneakers.  And maybe my dog Salem would stop gnawing at the rugs in our Brooklyn sublet if she came along. And so Lucien and Salem and I began taking daily three mile walks in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. The first time we went out I honestly didn’t know if I could finish the loop.  Sweat poured down my nursing bra.  The smallest incline felt like Mount Everest.  But I managed to finish. Each day the walk became easier, though I often had to stop and nurse on a freezing cold park bench in the middle of winter.  Some days Lucien cried during the walk. I’d sit with him, or walk and sing to him. Most days, thank goodness, he’d fall asleep.  I’d hold Salem’s leash in one hand, push the stroller with the other, and hold my phone to my ear (oops, not very meditative there) talking to my experienced-mom-of-three friend Katherine, or my just-about-to-have-her-baby friend Kristen. Some days I’d simply be. I may not have been on my mat, but during those sleep-deprived early months of nursing round the clock and learning how to care for a newborn, walking–alongside healthy eating–became my yoga. (By six months, I was ready to slowly start practicing asana again. In my next post, I’ll share that adventure and which poses helped to ease me back.) Lucien and Salem and I still walk together several times a week. Instead of taking nursing breaks, these days I have to stop and give Lucien his fair share of toddler run around time.  Here’s a photo from a walk we took the other day in Vancouver, where we live now. Where are your favorite places to walk with your children?  Jessica Berger Gross is the author of  enLIGHTened: How I Lost 40 Pounds with a Yoga Mat, Fresh Pineapples, and a Beagle Pointer  (Skyhorse).

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Hitting the Road

Just when you thought there wasn’t any good news flowing forth from Washington…it’s time for Yoga on the Mall ! The event–happening on Saturday, May 15–is basically a ginormous group class led by teachers from participating D.C. studios. Yoga Week  organizers say no experience is necessary; just show up with your mat and some snacks, and join the flow. The practice will be broken into consecutive 20-minute sessions that become progressively more challenging as the day wears on.  Since YOTM starts at 1:00 and ends at 5:00, you can make it your experience a quickie or a real marathon. (And oh yeah, superstar teacher Shiva Rea will be on hand to give you adjustments!) Hopefully the positive energy generated will spill out toward Capitol Hill. Couldn’t we use a little more love in our political environment? –Hillari Dowdle

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Capitol Idea

The other night in class, a student came up and said, “I thought I was coming for a workout and I ended up getting life lessons, too!” Turns out he needed to hear what I was offering in order to understand the way out of a specific struggle he’s been dealing with. Like we say in yoga, when the student is ready… Before we begin our physical poses, I always gather the class for a Karma Talk. This is when I lay out my intentions for the practice and encourage students to set their inner dedication so they can align with it as they move on the mat. My talk that night was about how we all say we want good karma, but we might not realize that the outcome of any situation that is most beneficial to us is also one directly created by us, through the choices we make in each moment. In other words, we don’t just follow our dreams, we make them happen. What we do now, and more specifically, how we do it and from what intention, can either create harmony or discordance with who we really are. Have you ever heard an Om at the beginning of class that sounded like each person chose a different note on purpose, but by the end of class, it’s become united? This happens when we all pay attention not only to the outside but the inside as well; to know ourselves better in that place of sattva , or calm equilibrium. As a teacher, I see so many students straining towards the external look of a pose, going too fast, leaping at the wall in handstand, not breathing mindfully. When our confidence and life’s meaning rests only in the way we look and what others think of us, and our sense of security forever shifts with the things we have (money) or don’t have (money), we have lost sight of one crucial thing: Our core connection. Yogis might call this satya , one’s ultimate truth, or even atman , the soul within us. Other philosophies say it’s hara , a state of living from center, or simply, coming home to oneself. This isn’t accomplished by having one huge, enlightened experience in meditation and then being set for life.  You have to get your hands in the dirt now and do the work it takes to plant those seeds of action so they may come to fruition in their own, often in surprising ways. The beauty of yoga, or the practice of living out loud, is that you don’t have to worry about what kind of flower or tree your seeds will become. If you practice the three steps to transformation–make space, go inside, then take actions that best represent you–then the rest is coming just as it should. How freeing to know we can just spend our time cultivating the courage to dissolve old limiting blocks and stories, listening to the core connection we make with ourselves, and then trusting our inner wisdom enough to follow through with actions that we know are coming from our best self. So, what’s your next core action? Better yet, how will you undertake it with integrity, grace, and without placing the burden of needing to control the outcome on the featherlight power and magic inherent in pure doing for its own sake? Let us know! Core Pose : Siddhasana Side Stretch and Forward Fold Siddhasana pays homage to those who have transcended their external fixations and returned home to a state of calm awareness.  You can make space, listen in, and choose as wisely as a Siddha when you take time to practice from this intention. Come into Siddhasana (Adept’s Pose) with one foot in front of the other. Place your right palm onto the floor to your right, and with a long spine and lifted side waist, reach the left arm over your ear. Bend your right elbow and breathe new space into any constriction you feel around the lungs and chest. If your neck feels uncomfortable, turn your gaze to the floor or right ear to right shoulder and let the head gently drop for a sweet stretch. Take 5 or more breaths, and then switch sides.   After completing both sides, inhale and sit up tall. Exhale and fold forward with palms or forearms on the mat. Take at least one minute here, bringing breath into your back body and releasing past habits and beliefs that block you from accessing your inner wisdom and truth. Then listen to that subtle yet powerful voice within for your next direction.

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Creating Good Karma

I stare at my feet at the beginning of each class. We hang for a bit before we chant ohmm and get peaceful. It’s while we’re hanging that I look at them. I love my body. After ohmm, we spend a few minutes contemplating how we’re standing on our feet. Our teacher tells us to put our first toe down, then our fifth toe, and then try to lift the middle toes. I can’t do this. My middle toes head off toward the big toe–gripping the floor like drowning swimmers hanging to the side of a lifeboat for their lives.  So far, I am unable to convince them that we’re on dry land. Relax, I say to them. Ohmm, for God’s sake. I love my body. My right foot is in a brace. It’s a long story, but I’ll be in that brace for a while longer. It means I don’t hop anywhere on my mat. I shuffle. Underneath the brace my right lateral malleolus (the outside ankle bump) looks like Mr. Potato Head. I’ll paint eyes on it for Halloween. I love my body. The truth is that there are perhaps ten things about my feet that aren’t gorgeous and that don’t behave in the manner in which I’d prefer. And here’s the thing. I could easily say the same about my hips (What do you mean, open? Open my hips?), my arms (My elbows won’t turn that way unless I break them.), my hamstrings, which are shorter than short, even my face, which has completely relaxed about four times in my life. And on and on. Today, hanging over my feet, it occurred to me that love is a decision. Things are beautiful or not, loose or not, strong or not, potato-heady or not. So what. Love is a decision. I love my body. Thanks to yoga for helping me love me, and thanks to you for the conversation. –Kristin Shepherd

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I am a Beauty

New York yogi alert: If you like the idea of helping at-risk city kids get access to the practice, check out the Yoga at School program at the Integral Yoga Institute .  Yoga teacher Erin Wilson works with the kids at James Baldwin High School , an end-of-the-line transfer school for kids from all over the city–kids who’ve had it tough or been in trouble but still want a chance at a brighter future.  “For a lot of these students, violence is a way of life–they’ve been involved in gangs, they have friends and family in prison, they come from tough economic situations,” says Wilson.  “Yoga empowers them to exercise self-control. It teaches them compassion for themselves and for others. It shows them how to deal with the stress of being a teen and to live a life of peace.” See the concept in action Friday, May 7, at the Integral Yoga Institute (227 W. 13th Street; 212-929-0586). Join Wilson for a special Yoga class at 7:30 p.m., followed by a presentation from the student participants. There will be free vegetarian cuisine, music, and a silent auction to benefit the program. It’s a fundraiser–if you want to pay it forward, your donation will be most welcome. (There isn’t a suggested minimum, but Wilson says something in the neighborhood of $25 would be helpful.)  Who knows? Perhaps your participation will lead to a future of perfectly peaceful rides on the D train.

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Benefit the Future

Hey, it’s already May! That means Memorial Day weekend is coming up, and it’s time to get out your Birks and start looking around for some hippy-dippy fun. One good option: the Lightening in a Bottle Festival at Oak Canyon Ranch in Irvine, California (just south of L.A., y’all). It’s a full-on music festival–featuring more than 50 acts over the course of four groove-infused days. But there’s also plenty of yoga–workshops on AcroYoga, Rasa Yoga, Five Elements Buddhist Yoga, and more (including a workshop called “Yoga in a Bottle: Living Your Creative Destiny”). Factor in movable art installations and a good-karma emphasis on Earth-friendliness, and there are plenty of good reasons to be here now (or get there then, as the case may be).

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Get Your Groove On

Jessica Berger Gross is one of our newest bloggers. Join her as she embarks on her yogic journey into motherhood: — Who has time for yoga? That’s how I felt when my amazing son Lucien was born two years ago. I went from having a daily meditation and yoga practice to losing both and starting from scratch.  In my new blog Enlightened Motherhood , I’ll chronicle how one mom (part-time writer, part-time college teacher, part-time stay-at-home parent) struggles and attempts — and sometimes  manages — to stay sane and live a yoga-inspired life in the real world of diapers, deadlines, and toddler meltdowns. — Jessica is the author of enLIGHTened: How I Lost 40 Pounds with a Yoga Mat, Fresh Pineapples, and a Beagle Pointer (Skyhorse).  Originally from New York, she lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband and two-year-old son.

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Introducing Jessica Berger Gross

Kristin Shepherd is one of our newest bloggers. Join her as she takes on the challenges of yoga from the perspective of a newcomer in her new blog Beginner’s Mind : — I don’t know a hootkatassana from a pranayama. Yet. Although I have done bits of yoga over my lifetime, I only jumped in the deep end seven months ago, with regular classes and then my daily practice at home. What I do know is the deliciousness of yoga for a beginner (I can breathe! I can turn my neck in the car!), its frustrations (the clothes! the inflexibility!), and the way yoga becomes a part of everything else that happens during a day.  The way you drive your friends and family mad with yoga talk, the way half of them join yoga because of your ecstatic ranting. It feels as though i have come home after 48 years. I’ll bet some of you can identify.  I hope you’ll join me. — Kristin Shepherd is a chiropractor, a self-proclaimed theater freak and a yogi.  She’s a relative newcomer, and says she really, really knows how it feels to be 48, a bit tight, and a little wobbly. Kristin finds herself happiest, so far, in the back row of every yoga class.

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Introducing Kristin Shepherd

No question: The Gray Lady has gone ga-ga for yoga. Monday’s New York Times Sunday Styles section features an above-the-fold feature on the “yoga rock star” (not really) Greg Gumucio and his East Village studio, Yoga to the People , which offers classes on a donation-only basis.  These kinds of “dharma yoga” classes have long been an occasional offering at enlightened studios around the country–providing access to those who might not be able to attend class otherwise. The Times’ story, penned by Mary Billard, includes a running list of other New York studios that offer donation-based or reduced-cost yoga, including Strala Yoga , Yoga Vida , and Do Yoga and Pilates . But it overlooks Dharma Yoga Brooklyn , which opened in Park Slope in March.  Every class on that studio’s schedule is donation-based–even the mats and towels are available for whatever fee you care to offer, and a donation-based bookshop is in the works. Dharma Yoga co-founder Lily Cushman (her partner is Jeremy Frindel) has every confidence that donation-based yoga will continue to thrive in the outer boroughs, too–it may even shape the future of American yoga.  As is the case with Yoga to the People, higher class attendance means viable monetary yield even though some students may choose to donate nothing. “When people ask how we’ll make it, we just say we have faith–in ourselves and in our students,” says Cushman. “It’s so nice to spread the teachings and give back to the people.”  What do you think of donation-based yoga? Is dharma yoga available where you live? Is this the yoga wave of the future?

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Dharma Initiative

Yoga on wheels. No, not spinning. (So 2005!) Think rollerblades instead. The latest unnecessary but totally fun yoga-exercise mash-up, Mobile Yoga has inline skaters turning all their favorite asanas into balancing poses by performing them on wheels. Think of a floating Fierce Pose, a wind-whipped Warrior III, or a gliding Garudasana and you’ll get the picture. Founder Kris Fondran is an inline skating instructor with a masters in exercise science; she’s also a certified yoga instructor with some serious cred (trained in Satyananda Yoga, she received mantra diksha initiation from Paramahamsa Niranjanananda Saraswati in 2004). You can see the threads of her practice emerge in her instruction, which is as much about breathing and awareness building as it is about getting a great cardio workout. And though her Web site looks totally L.A.–she’s pictured posing against a background of blue skies, beaches, and palm trees–Fondran is based in Cleveland, Ohio. Silly or sublime? Strap on your skates and decide for yourself.

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On a Roll

Gov. Robert F. McDonnell signed a

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Historic Legal Decision

I’m going to go ahead and admit it: some days I really, really don’t want to teach. I know–I’m always supposed to be a bright, happy yogi who would rather chop off an arm that have to miss a yoga class, let alone miss the opportunity to make someone else’s day brighter through teaching–but, you know what, some days the natural light and love that brought me to yoga teaching in the first place just cannot find a way to shine through. On those days I grumble and complain and wish I didn’t have to teach and then drag my sorry little behind to the yoga studio. And then a funny thing happens. As my students start to walk in I find my mood lifting. I start to teach and I completely forget all of the reasons I really didn’t want to be there in the first place. And by the end, I almost always leave feeling lighter, happier and wondering why I don’t teach a whole lot more often. That, to me, is the power of teaching. Hopefully my students gain a thing or two from a class but I know that I always, always gain so much from them. Now all I have to do is remind myself of that each time I get the teaching grumps.

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For Those Times When You Just Don’t Want to Teach

Twenty hours ago I departed from the Entebbe Airport in Uganda and I’m still one flight away from home. As I  sit here in the  Newark airport Starbucks  I’m filled with a flood of emotions and memories:  the joy of being only hours away from seeing my family, the sadness of leaving so many behind, the smiles of the Shanti Uganda women in Kasana who danced and sang for us, the looks in the eyes of  the  HIV/Aids positive children at the New Hope orphanage when we said good bye to them, watching my fellow seva challengers work so hard in the mud and rain side by side with the men, women and children of the surrounding villages to help build a school through Building Tomorrow. Going to Uganda through The Off The Mat Into The World 2010 Seva Challenge was a little like doing a strong shot of Tequila. It was fast and furious, incredibly powerful and once it began there was no turning back. And like downing a strong shot, while I felt the initial jolt of the experience immediately, I have a feeling that my strongest responses are still to come. Not only am I certain that we made a difference in the lives of so many, but that I gained invaluable insight into myself: both where I shine and where I need to continue to work to break down the walls that keep me from truly stepping into my own power, my own truth. I look forward to the days, weeks, months, and perhaps even years that I will spend digesting these past 2 weeks. I know that the ripples of this experience will carry me to new and beautiful places filled with the deep waves of joy and inner peace that can only be felt through our continuous efforts to serve others and to serve the God that dwells within each one of us. If anyone out there reading this blogg is trying to decided wether or not to participate in next years 2011 Seva Challenge, I would like to put in a strong vote for, “Do It!”. The process of fund raising can be difficult at times but as Krishna teaches us in chapter 2 of the the Bhagavad Gita:  ”On this path of Yoga, no effort is wasted and there is no failure. Even a little effort towards spiritual awareness will protect you from the greatest fears” In other words, any amount money and awareness you raise will carry with it them karmic seeds of positive change both for the recipient of your efforts and for you. Take that first step. Make the commitment to try and see where the universe leads you.

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Departure by Sofi Dillof

“Souls don’t have races or sexes or religions. They are beyond artificial divisions.”  Beliefs separate, loving thoughts unite us.  Today started off with intrigue, curiosity, excitement and ended with joy, yet sorrow.  The orphanage was built first with a vision, then came the passion, then it took strength to reach out and New Hope School and Orphanage was born.  The man who started it was Godfrey in 1997.  He started New Hope on his own.  The kids are street kids – some have no mothers, some have no fathers, some have neither.  Most of the children are HIV+.  New Hope provides a safe environment to educate, learn and thrive.  In order to do so it takes visitors like us, OTM, to raise money and support these children so they have clean water, food, shelter, and education.  OTM has helped this year by creating a water filtration system, supplying mattresses, and school supplies.  Upon arrival we were greeted with song in our native language from the children that made my heart dance with joy:   It’s a long, long way from oh Canada to Uganda Passing over mountains and sandy rivers But our God is good who has allowed you to come We are happy to see you today   All day long we were engaged in activities with the children.  We played with frisbees, jump roped, read books, parachute games, and engaged in playful yoga postures.  Leaving the games on our way back to join others, one of the children grabbed my hand.  It made me realize how the children crave any sort of human contact, love, or affection of any kind. During the course of the day many pictures were taken of these beautiful children.  At one point I turned to show the children their picture through my camera lens.  They giggled with excitement at their own reflection.  I realized right then, how much we take for granted – some of these children might have never seen a reflection of themselves before.  We left a mural on their school wall so dreams and the magic will and can continue.  Leaving the school was hard for most of us. A feeling of sadness loomed when asked when will we return? The children of New Hope are thriving for love, support and just a hug. I hope I can go back and give each of them a hug.  I hope that other volunteers continue to build on this wonderful foundation.  It became apparent to me that a sponsorship program is needed at New Hope in order for these children to continue on this positive path of learning and growing, feeling safe and loved.  I am so humbled and honored to be part of these children’s lives.

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New Hope by Carrie Herscovici

The guy in town is happy that we are building Shanti Uganda.  He sells more nails.  The men from the village are happy that Shanti is being built.  They have jobs and new skills.  The women are happy that Shanti is being built.  They will have safe empowered births. Sam the neighbour is happy Shanti is being built. The price of property in the area has gone up. The entire community is fully stoked and supportive of the project.  And for me, its so tangible.  There in that building are all of the Tula Karma classes, all of the calendars, all of the birthday bags of cement…and we haven’t even been to the school site yet. We have accomplished the most amazing things.  All of us.  With all of you.  Together. Highlights were stomping in “mud” (debate rages on as to what the mud consisted of), ride on the boda boda with Heather (motorcycle, well, dirtbike-ish), making sculpture on the wall of the birth house with mud, and Seane teaching the men at the site yoga. We had a traditional lunch and dinnner…enthusiasm was waning slightly by this point for matoke and the g-nut sauce. The night finished with a spectacular sunset, and a starry night like only Africa can deliver.

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Ripples of Hope by Davian Den Otter

“Souls don’t have races or sexes or religions. They are beyond artificial divisions.”  Beliefs separate, loving thoughts unite us.  Today started off with intrigue, curiosity, excitement and ended with joy, yet sorrow.  The orphanage was built first with a vision, then came the passion, then it took strength to reach out and New Hope School and Orphanage was born.  The man who started it was Godfrey in 1997.  He started New Hope on his own.  The kids are street kids with no mothers or fathers and all have HIV.  New Hope provides a safe environment to educate, learn and thrive.  In order to do so it takes visitors like us, OTM, to raise money and support these children so they have clean water, food, shelter, and education.  OTM has helped this year by creating a water filtration system, supplying mattresses, school supplies and left a mural so dreams and the magic will and can continue. Leaving the school was hard for most of us. A feeling of sadness loomed when asked when will we return? The children of New Hope are thriving for love, support and just a hug. I hope I can go back and give each of them a hug.  I hope that other volunteers continue to build on this wonderful foundation. I am so humbled and honored to be part of these children’s lives.

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New Hope School by Carrie Herscovic

As I was standing outside the birthing center of the local birthing clinic listening to one of the midwives describe a typical day, Sally, our trip coordinator, began to beckon me into the delivery room. She says; ‘there’s a baby coming.’ I enter a dingy, approximately 10 x 12 room with two old examination tables covered in what looks like white plastic garbage bags. Two Ugandan women, experiencing intense labor pain, were being treated by an midwife. Sarah, a member of the OTM group who is a Doula, was giving a woman who was clearly full term breathing instructions as she shared her “Emergen -C” infused water. No water was available for patients. Sarah introduced me to Margaret, who spoke little English and seemed disgusted and confused about why I was there. Drawing closer to Margaret, the repulsive stench coming from her body nearly knocked me out. It had clearly been a long, long time since soap and water had touched her. Another contraction began and Margaret reached out for me. Fearing that I might faint from the funk, I took a step back. Then I closed my eyes, said a prayer, and took a deep cleansing breath. A sister was asking for help, the funk didn’t matter. I held out my hand. Margaret swiftly pulled her whole face between my breast. When an examination determined that she was only 8 centimeters dilated, Margaret was told to get off the table and go outside. Reluctantly and only with help from Sarah and I, she got off the table and went to an area in back of the clinic. There we met Margaret’s sister. On all fours in the grass, Margaret indicated that she needed to defecate and did–right there on the grass. Margaret’s sister gathered banana leaves to clean her and Sarah handed me her scarf for wetting to wipe Margaret’s face as there were no towels. Margaret, still on all fours in the grass, writhed and cried. Sarah and I, insisting that Margaret was near delivery, coaxed the attendants to re-examine her. They now agreed that it was time. I held Margaret closely as Sarah continued her coaching work. Struggling to position her on the garbage bags, Sally held one leg, as I held the other, and together, we scooted Margaret in position. For an instant, I wonder how in the world I got here–in a hot room overwhelmed with the stank of body oder, defecation, urine and blood, assisting a woman who is most likely HIV-positive in childbirth. I silently thank God, we open her legs a little wider on the stirrup-less table, and see the emergence of the baby’s head. After two more big pushes, we joyfully witness Margaret’s baby boy enter the world, exercising great lungs, weighing in at 3 kilometers. Margaret sees her baby boy and smiles big. As the child is taken away, Margaret smiles at me, lays my hands on her belly and indicates for me to rub. When the nurses return their attention to Margaret, I continued to massage and jump as the placenta is released. Margaret smiled big again. Sally, Sarah and I joyously celebrated Margaret and her beautiful baby boy, recognizing that even with all the inadequacies, they were both very lucky. Most woman in Uganda’s villages deliver their babies in a bush. The death rate of woman and children in childbirth is insanely tragic. When I inquired about Margaret and the baby the next day, I was told that she was gone. Mothers in Uganda spend hours, not days recouping after childbirth. Though, I’ll most likely never see her again, I am grateful beyond words for the deep connection I experienced with this sister on the path. Truly grateful beyond words.

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An Unexpected Miracle by Nikki Myers

It’s day 2 of the experience and I am exhausted. I actually left the group in the middle of the day today because I was completely wiped out, emotionally and physically. Day 2. We started the day with our yoga practice. The practice felt good in my body. I felt strong and grounded and enjoyed the movement after days of travel and all of that stagnancy on the plane. By the time we got to Savasana, however, something had shifted. Normally, savasana takes me to a deeply calm state. However, today all I felt was anxiety. It just popped up out of what seemed like nowhere. What the hell was going on? I assumed that my jet lag and sleep deprivation was catching up with me although that was my rational brain saying that. My emotional brain was freaking out because I just couldn’t have anxiety then! I had so much energy yesterday for our first day and our visit to the slums. I was surprisingly inspired and joyful after that experience. So, here I was this morning at 9 am feeling anxious and not ready for anything today and judging myself for it. Not helpful, of course. Last night in our group processing Seane spoke of how we could expect all sorts of emotional things to come us for us during the 2 weeks and how we should talk about them, be present for them and express them however we needed to, even if it’s some ugly stuff coming up. We have to take care of ourselves so we don’t hold onto it and let it shut us down or close us off. It’s a lot to take in here and we need to acknowledge it and own it for ourselves. So, that was last night, it all made sense. And here I am at 9 am pissed off at myself for getting anxious. So, I decided, after I got off the mat, to just be open to how I was feeling, breathe through it and move on with the day. We started the day at Pace, learning about this incredible organization that serves the Ugandan community. Pace’s mission is to use their programs to improve the health of vulnerable Ugandans and promote sustained behavior changes. Part of what they do is create and distribute HIV prevention and care packages that include a safe drinking water system, condoms, mosquito nets and antibiotics. A lot of what kills people with HIV are the opportunistic disease that take hold of their vulnerable bodies and destroy their immune systems. So protecting from malaria, TB, and other diseases in important for those with HIV to remain healthy. They are saving thousands of lives a year through this program. We took a tour of the warehouse and saw their operation. They are no machines doing the packing and processing. It is a dedicated group of workers who care about what they are doing and put their hearts and hands into creating these products for people. I thought about the woman whose family I met and spent time with yesterday, Abalo Betty. She and her entire family have AIDS. The people in the slums don’t have access to many of these preventive AIDS programs and don’t have the means go out and seek it for themselves. There is just so much help needed in this country. It was great to see that Pace is making a positive difference in people’s lives although they are aware that there is much more work to be done as well. After my experience at Pace, my emotional and physical state were not much better than this morning, actually a bit worse. I was exhasuted, sad and starting to feel physically ill. So, although there was more on our schedule for today, I have learned through the guidance of Seane and Suzanne that if I don’t take care of myself, I’m not of much good and sustainable use to anyone else. So, I listened to my inner guidance and decided to take the rest of the day off to rest, rejuvenate, and ground myself so that I can go out and be of service tomorrow in the best shape I can be in. There was a reason I was anxious this morning even if I’m not exactly sure what it was yet. But I trust that my body was trying to tell me something. Maybe it was trying to tell me to take care of myself, listen closely to my body, and just accept, not judge, what is going on with me. Well, that’s what I learned anyway. If I’m not taking care of myself, how can I do any good here for anyone else? And onto a new day…

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Self Care by Heather Snyder

It’s incredible. We are once again on an airplane, flying to Uganda from all parts of the United States and Canada, in preparation for what will be a life changing two-week adventure into the heart of sacred service. Just like last year, when our SEVA Challenge took us to Cambodia, we put out a call to the yoga community to raise significant funds. We asked that people use their creativity to find new ways to motivate their local communities. And once again many yogis rallied, creating auctions, donation classes, selling products, holding arts events, yogathons, and more. Keep in mind, this was no ordinary year. Seva Challenge participants faced a stressed economy and a harrowing fiscal environment. But the participants pushed themselves beyond perceived limits: 21 women raised at least $20,000 each due to the support of hundreds of yogis. Collectively, we raised $574,000.   As a result, we will soon be arriving in Uganda. Together with Shanti Uganda, we will build an eco-birthing center for women with HIV/AIDS. We will also help support the education and training of the midwives and nurses there in hopes of creating a place for women–who might otherwise die in unassisted childbirth–to have a loving and safe environment to bring their babies into the world. We will be collaborating with Building Tomorrow and, along side the members of a local community, building a school for 150 to 400 children, brick by brick. We will be learning about the specifics of HIV/AIDS prevention, education, and the latest advances in treatment from YouthAids. We will visit the offices of Invisible Children to hear about the 350,000 child soldiers abducted in Uganda as well as the stories of how some of those children are being lovingly rehabilitated and reunited with their long lost families.   We believe that, as sacred activists, our task is to practice love and compassion, even as we work for change. Even when we encounter children and families who are without the basics needed for survival and who face the devastating long-term effects of AIDS, we are charged with the task of staying present in our breath and in our bodies. We are asking ourselves to witness honestly and profoundly what is happening in this community, using all the tools that we have acquired in our yoga practice on the mat. We will witness honestly and profoundly what is happening in this community, using all the tools that we have acquired in our yoga practice on the mat. We will simply show up and be willing to respectfully connect to every woman, man, and child that we meet. By connecting to each other and to all that we encounter with fierce compassion and strong hearts, we will be changed. There is no doubt.   We are profoundly grateful to be a part of this growing community. We are thankful for the vibrant creativity, leadership, and love that has been called into action in such a powerful way at a time when it is so crucial to our global evolution and awakening. We look forward to sharing our stories and inspirations with you over the next two weeks.   With Love, Seane Corn and Suzanne Sterling

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About the Seva Challenge and Bare Witness Tour

If you’ve ever flipped through an issue of Yoga Journal , and thought, “I wish someone would read this to me so I could get on my mat and practice along,” you’re going to be really excited about our newest feature. LiveMag will be your destination for multimedia versions of your favorite magazine columns and features. In the first edition (which corresponds to the March 2010 issue of the magazine), you can practice along with the video versions of the popular Home Practice and Master Class columns and watch a demo of a few of the Sun Salutation variations highlighted in the feature story “Shine on Me.” Give it a try, and make sure to comment below and let us know what you think! By the way, the new issue of Yoga Journal will be out on newsstands February 16.

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Yoga Journal: It’s Alive!

I loved this post from Chicagonow.com’s BrokeAss Blog about how to get your yoga in without emptying your wallet. Of course, the suggestions are specifically for the Chicago area, but I think we can take their ideas and make them work no matter where you live. Yoga is expensive if you’re willing to pay the fancy studio prices, but if you’re a little creative you can get all (or at least most) of the studio benefits for a fraction of the cost. 1. Take advantage of new student specials. If you live in an urban area with a lot of health clubs and gyms, you can get your yoga on for free for a LONG time by simply trying out something new and taking advantage of the introductory offers. Many studios and teachers offer their first class for free or reduced rates, and gyms sometimes offer free weeklong passes for anyone who wants to give them a try. Does this compromiseyour comittment to asteya , non-stealing? I think not! Teachers, studios, and health clubs offer free trials to get you through the door and they know you might not come back.  2. Look for yoga in non-traditional venues. If you do a little research, you might discover there are affordable yoga classes at your local parks, libraries, or community centers. Ask a yoga teacher you know who is involved in the local yoga community, or just pick up the phone and call the city to ask. 3. Seek out work study programs. Many studios will agree to let you take classes for free if you agree to man the front desk, sweep the floors, or neatly organize their props at the end of the class. 4. Trade Your Services for Classes. Even if your local studio doesn’t have a work trade program, you might be able to barter with individual teachers in exchange for classes. Are you a trained yoga teacher? Maybe you could offer to assist one class a week. Do you have marketing skills? Maybe your teacher needs help promoting himself. The possibilities are endless! 5. Practice at home. A home practice (whether you use your own sequence, a DVD, or a an online video) is not the same as getting guidance from an in-person teacher, but in a lot of ways it’s just as important. Test your own boundaries. Really pay attention to your body’s signals. Empower yourself to listen to your intuition and the practice you need. What ways do you save money without compromising your yoga practice? Are there any creative programs in your area that offer yoga at reduced prices?

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BrokeAsana Yoga

Like lots of people, I have a history of lower back ickiness. Sometimes, because I did something too intense in a yoga class, or even just bent down or slept the wrong way, I wind up with back pain that makes me feel like a granny, holding my lower back as I achingly rise up from or sit down into a chair, and unable to touch my toes (or do much of anything, really) in a yoga class. But in recent years, I have found some great ways of unwinding that injury faster than than was formerly possible, particularly through Shadow Yoga practices and Gary Kraftsow’s therapeutic teachings. Today, I learned more low back healing techniques in Tias Little’s class, which was entirely about unwinding the lumbar spine and releasing compression from the sacrum. Tias talked about how most of us have an imbalance in the sacrum, where one side is higher than the other because of muscular and fascial constriction. He showed us a number of variations of reclining, rolling twists done with the back to the floor, as well as some new techniques for downward dog in which we bring the sacrum close toward the legs to elongate the spine. It was quite useful. On another note, I liked the first slide he showed (which I think was by accident) of him doing a headstand out on a very hard, rocky, high cliff. He admitted that he may have done a bit of spinal compression with the pose that he was still working out of his neck–but, all in all, he felt that it was worth it. It did look pretty awesome.

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Unwinding With Tias Little

As I was sitting in Sally Kempton’s class today, which focused on karmic relationships, I overheard two women talking behind me about how this year’s conference felt more introspective than those of years past. They were excited about all of the philosophical and meditative offerings, which I also really appreciated this year, from Sally Kempton to Kate Holcombe to Christopher Tompkins. And they were also talking about the general tone of the conference feeling more spiritual. Anyone else feel some extra special spiritual ju-ju going on?

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An Introspective Conference

Master teacher Aadil Palkhivala opened his class on twists and backbends by saying “they have nothing to do with yoga.” What he means is that asana, which he says is “not important but utterly necessary,” is the first step in the path towards greater freedom. Because the body is the vehicle for the spirit, we must take good care of it. This is why we do asana. What can I say about Aadil? I love him as a teacher and human being. He is meticulous, hilarious, kind, and precise. He is a big, burly laughing redwood tree of a Buddha, so grounded in his practice that his spirit can fly big and free. We did some intense twisting, including variations of matsyangasana (hello quads!), and explored how to keep the vertebrae between S1 and T5 safe in backbends. Here are some tidbits from the Master himself, in no particular order: “Our practice must serve our individual dharma.” “Through the consequences of my past actions, I can make decisions about my present.” “There is great comfort in mediocrity. I urge you to rise above that to find your potential.” “You are creating your body of tomorrow now.”

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Twists & Backbends with Aadil Palkhivala

Take an Iyengar gal and throw her into a Shadow Yoga class and what do you get? Lots of sweat and joy! Scott Blossom taught an hour and a half intro on Shadow Yoga — a form of yoga that mixes asana, martial arts and dance. All of Shadow Yoga’s movements originate from the hips — deep squats, lunges, twisting spirals, as well as hand mudras combined with attention to the breath. It is a beautiful form and inspiring to do and watch.

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Shadow Yoga with Scott Blossom

If you’re anything like me, you might find traipsing around the Hyatt all day to be a bit draining–even if you’re riding the prana wave from all of the great yoga classes being offered at the conference. That’s why I was happy to see that Yoga Tree, one of the premier yoga studios in San Francisco, has a new addition to the conference this year: They’ve created a lovely little meditation room on the top floor of the hotel. It’s filled with spiritual art, meditation cushions, rugs, and a quiet, contemplative energy. Today, there were two events held there–an afternoon meditation by Chris Tompkins (who also provided the art on view) and an evening chanting with Elizabeth Rosser. I think there is more stuff going on tomorrow, so check the schedule outside of the room. Or just pop in to see the paintings and sculptures,and sit in some quietude before jetting back out into the happy busy yoga frenzy.

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Take a Breather in the Meditation Room

Today, I learned why Lilias Folan captured the hearts of a nation as the host of her own yoga show on PBS in the 1970s. (I admit this was a few years before I was even born, so I hadn’t had much exposure to her before.) The woman has personality–I mean, real star power! And she has an amazing knack for explaining complex things in such simple language that anyone can understand. I guess she learned to be really clear from her time on TV. Can you imagine trying to teach yoga to people you can’t see? “I had to use my imagination,” she explained with a smile. I found the class to be incredibly entertaining and fun. But one of the most inspiring parts of the class was how Lilias actually showed us how yoga is for every body (the name of the workshop). She helped people who were brand new to yoga, those with recent surgeries, and injuries. Not strong enough to lift your whole body up with your arm strength from Dandasana (Staff Pose)? Try it in the bathtub, she said. (I’m totally trying that later!) Are your hamstrings tight? Create a little resistance first, then see how much further you can stretch. Whatever your limitation, Lilias can show you how yoga is still accessible and beneficial. And that, my friends, is what yoga conferences are really all about.

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Yoga is for Every Body

I dutifully read every article Sally Kempton writes for Yoga Journal because I love her clear logic and practical application for problems of the mind, so I was very excited to find that her succinct class was just as accessible and useful.  Sally focused on defining emotions that create deep grooves in our consciousness (dubbed samskaras by yogis and neural grooves by scientists) or the “mind dragons”:  Anger, grief, desire and fear.  They are called dragons because of the historical symbolism this flying reptile ignites: dragons are powerful, misunderstood creatures that some traditions want to slay in order to win the treasure and other traditions want to befriend as a protector and spiritual boon.  Taking either interpretation into account, dragons are powerful as they can drag us into mental entanglement.  This power can be dangerous and incite fear, but if handled correctly, as Sally explains through Tantric tradition, they can be used for growth.  First, we were told to pick an event that ignited the emotion in question.  I chose anger, but others chose grief.  Then, we were to write a brief story recalling the events leading to that emotion. Next, we circled the emotional words: angry, afraid, frustrated, rejected, etc. and wrote them on a separate page.  We then wrote the opposite of each word next to the troublesome emotion so we could start to feel the difference even in thinking these words.  Finally, Sally instructed us through a meditation where we felt the emotion, brought it back up and noticed were it physically lodged.  Mine was in the throat, but others mentioned the heart or solar plexus.  After sitting with it, we dissolved that feeling; physically imagining it breaking apart with hands or as a galaxy–whatever worked.  We then repeated this step, and I was surprised to find that it was already much easier to dissolve the second time.  Pretty neat. The class flew by, but we also had a chance to do a meditation on desire; the main idea of Tantra being that desires are natural and not to be suppressed.  Rather, we focused on the feeling of fulfillment and came to many different, though all profound realizations.  Oftentimes we seek that feeling of fulfillment, and we then have a chance to realize we already have everything we could ever desire;  I left this class with a new sense of peace.

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Dissolving Dragons

Manoj Chalam is a rarely brilliant and balanced person.  A researcher and scientist, he also fluidly navigates spirituality and ancient texts, backing up tradition with evidence.  The hour-long talk was a brief introduction to the gods and goddesses of the vedantic tradition with a focus on their important role as archetypes and spiritual guides. Manoj also outlined the four basic paths of yoga and explained the need for all of them in a balance unique to each individual’s karmic weight.  The stories and symbolism of different deities encourage different openings along one’s unique path.  This is definitely something I want to spend some time with: discovering an archetype that resonates with me and then learning its lessons through sitting in meditation with the symbols. If you haven’t gotten much into the metaphor of ganasha–a giant elephant headed god–riding on a mouse–a symbol for the racing mind–to squash it into clarity or the story of Patanjali (author of the foundational Yoga Sutra ) falling from heaven as a snake to experience life’s lessons, then it is time to pick up Manoj’s book and enjoy the history of enlightenment.

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Getting into the Gita

“My secret mission is to get women to fall in love with their babies.” This is how Jane Austin began her All-Day Intensive “Teaching Yoga to Pregnant Women” at San Francisco’s 7th Annual Yoga Journal Conference . She went on to explain that often women are taught that yoga in pregnancy is a list of “Don’ts”: Don’t twist. Don’t lie on your belly. Don’t lie on your back. Don’t invert. Don’t do abdominals. Don’t breath deeply. Don’t. Don’t. Don’t. So what’s a pregnant lady to do? According to Jane: Alot. Jane believes that prenatal yoga should be looked at in an entirely different light: Instead of a negative list of what you can’t do, she prefers to start with the myriad of things you can. Many common yoga poses are not only entirely accessible to pregnant women, they actually can help women to connect to the babies in their bellies, feel better in pregnancy, and even prepare the body, mind and breath for birth. When looked at that way, it sounds like a pretty great deal. Pregnant ladies benefit from all kinds of poses like variations on hands and knees (to get her ready for the common labor position), arm strengthening exercises (to get her ready to hold her baby), standing poses (for endurance), and seated postures (for proper pelvis alignment). But in spite of all of that, the thing most pregnant ladies are concerned about is how to keep themselves and their baby safe. Here are some pointers I picked up from Jane to make sure that prenatal yoga is the supportive, nurturing and positive experience that it should be: – Trust what you know. Forget about all the don’ts and do’s and shoulds and shouldn’ts and instead tune in to your body and your baby. If you are really listening to your bodies signals and are including your baby as part of your practice (rather than treating your belly as simply an unwieldy “bump”) then your body will give you physical and emotional signals when things feel right and when you need to back off. Follow these signals and you should do a really good job of keeping you and baby safe. – Keep your muscles engaged and steer clear of your edge. Because the appropriately named pregnancy hormone Relaxin works to loosen the joints and connective tissue, many pregnant ladies find themselves far more flexible than they were pre-pregnancy. While it sounds like tons of fun to be able to drop down into Hanumanasana out of the blue one day, the risk is that the joints will become so loose that injury will occur. However, if you engage your muscles more to keep your joints contained and work a little away from your edge you are sure to keep your body safe. – Hug your baby. Don’t smoosh your baby. Ok, so this is half don’t, but I thought it was a really important point. I’ve often heard “Never do abdominal work when you are pregnant.” Jane believes that some abdominal engagement can actually be beneficial for a large portion of pregnant women. It helps to support the opposing back muscles as the baby (and belly) grows. However, this work should be gentle so that you feel like you are “hugging” in towards your baby rather than aggressively pulling in. Work on hands and knees is ideal for this, as well as mild abdominal engagement when transition between poses like lunges and downward facing dog. Jane concluded the workshop by instilling in us that if pregnant ladies keep these pointers in mind and use yoga during their pregnancy to feel good and connect with their “baby on the inside” then it can be a magical and memorable part of an already exciting time. — Jane Austin is a certified yoga teacher and mother of two in the San Francisco Bay area. She has worked as a midwife, doula, and childbirth educator. She has worked with hundreds of pregnant women witnessing first hand the transformative power of motherhood. For more information about classes, workshops and trainings go to janeaustinyoga.com .

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What’s a Pregnant Yogi to Do?

I believe there are angels among us at the Yoga Journal Conference in San Francisco. No, I’m not talking about celestial beings. Although they are walking amongst us in human bodies are certainly messengers of God (or whatever you believe in). I’m talking about the yoga assistants–those kind, virtuous, beautiful people who walk around the classroom laying their hands on you to give you greater awareness or, if you’re lucky, a little massage when you need it most. In my class today, Sianna Sherman said if you’re lucky enough to get help from one of the assistants it’s like winning the lottery. I couldn’t agree more.   Aside from help with alignment, there have been many yoga classes that I felt like giving up. I surrendered into Child’s Pose when an angel of mercy swept down, put his or her hands on my sacrum to give my back a gentle release, and made everything better. Immediately. It’s like magic. So thank you, Yoga Angels. We’re all rejoicing because you’re here. Hallelujah!

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Angels Among Us

Today, the BBC reported that inmates in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh will be released from 15 days early for every three months they spend practicing yoga. “The authorities say the lessons help to improve the prisoners’ self-control and reduce aggression,” according to the article.4,000 inmates are taking advantage of the program, and many of the prisoners go on to become yoga instructors after they are released. That sounds like a good deal to me. In the Yoga Journal offices, we get a lot of letters from prisoners across the U.S. who seem to be really dedicated to practicing yoga while they do their time. It’s hard to measure how big the impact really is on aggression and self-control, but a little self reflection (yoga style) can only be a positive thing, right? What do you think? Obviously there’s a lot of controversy about the perks inmates should receive while they’re in jail. Would you support this kind of program if it were to be proposed here in the U.S.?

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More Yoga = Less Jail Time

In the aftermath of Tuesday’s 7.0 earthquake in Haiti, many yoga studios, teachers, and practitioners have forces to send aid and help soften the blow of the tragedy. We encourage you to lend your support–monetary contributions, participation in relief events, raise awareness, or simply dedicate a yoga practice–to the people of Haiti. Below is a list of just a few yoga events that aim to help with the relief effort in Haiti. I know there are many more all over the country. I need your help to publicize other opportunities to get involved! Please add the list by commenting below with local events or efforts in your community– please include dates, times, and URLs. Laughing Lotus Clothing Drive in San Francisco, California — through Sunday, January 17 Bernal Yoga Haitian Relief Benefit Class in San Francisco, California — January 18, 12 pm Yoga Tree Benefit Class in San Francisco, California — January 17, 4:30pm; Studio will match donations. Piedmont Yoga Studio Clothing Drive in Oakland, California — through January 17 Haitian Relief Class with Spiritual Gansters 305 in Aventura, Florida — January 17, 10:30am River’s Edge Yoga Classes for Haitian Relief in Alexandria, Virginia — January 18, 11am, 12:30pm, and 6:30pm Blue Lotus Yoga Studio in Raleigh, North Carolina set up a fundraiser page with Mercy Corps

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Yogis Help Haiti Relief Efforts

This week began a new teaching schedule for me with a new day, new time, and new “mellower” take on my style. As students trickled in to my first Monday night class, I was thrilled to see some familiar faces, but I was equally happy to have some students who were new to me. I always feel like having a new student is a bit of a gift. They have taken a leap of faith to go to a teacher and class that is unknown to them. I hope to repay that gift by giving them a great yoga experience. Sometimes I notice with seasoned practicioners that they are more hesitant to try out someone new. They have their teacher — who they adore — and really don’t want to bother with anyone else. That always seems a little sad to me (although I have to say I have fallen into this trap myself from time to time). Shouldn’t we as yogis be open to new possibilities, new avenues of learning and new teachers? I challenge you in the new year to try out some new teachers and new styles. Take a chance on a class that you have been meaning to try for ages. Or go to a class randomly without even knowing what style or teacher you will be experiencing. You never know — you may just learn something completely, magically new.

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Welcoming in the New — Teachers that Is

I’d like to personally invite all of you yoga bloggers out there to take advantage of any holiday down time to put together a pitch to become the next Yoga Journal blogger. At YJ, we believe that each individual has a unique experience on their mats. And we can all benefit from hearing about the struggles and triumphs you face as you practice daily. The Yoga Journal editors will choose one lucky blogger to become a regular guest on our Yoga Diary blog for six months. If you think you’ve got a compelling story to tell, please submit your information along with your blog concept to http://www.yogajournal.com/blogcontest . I can’t wait to read your stories!

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Calling All Yoga Bloggers!

If you’re looking for serious holiday gift ideas for yoga practitioners you won’t be interested in this blog post. (See “Gifts of Love” in our December issue, or click here .) The following gifts are my favorite silly yoga holiday gifts. They really have very little to do with the practice of yoga, but they’re all cute and will put a smile on anyone’s face. For example, these gingerbread men are awesome! I think part of what makes them so adorable is how wrong the alignment is. (Check out that Warrior I Pose.) To buy go here . This is a magnetic pad of paper that actually hangs on my refrigerator. I’ve been making grocery lists, leaving notes to my husband, and using it as scratch paper for the last two years. It was a holiday gift from my mother-in-law two years ago. I still think it’s funny–in a really ironic sort of way. To get one for the yogi you love, go here . Since the holidays fall so close to New Year’s, a calendar is always a popular gift. Sure, you could go for a beautiful, awe-inspiring YJ calendar . Or you could get the pet lovers’ version. There’s one for cat people … … and dog people ! Can you top these? Please tell us all about the funniest or silliest yoga gift you’ve ever seen.  

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Silly Yoga Holiday Gifts

This time of year there always seem to be a plethora of articles and news reports about how to deal with the stress of the holiday season. Take, for example, this video by a news station in Sioux Falls, South Dakota: We all know yoga can help us deal with stress from the holiday season–or any other stressful time for that matter. What else do you do to help you keep your calm during the hustle and the bustle?

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Holiday Stress: How Do You Deal?

Three Virginia yoga teachers took action Tuesday to stop the state’s efforts to regulate yoga teacher training programs. The teachers filed a federal lawsuit claiming that teaching yoga is a form of protected free speech, according to a recent Washington Post article. “Yoga is the study of the self through direct experience,” Suzanne Leitner-Wise, a plaintiff and president of U.S. 1 Yoga Teacher Training told the Washington Post . “You simply can’t put regulations on that. It’s just dumb.” Do you think the argument will hold up?

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VA Yoga Teachers Fight State Regulation

Friends actress Jennifer Aniston wants you to experience the yoga practice (and yoga teacher) that changed her life. Aniston is lending her celebrity-status to get out the word that her teacher and friend Mandy Ingber is releasing a yoga DVD called, Yogalosophy . She gives the intro to the video and will be attending a launch event on Thursday in Los Angeles, according to People.com . “It’s one of the most fun workouts I’ve ever had,” Aniston says in the video intro. “So have fun and work hard because it will totally pay off.” Does a celebrity endorsement make you want to try a new yoga style, class, or teacher?

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Yoga Changed Jennifer Aniston’s Life

Friends actress Jennifer Aniston wants you to experience the yoga practice (and yoga teacher) that changed her life. Aniston is lending her celebrity-status to get out the word that her teacher and friend Mandy Ingber is releasing a yoga DVD called, Yogalosophy . She gives the intro to the video and will be attending a launch event on Thursday in Los Angeles, according to People.com . “It’s one of the most fun workouts I’ve ever had,” Aniston says in the video intro. “So have fun and work hard because it will totally pay off.” Does a celebrity endorsement make you want to try a new yoga style, class, or teacher?

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Yoga Changed Jennifer Aniston’s Life

Friends actress Jennifer Aniston wants you to experience the yoga practice (and yoga teacher) that changed her life. Aniston is lending her celebrity-status to get out the word that her teacher and friend Mandy Ingber is releasing a yoga DVD called, Yogalosophy . She gives the intro to the video and will be attending a launch event on Thursday in Los Angeles, according to People.com . “It’s one of the most fun workouts I’ve ever had,” Aniston says in the video intro. “So have fun and work hard because it will totally pay off.” Does a celebrity endorsement make you want to try a new yoga style, class, or teacher?

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Yoga Changed Jennifer Aniston’s Life

Friends actress Jennifer Aniston wants you to experience the yoga practice (and yoga teacher) that changed her life. Aniston is lending her celebrity-status to get out the word that her teacher and friend Mandy Ingber is releasing a yoga DVD called, Yogalosophy . She gives the intro to the video and will be attending a launch event on Thursday in Los Angeles, according to People.com . “It’s one of the most fun workouts I’ve ever had,” Aniston says in the video intro. “So have fun and work hard because it will totally pay off.” Does a celebrity endorsement make you want to try a new yoga style, class, or teacher?

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Yoga Changed Jennifer Aniston’s Life

Friends actress Jennifer Aniston wants you to experience the yoga practice (and yoga teacher) that changed her life. Aniston is lending her celebrity-status to get out the word that her teacher and friend Mandy Ingber is releasing a yoga DVD called, Yogalosophy . She gives the intro to the video and will be attending a launch event on Thursday in Los Angeles, according to People.com . “It’s one of the most fun workouts I’ve ever had,” Aniston says in the video intro. “So have fun and work hard because it will totally pay off.” Does a celebrity endorsement make you want to try a new yoga style, class, or teacher?

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Yoga Changed Jennifer Aniston’s Life

Friends actress Jennifer Aniston wants you to experience the yoga practice (and yoga teacher) that changed her life. Aniston is lending her celebrity-status to get out the word that her teacher and friend Mandy Ingber is releasing a yoga DVD called, Yogalosophy . She gives the intro to the video and will be attending a launch event on Thursday in Los Angeles, according to People.com . “It’s one of the most fun workouts I’ve ever had,” Aniston says in the video intro. “So have fun and work hard because it will totally pay off.” Does a celebrity endorsement make you want to try a new yoga style, class, or teacher?

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Yoga Changed Jennifer Aniston’s Life

Friends often ask me if it’s possible to make a living as a full-time yoga teacher. I always say absolutely! But at times it can be a hard road to venture down. As a newer teacher (under the five year mark), I feel much more secure maintaining a full-time job outside the yoga studio and teaching on the side. (I’m also lucky enough to work for Yoga Journal where I can continue feeding my yoga passion every day in a different format.) I have other teacher friends who I can barely drag out of the studio. They teach ten to twenty classes a week and sometimes more, if the opportunity arises. They work hard and make enough to make ends meet through sheer number of classes. And they love what they do. But I’m not so sure this excess outpour of teaching energy is sustainable. I’ve seen it lead to burn out more than once. And then there’s the Uber-Teachers. You know the ones — they teach four classes a week and pull in enough people to fill a stadium. They’re doing well and so they should. They’re great teachers, well loved, and they are getting compensated for what they do. So my question is — how do teachers make the jump from teaching as many classes as they CAN to make ends meet to teaching as many classes as they WANT instead? At what point and in what way does yoga teaching transform into a job that is just as monetarily sustainable as being a banker or a web designer or a school teacher for that matter?

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Can Yoga Teachers Teach Full-Time AND Pay the Bills?

The shooting at the army base at Fort Hood that resulted in 13 lives lost and 30 people wounded was a tragedy that saddened the nation. But in the last year, the leaders at the base have been experimenting with new ways–including yoga–to help soldiers deal with the stress and pressure that comes with their jobs. In the aftermath of the shooting, they hope the “resiliency campus,” which in a huge facility that offers programs like yoga, aromatherapy, and video games with traditional counseling,  will help troops recover from the tragedy, reported the Wall Street Journal . “The campus … is designed to impart a new army philosophy focused on nurturing soldiers’ body, mind and spirit,” Brigadier General William Grimsley told the Wall Street Journal . “It marks a radical shift from the philosophy under which the army operated for years.” As a yoga student, I feel like any shift toward nurturing “body, mind and spirit” is a good one. What do you think?

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Can Yoga Improve Soldiers’ Mental Health?

There appears to be an unspoken debate about using music in yoga class . Sometimes classes are accompanied by soothing melodies, devotional chanting, or even all out of rock. Other classes lean towards no music at all. It’s gotten me to wondering — is there a version that’s best? Or, like most things in yoga, does it simply come down to what feels right for you? In my own teaching I have covered all sides of the spectrum. When I started teaching, music always accompanied my words. I found that music helped to calm my new-to-teaching-nerves. It created an anchor that I could draw inspiration from to structure a class and inspire my students. Plus, some of my favorite teachers use music woven masterfully into their classes so I thought it seemed like a great idea to follow suit. And yet, after a few years of teaching and, frankly, listening to my small selection of mixes over and over and over, I decided I needed a bit of a musical break. I’d like to say I was inspired by the desire to move towards stillness but, really, I was just tired of all my songs. I’m not a DJ and I didn’t want to be one. So I turned the iPod off and just taught. And then an interesting thing happened. I found that, for me, turning off the music helped me to focus on the energy of the room and the rhythm of my students’ breath. It allowed me to feel more in sync with my students and it felt like they were able to reach a depth of stillness that I hadn’t seen before. And so it stuck. Has this experience caused me to swear off all music in yoga? Definitely not. Sometimes it feels like the room (or maybe me) could use a bit of a musical lift and so I pull my iPod out. I also love live chanting so I weave that into the beginning and end of class as often as I can. I love going to yoga classes with music and without. So I guess I would say I am firmly planted somewhere… in the middle. For those days that you lean more towards the musical side, visit our monthly playlists for inspiration or check out this Jivamukti sequence set to a downloadable musical track .

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Does Music Have a Place in Yoga Class?

A recent study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that teens with eating disorders benefited from establishing a yoga practice, reports Time magazine. In the study, teens (mostly girls ages 11-16) with eating disorders showed longer-lasting improvement when they added a yoga practice to their treatment program. “Food preoccupation may be reduced by focusing attention on yoga poses,”  wrote researchers.   Has yoga helped you or someone you know deal with an eating disorder ?

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Yoga Helps Teens with Eating Disorders

By now most of us have heard about the tragic Spiritual Warrior retreat and sweat lodge in Arizona that resulted in three deaths and dozens more hospitalizations. The retreat, led by James Author Ray, was meant to facilitate the “spiritual cleansing” of the 60 participants. It seems the participants pushed themselves too far in an attempt to reach their spiritual goals. It’s something we can all relate to as yoga students. Bay Area yoga teacher Katchie Ananda wrote a column in the San Francisco Chronicle yesterday that I think draws an important parallel. “As a spiritual seeker, I’m very aware of the “edge,” the place where we push ourselves past our comfort zone, to let go of old patterns and explore a bigger potential. In a culture that is focused on comfort, that’s often an important exercise,” writes Ananda. “But how far should we push ourselves or encourage our students to push?” Have you ever pushed yourself too far in yoga class–physically, mentally, or spiritually? And how can you tell that it’s time to back off?

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Lessons from the Sweat Lodge Tragedy

If you are anything like me then when you practice yoga you focus on the asana — poses that stretch the body (and often the mind). You know that meditation is an important part of the practice and you might sneak in a minute or two of stillness at the beginning or end of your asana fiesta. Or maybe you sit and meditate for five, ten, twenty minutes a day. Or maybe you think you should. And you don’t. At one time or another I have fallen into all of these categories. When I began yoga it was hard for me to sit for ten seconds. I was so used to moving and doing and multi-tasking that I’d completely forgotten how to get still. As I became more involved with my asana practice I gradually started to unravel and could proudly hit the ten second mark without even a flinch. From there my endurance grew so that now, ten years later, I can sit for ten minutes straight and not run screaming from my zafu. Doesn’t sound like much, does it? Well, for me, ten minutes feels like a huge victory. (Even then, I go in and out of my meditation practice more often than I would like to admit.) But I know that every time I meditate I feel like I want (need) to do it more. Where do you sit on meditation? Or do you sit at all? Looking to learn more about meditation? Check out our collection of meditation articles .

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Do You Meditate?

As yoga for dogs has become popular in recent months, I’ve read article after article about the novelty of classes that claim to share the benefits of a yoga practice with your furry four-legged companions. I’ve read the stories, but I’ve never quite wrapped my mind around how exactly a dog yoga class (AKA Doga) might work. Today I ran across this video, which put an end to my curiosity. I don’t know about you, but my precious puppy (Full-disclosure: I just adopted her on Saturday, and she’s a baby!) would NEVER be still long enough for me to lift her over my head like that.  Have you tried it? Would you want to?

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Yoga for Dogs: How Does It Work?

In a recent interview with the NY Times , Law and Order actress Tamara Tunie shared a little insight into what her yoga practice is like: “At 1 I’m at the Bikram yoga studio in the neighborhood. There we sweat and stretch and focus for 90 minutes. Bikram, for those who don’t know yoga, is also called the hot yoga–because the room temperature is over 100 degrees. If you could do it naked, you would, but with 30 people in the class, it wouldn’t be pretty. It’s somewhat torturous, particularly if I’ve had a couple of drinks at the clubs the night before. But of the 30 people, most of them probably have hangovers.” I want to hear from you Bikram (and heated vinyasa or Power Yoga) practitioners out there. If you could do it naked , would you? And how often do you go to yoga class hungover?

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If You Could Do It Naked, Would You?

I was recently watching Yoga Journal’s latest DVD: Yoga For Strength and Toning with Flow teacher Stephanie Snyder. (Full disclosure: Stephanie is my main teacher so I am thrilled that she just released this brand new DVD.) Strength and toning seems like a great reason to do yoga but it got me thinking: I wonder how many different reasons there are that people practice yoga? Some super-busy students of mine do yoga to de-stress; others to stay in shape. Some sporty students do yoga to stretch out after their workout.  I do yoga for different reasons on different days but mostly because it makes me feel good: mind, body, and soul. (And sometimes I joke that I do yoga because it makes me a little bit less crazy.) I know my students do yoga for some many reasons. What are those reasons for you? What brings you to the mat?

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Why Do You Do Yoga?

Recently I came across An Offering of Leaves by Jivamukti yoga teacher Ruth Lauer-Manenti. This new book is a collection of “‘dharma talks’ — stories from her life that accompany her classes and represent the yogic commitments to ahimsa (non-violence), compassion, and service.” Usually when I pick up books based on yoga philosophy, all full of enthusiasm to absorb some yogic wisdom, I get lost after three pages and end up abandoning ship. Thankfully, this book was a very welcome exception. Ruth writes with such simplicity, humor and authenticity that I was immediately drawn into each story. It was easy to see the connection to the Sanskrit verse with which the story began. By the end I felt like I had delved into the ancient texts of The Yoga Sutras and The Bhagavad Gita in a way I never had before and in a way that made sense to me. I’m hoping I can bring this new-found knowledge into my days and to my students. What other books have helped you deepen your understanding of yoga philosophy in an easy and accessible way?

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Sharing Wisdom through An Offering of Leaves

When it comes to comedy movies, yoga is often portrayed as either a weird, New Age activity or a prime opportunity for wildly inappropriate sexual innuendo. Based on the press surrounding Couples Retreat , a movie about couples who go on a retreat to save their troubled marriages, I’m guessing it falls into the second category. Vince Vaughn, who stars in the film, told Parade.com that the yoga class scene came from an experience he had in real life. “I had a girlfriend in L.A. who took me to a yoga class,” he said. “While it was going on I was saying to myself, ‘Is this really happening?’ It was like the instructor was making all these moves and he was basically dry humping the girls. Nobody batted an eye. I felt like I was in The Twilight Zone . So we had our class in the movie with a creepy yoga guy.”  Here’s the trailer for the movie (the yoga class is at the very end!) Couples Retreat opens today! The reviews aren’t great, but it looks like it will be good for a few healthy laughs . Will you go see it? 

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New Movie Features "Creepy Yoga Guy"

This weekend I had the pleasure of teaching an Intro to Yoga workshop to a shiny, new crop of yogis. Some of them had never done yoga. Others had done yoga a bit but had never gotten the basics. And yet they all had one thing in common: they were super-eager to learn. It was as if just by signing up for a workshop called “Intro” they had taken on the “Beginner’s Mind” and embraced it. And oh what a wonderful thing that was. In case you’re not familiar, we often refer to a “Beginner’s Mind” in yoga as that space where you examine everything as if it were new. By opening ourselves up to the possibility that there is always something new to learn (even when you have done the “same” downward facing dog a thousand times) all kinds of things can shift and change and evolve. I found myself inspired by my beginners. Not only were they discovering yoga with all of its possibilities but they were so open and receptive to everything I (and yoga) had to offer. I found myself wanting to give as much of myself as I possibly could. I wanted to learn more and absorb with the same openness and fearlessness that they were exhibiting. And so, my beginners, for this I thank you. And I ask you, my readers, where could you benefit from applying your Beginner’s Mind?

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Beginner’s Mind

Swami Ramdev, the Indian guru who claimed yoga could cure homosexuality , now suggests that the practice of pranayama (conscious breathing) can heal diseases such as Swine Flu, cancer, and AIDS, reported the Press Trust of India . Ramdev shared his ideas with thousands of yoga fans, who gathered in Toronto, and insisted that his teachings were based on science.”Yoga is the universal and scientific philosophy of self-realisation and healing. Our personal life should also be full of austerity and self-control and a complete sense of denunciation.” We know that yoga and pranayama have amazing healing benefits, but do you think that it can really heal or prevent H1N1, cancer, and/or AIDS?

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Yoga for Swine Flu, Cancer, and AIDS?

Since I began teaching I’ve been on a quest to learn the secret to adjusting. Until last weekend, it hadn’t gone so well. I’ve been down many avenues on this quest: I learned a bit in teacher training (”adjusting basics”, which I then promptly forgot in favor of pose names and sequences); I’ve bought “adjusting” books (its hard to learn hands-on from a sheet of paper); I’ve attended short “adjusting” trainings (they didn’t quite get into what I was seeking); I’ve assisted other teachers (I was free to give all the adjustments I wanted but I was never quite sure what those should be). None of them measured up to what I was hoping to learn. And then last weekend I had the pleasure of attending a Thai Yoga Massage workshop led by Jonas Westring, (Anusara Yoga Instructor, Therapeutic Bodyworker, and owner of Shantaya Yoga and Bodywork School ). I have to admit, when I signed up I thought the workshop would be informative but have very little to do with my yoga teaching. It was obvious from the first sequence that I was dead wrong. Turns out I had discovered the secret to all of those fantastic, deep, yummy adjustments that I have been longing to learn. After just one day with Jonas I left equipped with clear insight into how to adjust the body, be sensitive to what is going on with my students’ bodies, and to take care of myself while I’m adjusting. It was an invaluable experience that left me feeling like I had finally found a practice that could deeply change not only the way I adjust but how I interact with my students and their practice. I can’t wait to learn more. To get a taste of some Thai Yoga Massage adjustments check out Saul David Raye’s article: Get in Touch .

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The Secret to Adjusting

Despite its popularity, there are many misconceptions about yoga floating around in the media. The two that I think might be most prevalent are that all yoga students are crazy flexible and that yoga classes are mostly easy, gentle stretching. Those misconceptions really bother me, not because people don’t really understand what yoga is, but because it might keep people might really benefit from yoga from ever trying it. Like athletes, for example. So I enjoyed an article and video on Messenger Post Newspapers (in suburban Rochester, NY) about the Baptiste Power Yoga and how it’s different from the kind of yoga you most often see on TV. In a nutshell, here are the five things yoga teacher Mary Eggers pointed out in the article: 1. There are many styles of yoga. (Yes, some are gentle stretching, but some are so hard they with kick your butt–even if you’re in amazing shape.) 2. Yoga is great for athletes. 3. It’s not all about how flexible you are . . .Really. 4. It’s a workout. (See point 1). 5. It’s not just for women. It’s for everybody. I couldn’t agree more!  

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5 Things You Should Know about Yoga

There’s bound to be a great conversation when four of the most influential women in yoga today sit down at a table together. And that’s exactly what happened today when Seane Corn, Shiva Rea, Judith Lasater, and YJ’s Editor-in-Chief Kaitlin Quistgaard came together to talk about the power of women in yoga. It’s a vast topic and the discussion touched on many different things so I’ll give you a taste of a few of the topics that I found most interesting. Note: The following are memorable paraphrases, not direct quotes from the panelists. Q: If yoga is all about embracing your true self, why do women in the yoga community still wear make up and color their hair? Shiva Rea: For me it’s about adornment. It’s something I do as an expression for myself, not for anyone else. I was born as a pixie blonde. I feel like the blond hair is an expression of who I am.  Judith Lasater: There’s kind of a spectrum. Plastic surgery might be on one end and brushing your teeth on the other.   Q: Why do the pictures we see in YJ and other media outlets portray yoginis as thin and flexible when we come in all different shapes and sizes? Kaitlin Quistgaard : I can’t speak for other outlets, but for Yoga Journal we’re always looking for diversity in models, keeping in mind the integrity of alignment. It takes a lot of stamina and hard work to be a model, so we have to find people who can hold poses all day long. For our covers, we’re trying to appeal to people who have never picked up the magazine before. Seane Corn: I hear people place blame so much, and it’s like nails on a chalkboard for me. Instead of villifying others and talking about what they should be doing differently, we need to think about what WE can do in our communities to shape the perception for our daughters. Q: What can we, as women yoga students, do to get more men interested in yoga? Seane Corn: I don’t think we should be doing anything. Do your own practice and trust that they’ll come to it when they’re supposed to if it’s their karma. Plus, there’s nothing more annoying than a woman nagging, telling others what they should do to make changes in their lives. 

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Women in Yoga Panel

As a yogi I try to keep my crankiness to a minimum. But I have to say, nothing puts me on the cranky-train faster than a poorly done yoga teacher headshot. You know the ones – where your favorite yoga teacher (who is cute as a button and radiates sunshine) looks like a blurred-out, fuzzy mess who quite possibly has just finished an all night bar crawl with her ten closest friends (who are of course whooping it up in the background of the tiny image.) Or the one where your teacher is twisted up so far into a pretzel that you are not sure where her legs end and her head begins and you just want to look away because, frankly, that looks like it hurts and you just don’t want that to happen to you because you quite possibly will get stuck. Forever. Come on folks. Let’s get our headshots together. Often a yoga teacher’s headshot is the first thing that you will see when deciding if you want to take your class. Wouldn’t a happy, meditative, in-focus yogi convince you to take a class more than a lot of the pictures out there? I beg of you – if you are a student and your yoga teacher’s headshot is just not up to par, let them know. Take a snapshot yourself if you must. You’ll be helping them, I promise. And if you are a teacher – take a quick look. What is your headshot saying about you? For articles with some lovely headshots check out our Yoga Mentor Experts .

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Your Yoga Teacher’s Headshot: Is it Up to Snuff?

Today while deleting the no longer useful off of my snail of a laptop I came across a file in which I had saved a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke. One of my favorite poets, Rilke had an astonishing ability to put into words those emotions you thought couldn’t be described. I found it quite fitting the poem I happened upon on today’s Autumnal Equinox was called Autumn Day, and perfectly mirrored my own melancholy mood:      Lord: it is time. The summer was immense. Lay your shadow on the sundials and let loose the wind in the fields. Bid the last fruits to be full; give them another two more southerly days, press them to ripeness, and chase the last sweetness into the heavy wine. Whoever has no house now will not build one anymore. Whoever is alone now will remain so for a long time, will stay up, read, write long letters, and wander the avenues, up and down, restlessly, while the leaves are blowing. The last of the peaches and strawberries, the darkening skies, the descent from summer’s high. I bristle with resistance and struggle with acceptance. We need this retreat, my mind tells me, to unwind, decompress, recharge. But I’m not done basking in the sun! I will take this time to stay up, read, write long letters, and maybe restlessly wander a few avenues. I have quite a collection of yoga books beckoning to me from the shelves. I aim to read a few and share with you my thoughts. I will also be taking some Ayurvedic courses with Pratichi Mathur at Vedika Gurukula , and will be attending the first workshop in CIIS’s new Certificate in Yoga course, taught by none other than T. K. V. Desikachar ! What was I complaining about earlier?   May blessings ride upon these winds of change~

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Autumn Day

Recently a friend and newly anointed yoga teacher asked me for advice on how to pick a yoga studio to teach at. I thought it was a great question from a newbie since I see so many new teachers salivate over ANY class they can call their own, even if it’s at 4:30am AND 20 miles outside of town AND they have to pay for cleaning AND the list goes on… After several years of trial and error I think the best way to ensure success is to make sure you consider all aspects of any teaching opportunity: Do you like the studio & its students? A studio you teach at should be a place you feel at home in and you would want to practice there yourself. Every studio has a very different personality so some will fit and some just won’t. Do you like the owner? The owner/management has so much influence on a studio and your experience in it. Make sure your personalities mesh before committing to a class Do people like working there? Talk to other teachers and get their experience. Are you going to get a time slot that works well? While it can be good experience when you’re starting out to get any slot (especially at a studio you really want to teach at), it can also be a real bummer to show up and have just a few students (or none at all some days). Figure out what attendance that slot currently gets and what you are willing to live with. What don’t you know yet? Do you get paid per student or a flat-fee? Is there a minimum you will be paid or if you show up and no-one else does do you go home empty-handed? Do they take anything out of your pay per month (like insurance or a cleaning fee)? Are you required to have liability insurance on your own? How often are you paid? Do they have front desk people working or do you have to sign people in? How early are you expected to be there for your class? Are you responsible for getting your own subs? Is there a sub list or can you get anyone to sub? What is the process? Are there any other things you will be expected to do? For those more seasoned teachers out there—what else do you consider before committing to a new studio or new class? Need ideas on how to get your chosen studio to notice you? Learn how to catch a studio’s attention .

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Where to Teach

That is the questions I ask myself each week as I start to think about my classes. Some weeks the answer is a clear “yes” and I will plan a class around a pose, a sequence, a story, or even a feeling. And some weeks it feels better to just, well, go with the flow. Yet, I still wonder what the right balance is between planning and spontaneity. As a student or a teacher. which approach do you prefer? Or do you even notice a difference from your blissful place on the mat? To read more on this topic, go to Yoga Journal’s article, ” What’s Your Plan? ”

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To Plan or Not to Plan

Slate magazine’s site Doublex.com recently featured an article about the trials and tribulations of being a yoga teacher. We all know making a living as a teacher isn’t easy, and with teacher training enrollment up during a down economy it sounds like the competition for teaching gigs is going to keep growing. (From a supply and demand standpoint, that also might mean lower pay for the teachers who land those gigs, which would make it harder than ever to pay the bills.) “If you want yoga to pay your bills, you’ve got to leave the deep breathing and asanas at the door and do the capitalist hustle,” writes the article’s author Anna Sale. My question is for the yoga teachers who read this blog. Do you feel like you’re doing a “capitalist hustle” these days, juggling many different small jobs just to pay the bills?

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Teaching: It’s Harder Than It Looks

Hannah O’Reilly is Yoga Journal ’s Online Production Manager by day and a San Francisco Flow Yoga Teacher by night (and sometimes early morning). She simply loves yoga and wants to share it with as many people—in as many ways—as she can. She is thrilled to be contributing to Yoga Journal’s Teacher Tells All blog as a new way for her to talk about and form community around yoga. As a yoga teacher, Hannah is known for her joyful spirit, flowing movement, focus on the breath, and occasionally, some kick-your-butt ab work. Hannah pulls yogic inspiration from far and wide including yoga teachers Stephanie Snyder and Jason Crandell, San Francisco city life and (more often than you might care to know) reality tv. She encourages lightheartedness on and off the mat and finds laughter every day playing with her pup Zeke. For more information about Hannah please visit her website or become a fan of Hannah Yoga on Facebook.

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Meet Hannah

Whether you like video games or not, you’ve got to be at least curious about the new Yoga for Wii game coming out later this year. As a Wii Fit enthusiast, I was definitely excited to hear that there was a game dedicated to the practice of yoga (as opposed to Wii Fit , which has a yoga component). According to the game’s official website , which launched recently, the game will feature: Tips, photos, videos and a number of exercises by top model Anja Rubik. Your own customized yoga exercise plan. A wide range of yoga positions and the ability to use the Wii Balance Board Authentic Far-Eastern locations and buildings Dynamic monitoring of your own process 7 beautifully-designed levels with a huge selection of rooms This all sounds great to me–especially the part about customizing your own plan. But I have to admit, I’m a little skeptical of receiving yoga tips from a fashion model who is simply “an ambitious yoga fan,” as the website states. I just hope they got some help from an experienced yoga teacher. Regardless, I still can’t wait to try it out! What do you think?  

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Yoga for Wii

A Columbia, SC museum is hosting a yoga class in the middle of an art gallery. Doing yoga among beautiful pieces of art enhances the senses says Rikki Donahue, the yoga teacher who will lead classes at the museum through September 9th. “You notice the vastness of the canvas, the colors and the mixture and your senses are so much more aware,” Donahue said. Would you take part in a class like this? For more information visit wltx.com or watch the video below.

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Art + Yoga = Bliss

At $18 a class in some cities, it’s no surprise that yoga studios are often a hub for financially secure spiritual seekers. It’s the high price tags associated with yoga classes, retreats, and trendy yoga clothes that has some folks making sweeping generalizations about how yoga is a yuppie activity. However, there’s no denying the sector of the yoga community working to change all of that. A recent article in the Washington Post features several ways yoga teachers are donating their time and energy to help low-income students, HIV/AIDS patients, cancer patients, and more by offering free classes. It’s nothing new. Those of us who are involved in the yoga community know that there are amazing people selflessly sharing yoga with under-served populations all the time. I’d love to hear your stories! What programs are available in your neighborhoods that offer yoga to people who might never set foot in a studio otherwise?

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Yoga for Underserved Populations

Regular yoga practice is associated with mindful eating, and people who eat mindfully are less likely to be obese, according to a recent study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The study, which was a follow-up on an earlier study that revealed middle-age gained less weight over a 10-year period than those who did not, confirms that the increased awareness that yoga practitioners often experience may play a bigger role in weight management than the yoga asanas themselves. “The researchers found that people who ate mindfully – those were aware of why they ate and stopped eating when full – weighed less than those who ate mindlessly, who ate when not hungry or in response to anxiety or depression,” states a press release from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center released August 3. “The researchers also found a strong association between yoga practice and mindful eating but found no association between other types of physical activity, such as walking or running, and mindful eating.” Click here to read the whole report. Basically, yoga helps people be more aware of their actions, which helps them better gauge how much food they need and control weight. That sounds about right to me. Anyone else?

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Regular Yoga Practice is Associated with Mindful Eating, Study Finds

In the yoga community there’s an unspoken “don’t ask, don’t tell” rule when it comes to being a vegetarian, wrote vinyasa teacher and author Sadie Nardini in a recent blog post . “Many of the most famous teachers are not only vegetarian, but think you should be too, or you’re not ‘as yogic’ as they are. I know … they’ve told me so in person. To me, that’s not spiritual…that’s judgment, pure and simple,” wrote Nardini, who owns a studio and teaches in New York . “People hide their passion for sushi or burning desire for a big juicy steak from their instructors, and eyes narrow when a student dares to mention it in polite company.” The debate on vegetarianism and ahimsa (non-harming) will probably go on forever, but no matter where you stand on the subject you’ve got to admit that neither judging others or hiding your own desires seems to fit in very well with yoga philosphy. What do you think? If you’re a vegetarian, do you think non-vegetarians are non-yogic? If you’re not a vegetarian, do you avoid eating meat in front of your yoga friends?

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Are You in the Closet?