Defined Yoga

It seems like everyone is talking about it these days and I’ve been asked by many people this past week about my opinion on it. By “it,” I mean the NY Times article, How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body (you can read Glenn Black’s response here). Frankly, I wasn’t going to discuss it on the blog and add fuel to the already raging fire. I’ve been practicing yoga for well over a decade and I’ve had very few injuries. It’s my belief that it’s not yoga that’s dangerous but who’s practicing it and how it’s being practiced that can put a yoga practitioner in the danger zone. I know that I’m not alone in this belief. Still, the media isn’t looking to write a balanced story but a sensationalized one (here’s another point of view on the subject) because that attracts more readers. Take it from where it comes, I say. Enough said.

Bandhas

Bandhaland, as Leslie Kaminoff likes to describe it in the following video, is often unknown to many yoga practitioners. I don’t think that I’d even heard the term bandha until I was practicing yoga for about a year and it took me a few years after that to understand them, much less incorporate them into my practice. Perhaps something like Bandhas could go a long way towards helping prevent yoga injuries. Hmmm…perhaps the NY Times can write an article on that (nah, it’s not as sexy as all of the other sensational yoga stories that they so enjoy publishing). If you’d like a little lesson in the history of bandhas, check out this informative video from Leslie. 

Karma

Perhaps my barbs aimed at the NY Times isn’t good karma. Unlike Bandhas, the term Karma is fairly well-known. If you’re interested in good karma and how to get it, here’s a little lesson from the Dalai Lama: 20 Ways to Get Good Karma. 

Okay, I think I’ll try #10 and go back to silence on the topic of yoga. Until I open my mouth again, I wish you good karma, no yoga injuries, and one good moola bandha.

Namaste!

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The title of this post applies to life in general, not just yoga class (but since this is a yoga blog, after all, I’ll just tackle the yoga piece). There’s a lot of talk about present moment awareness, being conscious, and calming the fluctuations of the mind in the yoga world. Sounds simple right? All you have to do is be here now. Simple, but certainly not easy.

One of the things I noticed when I starting practicing yoga 5-6 days/week is that I began to operate from muscle memory rather than conscious awareness. My body knew what to do, so my mind felt free to wander. Even worse, I began to tune out the teacher’s instructions. As many of your know, doing your yoga practice on autopilot is an invitation to injury.

As time went on, I started feeling like a haughty intermediate yoga practitioner. Yep — as if I wasn’t already listening to the teacher before, now I was approaching my practice with a ego-maniac I-know-all-about-this-yoga-stuff attitude. Looking back, I can’t believe I didn’t injure myself more often. Luckily, my ego was tempered by some body awareness, so I mostly suffered from tweaks as opposed to injuries.

How did I pull myself out of my ego spiral? I became a student. I signed on for a yoga teacher training in a completely different style of yoga than I had originally trained in. Ah, there’s nothing more humbling than to realize that you really don’t know what you thought you knew. Actually, that made me a better teacher, for I realized that I didn’t know rather than remain under the illusion that I did know. Not knowing what you don’t know is a dangerous thing.

In this training, a teacher led us through Cakravakasana. My mind immediately chimed in with, “Oh, this is a fancy Sanskrit term for Cat Cow.” I was thinking something like this. The problem with this is that when you come back into Child’s Pose from all fours thinking Cat Cow, you get an mid/upper back stretch rather than the lower back stretch of Cakravakasana (which is why I like to call it Cakravakasanaaaahhhhhhhh). The key to getting the lower back stretch is dropping the head before moving back into Child’s. It’s a bit of a suble difference — one that you wouldn’t notice if you were on yoga autopilot.

So how do you stay off yoga autopilot? No, it’s not necessary to shell out the money for a teacher training. Try these simple tips instead:

• Be aware of the fact that you might, in fact, be on yoga autopilot. Yes, I know it’s hard to admit, but be honest with yourself. 
• Try a class in a style of yoga completely different than your current style. If you’re an Ashtanga Yoga lover, try Restorative. If you’re a Vinyasa Flow fan, try Kundalini. Go different…very different.
• Sit on your mat before class with an intention to be conscious throughout your yoga practice. Yes, it sounds dubious, but the power of intention is quite strong.
• Take a pose that you’re uber familiar with — say Downward Dog or Warrior — and notice what your body is doing in the pose. Listen to the instructions the teacher is giving and follow them as if it were your first time attempting the posture.
• Practice along with a beginner yoga DVD or take a beginner-level yoga class. Ah, to be a student again…one of the best ways to approach your yoga practice with Beginner’s Mind is to pretend that you are a beginner. 
• Start your yoga practice with a body scan and/or some simple pranayama (inhale for 4 counts, hold the inhale for 4 counts, exhale for 4 counts, hold the exhale for 4 counts). This will help you get out of your head and into your body prior to starting your yoga practice, which should help you have more awareness.

Enjoy the surprises and delightful discoveries that come along with being a beginner again!

Namaste!

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I can’t believe it’s gone by so quickly, but it’s almost time to say good-bye to 2011 and hello to 2012. As usual around this time, I’ve been reflecting on the year gone by. I’ve said good-bye to a great many things/people/circumstances/situations this past year, with a hello to new things/people/circumstances/situations following close behind. I’ve noticed that pattern this year — I only get to say hello to the new when I say good-bye to what I’ve been stubbornly holding on to. Life is funny that way, eh? It reminds me of a card that I received a little over four years with the Zen proverb that made my heart race — leap and the net will appear. 

Yes, the leap can be scary, but without it, there’s nothing ventured. Yes, you often can’t have a hello without first saying good-bye. Then again, I might be wrong here — perhaps the leap isn’t scary but exhilarating. And just because people associate good-bye with sadness doesn’t mean that saying good-bye can’t be a good thing. Speaking from personal experience this year — my good-byes have all been positive. And it’s those good-byes that have allowed me to say hello to new experiences, new ways of being, more positive choices for my life. That’s right — not all good-byes are bad. And not all leaps are scary. One thing I can say for sure though — both are necessary at some point in one’s life. 

So, what are you saying good-bye to and hello to as you head into this new year?

This morning I said hello to a different sort of yoga practice. I actually put on some music (normally I don’t like to practice with music playing in the background) and did a fluid, dynamic version of Sun Salutations that looked nothing like I’ve learned in past teacher trainings or in a yoga class or workshop (and didn’t even closely resemble what I teach to clients either). Instead, I focused on moving in a way that felt good rather than practiced, fluid rather than rigid, unique rather than classical. The change felt good. Will my daily practice always look like it did this morning? Probably not. That’s the thing about good-byes and hellos — they don’t always have to be permanent. 

As you begin the new adventure that 2012 brings, what do you desire to say good-bye and/or hello to? What do you need to say good-bye to before you can say hello to something even better? Perhaps a little something to ponder the next time you’re lying in Savasana…

Before I sign off for 2011 (no worries — I’ll be back in 2012 [wink, wink]), I wanted to share a funny and a little something useful:

• I’m not sure if I was amused or horrified that I could totally identify with this funny article on Elephant Journal. I sure did get a laugh though. And yes, I’ve done all 10!!!!
• If you’re feeling in need of a little detox as the holiday season comes to an end, this brief video offers a variety of detox bath recipes — one of which I’ve personally tried and loved. 

May your hellos and good-byes lead you to exactly where you want to go (and beyond). Hello 2012 and good-bye for now.

Namaste!

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I’m currently indulging in the relaxing downtime that I so enjoy during the time between Christmas and New Years. As I slow down, the inevitable happens — I get those lovely intuitive hits about where I am and where I need to go. This past year I’ve gone especially far and I’m experiencing a deep sense of happiness and peace unlike anything I’ve felt before. Yes, a lot of stuff has happened on the outside — I’ve had changes in relationships, work, location, etc. In order for all of those things to happen, a lot of stuff on the inside needed to change.

As I sit on the precipice of a new year — and in many ways, a whole new life — I find myself most grateful for the internal changes (although I certainly do appreciate the external changes as well) that have brought me to this place. In the riddle of “what comes first, the chicken or the egg?” I know that the answer lies in what’s inside; you change the inside first and that’s when things on the outside start to change (so I suppose in this scenario, it would be the egg that starts it all). Now that I’m taking some quiet time, it’s easier for me to acknowledge and appreciate all of the internal transformation that often gets lost in the static of daily life. 

As I think about the new year, rather than write down goals that are outside-oriented, I’m focusing instead on what I want to have happen inside. How do I want to be in life? How do I want to feel? What do I want my day-to-day experience to be? I know that everything else will spring forth from that. It sure will be interesting to see how it all turns out/translates into the outside world. It’s sort of like the best kind of surprise that one could receive.

So here are a few things that will help you slow down, tune in, and do some of the inner work that leads to the sweet stuff in life: 

• Whenever I slow down — especially if I’ve been going through a particularly busy time in my life — I tend to gravitate towards hip opening poses. In fact, it’s not uncommon for my yoga practice to be made up solely of hip openers. Check out this wonderful list that includes all of my favorites. 
• Since I just spoke about transforming the inside in order to change what’s going on outside, I think that this wonderful article by John Douillard is quite fitting. Your emotional footprint isn’t just something that you should think about during the holidays but all year long. Try following the advice here and notice what happens in your outer world after changing your inner world.
• If you’re longing to make some internal changes and want to learn/try something new, why not try one (or both) of these virtual yoga events: 

1. YogaHub’s 3rd Annual World Yoga Conference (this year’s theme is Yoga, Meditation, and the Philosopher’s Stone)
2. Sofia Diaz’s 7-week digital yoga practice entitled Buddhayana Yoga: The Yogic Art of Sitting, Standing, and Walking

            Both events are relatively inexpensive and a great way to kick off the new year (and since they             are virtual, no travel is required).

Here’s to slowing down, inner transformation, and a new year filled with serendipitous wonder (all of that stuff that happens on the outside is merely icing on the cake)!

Namaste!

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I’m a little quirky in that I tend to get excited about starting from ground zero. Perhaps it’s the freshness, the possibility, of a new start. Regardless, shedding the old and starting anew revs my engine.

After 6 years in the same place, I’m moving and doing a life reboot. The reaction I’ve gotten from many is, “Wow, sounds scary.” I suppose it is — changing everything you’ve known and shedding the stuff that you thought you needed can be a bit…disconcerting. Frankly, I love it. I’m finding myself uncomfortable in ways that have clued me into how much I was holding onto things. And in getting a clue, I discovered that I actually need very little. My preferences have gone through an entire revolution — many have fallen away. Scary? Nah…I’m thinking very cool. It’s sort of like one big meditation practice in which you have those beautiful glimpses of clarity and nothingness.

I’ve given up my beloved chest of yoga props/mats/straps/blocks and have simplified to two yoga mats. I’ve donated and packed up dozens of yoga books. Paring down the ridiculous number of yoga pants that I have has been a bit more challenging (I justify this by telling myself that I’m actually using them as opposed to them sitting in a drawer), but progress has been made on that front as well.

As I rid myself of the stuff, a funny thing happened — sort of like in yoga when you open up the physical body the emotional body follows — my emotions followed suit. I’m feeling a whole heck of a lot lighter these days. And, as an extra added bonus, I’m finding that letting go of old stuff makes more room for me to be me sans the trappings/ideas/constructs of the past. Scary? No way! More like liberating!

I share this because I wish for you this feeling of freedom (and with the new year approaching, the timing seems apropos). No, I’m not suggesting you pack up all of your stuff, move, and start fresh (unless you want to, of course) — but letting go of what you only think you need might not be a bad idea. Personally, I started small — I boxed a bunch of yoga books I was so sure that I needed and put them in the basement. I never missed them. That got me thinking about what else I could let go of and never miss. Perhaps you could start with the very same baby step that got me started.

If that’s still feeling a bit radical to you, I’ll share some cool resources that’ll make you feel good without all of the letting go:

• The lovely Kate Moller has written up a lovely blog post that encapsulates the beauty of simplicty and letting go. I can especially relate to her last point — home is not a place. 
• One of my favorite yogis/bloggers, Linda Sama, wrote a wonderful blog post full o’ wisdom from one of my other favorite yogis, Mark Whitwell. I just love Mark’s advice to stop meditating.
• For those of you who enjoy making New Year’s resolutions, check out this video from Susan Piver. 
• Looking for a little energy to go with your holiday eggnog? Check out this wonderful video from the folks at YogaMind that includes a vegan eggnog recipe and the energizing Lion’s Paw Kriya. 

Enjoy the resources and this glorious holiday season.

Namaste!

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