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A bit about Teal, and Teal Designs
Blissful Body Yoga is in Gastonia, near Charlotte, North Carolina and brings yoga to the Charlotte, South Charlotte, Mathews, Gastonia, Belmont, Cramerton, McAdenville, Concord, Pineville, Metrolina areas...to name a few!
About Me
Teal Marie Chimblo Fyrberg
Blissful Body Yoga is located in Gastonia, North Carolina, and gives instruction to students all over the world. Owner/Instructor Teal Marie Fyrberg, RYT, is a certified Kripalu Yoga teacher who has been teaching yoga since 1998, and loves it more everyday!
Teal believes that yoga resides in the heart, and helps her students to find a personal yoga of their own. She teaches from the heart with love and compassion, and is constantly astounded by the love she receives in return from her beautiful students. Learn more at blissfulbodyyoga.com
Teal Designs is a multi-service art studio located in Gastonia, North Carolina, and serving clients all over the world.
Artist/owner Teal Marie Fyrberg began her formal training as a fine artist in New York City at the acclaimed Art Students League of New York, and in France at L’Ecole de Albert DeFois. She also completed a Bachelor degree in Visual Arts and Education at the University of North Dakota. Her 14 year career as a graphic artist and Art Director has brought her experience in a wide variety of industries.
View more about Teal's creative endeavors at www.tealdesigns.net
My husband sent me this great article on Kent Katich, the Los Angeles Clippers' "yoga coach." More and more athletes and sports teams are turning to yoga to enhance their balance, flexibility, strength, prevent injuries and develop deeper inner focus and concentration. As yoginis we know nothing does all of that better then yoga and I am so glad to see more and more athletes developing a passion for practice.
Here is a little bit from the article:
The impact of yoga on players is difficult to quantify. The positive results from downward-facing dogs, half-moons and warrior poses are not the kinds of things that show up on stat sheets or box scores. But the players who train with Katich swear by him.
"Going into my 11th year in the NBA, I feel as though the work that we've been doing has allowed me to regain my youth," Davis said. "I believe if I can continue to master this art, then I can have a very long career in the NBA."
You can read the rest of the article by clicking the link below:
So, I'm a fan of tuna salad, but I LOATH mayonnaise. Words can not explain how very much I hate it.
So, I use to always make my tuna salad with lemon juice and a couple drops of olive oil (very good I must say), but now I have discovered a new really awesome way to make it using one of my SECRET WEAPONS...
Low-Fat Greek Yogurt. Yep, it's da' bomb folks.
It's low fat, has lots of calcuim, beneficial gut bacterial and 15 grams of protein per cup, plus it has a lovely creamy texture. I grew up eating this in Saudi Arabia (where they call it Lubneh), but I never thought of putting it in tuna fish.
Without further ado here is my recipe:
1 large can of albacore tuna in spring water
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (low or non-fat)
2 celery sticks, chopped medium
1/4 onion, chopped medium
1 carrot, grated
2 Tbs raw sunflower seeds
1/8 cup chopped raw walnuts
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
fresh dill, if I have it
salt and pepper
I've also grated some zuccini into it and that is tasty. Sometimes I eat this as a sandwich, but usually I just put a 1/2 cup on a bed of fresh greens and top it off with some sprouts if I've got them.
This gorgeous Mala is available from North Carolina mala crafters Japa Mala Beads.
One of my goals for this year was to start a formal mantra practice. I love chanting mantra and have been doing so since I was given my first mantra in Transcendental Meditation at age 5, but I have never done a formal 40 day practice. Over Thanksgiving I was in Tulsa, OK visiting family and went to one of my very favorite bookstores on the planet, Peace of Mind Bookstore. I have been going to POM since I was 15 and it is an amazing incense-filled, garden of treasure. Every time I go there I stumble upon some incredible books that end up changing my life. This time I found several including Healing Mantras and Mantra Meditation by Thomas Ashley-Farrand.
I think these books are absolute musts for anyone looking to develop a mantra practice. Mantra Meditation comes with a CD and this is what I used to make sure I learned Gayatri Mantra with correct pronunciation. Why is this important? And why a Sanskrit mantra rather than something in my native tongue?
Sanskrit is a very ancient language based on an alphabet with very particular energetic qualities. These mantras are extremely pure and energetically focused on enlightening and tuning the mind to higher frequencies. It is critical that whatever is used as a mantra is absolutely pure because it will be repeated so many times and have a profound effect on the mind. Thomas Ashley-Farrand explains it this way in his book Mantra Meditation:
"Ultimately, when practiced repeatedly, the mantra will result in a subtle change of the state in the organism, where the organism vibrates at a rate in tune with the energy and spiritual state represented by and contained within the mantra."
He goes on to say that:
"For thousands of years, the use of genuine Sanskrit mantras and spiritual formulas has been practiced in order to work in very specific ways to reduce karma and to attune our minds, bodies and spirits to the various invisible energies that exist in the universe. Systematic work with mantras also deepens our breath and automatically increase our ability to concentrate. As the mind becomes clearer, new kinds of perceptual information appear to us as our outer awareness expands. Inner awareness also grows as our karmic struggles are burned away through the repetition of these ancient sacred formulas. We begin to see in new ways, hear in new ways and understand in new ways."
So, you can see there are amazing benefits to beginning a mantra practice. It is not only one of the most powerful and transformational forms of meditation, but it is also one of the most accessible for most people. Repeating the mantra silently or aloud while keep count on a Mala (a string of 108 beads...check out these beauties from Japa Mala Beads made just up the road in Asheville, North Carolina) occupies the mind so much that it can be an "easier" way to start meditating when compared to other techniques such as following the breath.
I started my forty day practice with Gayatri Mantra on January 10, 2010 and it has been a really wonderful new dimension of my yoga sadhana (practice). I have not been very strict about always chanting at the same time of day; sometimes I do my 108 repetitions in the morning, sometimes in the evening and occasionally (though this is not traditional) I do them while I am crocheting or needle felting hats. Sounds strange I know, but I can do one repetition per stitch and it is incredibly peaceful and I love that all the good energy from my practice is going into the hats I make for people.
When I practice my mind usually at first runs around like a monkey going through a catalog of all my thoughts of the day or things that have been occupying my mind. As the practice progresses this changes often into images, flashes of insight, words "written on a wall" (of my mind) and a general slowing of my thought process. My breathing becomes slower and deeper and sometimes sensations or colors in my third eye point begin to appear. Often the answer to some question I have been pondering will just "pop" into my mind. Sometimes I will have a sudden insight or "knowing" about something connected to another person or some event in my life, past or present. These are all just some examples of things one can expect to experience during a mantra practice. Everyone's practice will be different and each time we practice things will be different.
The long form of Gayatri Mantra is a longer mantra and it is not necessary to practice with something that long. You can start simply by repeating "Om" or Om Mani Padme Hum (the Jewel is in the Lotus...or "all that we need is inside us." Just start with a simple mantra and be consistent. Do a 40 day practice, or simply repeated it aloud and silently as many times as you can during the day.
Please post comments and questions (or email me). I would love to hear about your mantra practice!
For a little inspiration below is a short clip of me chanting the long form of Gayatri Mantra.
This week's recipe is perfect for January's wintry weather. Just remember to use jarred or boxed tomato sauce as your base. (For information on why canned tomato sauce is so bad for you read my post here.)
Also, the original recipe calls for tofu, but I am not a fan of this highly proccessed food which can have very negative effects on estrogen levels in males and females, so I have left it out.
Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, bouillon cube and 3 cups water. Bring to a simmer, and add couscous, parsley, oregano and basil. Cook 5 minutes, or until couscous is tender. Season with salt and pepper, and serve hot.
My brother Chris sent me this great article on 7 foods experts won't eat. Here is one that did NOT surprise me, but that I think many people would not realize can be very toxic:
1. Canned Tomatoes The expert: Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A
The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people's body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. "You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that's a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young," says vom Saal. "I won't go near canned tomatoes."
The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe's and Pomi.
Well, we are only 13 days into 2010...not to late too late to map out a plan for the year, right? Nope. It's never too late to reflect on life and see where some changes could be beneficial. So, here are some of my goals for the year:
1. Do less, enjoy my life more.
2. Open myself more and more to the magic and abundance of the Universe.
3. Begin a formal mantra practice.
4. Spend even more time outside (as much as possible!)
5. Spend as little time on the computer as possible.
6. Grow in my marriage as we begin our second married year together.
7. Continue my education as a yoga teacher so that I can give more to my students and myself.
8. Loose the 15 pounds of "loved-up" weight I have gained since I met my husband.
9. Make more time for my own sadhana (yoga practice).
10. Produce at least one yoga DVD and book and several more audio recordings. Write to my blogs more.
Some thoughts on these goals:
One of my good friends has a motto, "The more you do, the more you can do." I love her, but I think this is total bullshit. This is the bullshit of the modern world telling us that "more is better" and we can "have it all". In this realm and in with the constraints of a physical body and time, we can not have it all. And is that really neccesary anyway? What we can have is "quality versus quantity," and mindfulness and deep experience versus mindlessness and a shallow skipping from one thing to the next. I want to FEEL my life and in doing less I feel infinitely more.
What is infinite is the beauty and wonder of the Universe. When I slow down everthing become brighter, tastes better, expands before my eyes.
To this end, I started a forty day practice of the long form of Gayatri mantra on January 10th. This means that I will chant the mantra 108 times each day (I use my mala, or prayer beads, to keep track.) This takes about 35 minutes and it is an amazing practice. I will post more on Gayatri later and give you updates on my observations throughout this practice.
One of my favorite ways to this is to be outside. Sometimes I just sit on one of the benches in my backyard and breath slowly and just watch. Oh, I love that so much. It fills my heart with joy. Being outside makes everything better.
My happiness is inversely purportional to my time spent on the computer. 'Nuff said.
At 35 years I was lucky enough to find my soul mate. Everyday with him is a gift and growing together in our lives is something I look forward to everyday.
Last year I was fortunate to study with some amazing yoga teachers including, TKV Desikachar, Tias Little, Aadil Palkhivala, Mary Reilly and Phyllis Rollins. As a result, I grew SO much as a teacher and student. I want this to continue in 2010.
Any yoga teacher will tell you that it is an ironic occupational hazard of being yoga teacher that one's own practice tends to suffer. With a full teaching schedule of group classes and privates each week it is easy for my personal practice to get shorter and shallower. This will change.
Love, sweet love. A wonderful thing is the abundance of love...not so lovely are the "love handles" which result from getting "all loved up." I've gained 15 pounds since I met my hubbie and while I am still a size 6 and extremely healthy, I don't feel good in my own skin...at all. This also goes back to the previous point about needing to make more time again for my own practice and other forms of exercise.
Writing to my blogs has been something I have enjoyed so much and I need to get back to it. I have several guided meditations recorded and for sale, but I want to do more. Producing my own yoga DVD and book has been a longtime goal and I want to make that happen this year. Balancing doing this (I will write, perform, edit and produce both of these myself) with my goal to limit computer time will be a great challenge.
Well, that's it! I'll let you know how it is going.... and I hope you will do the same! What are your goals this year?
The November issue of the Blissful Body Yoga Newsletter is up. If you have not subscribed already, please do, and in the meanwhile, you can read the latest issue here.
I am reading a great book right now called, The Inner Tradition of Yogaby Michael Stone. This morning I read a passage on Kundalini energy that I thought was brilliant; here it is:
"The central channel, or susumna, is associated with fire and the union of the ida and pingala. Pattabhi Jois calls the susumna nadi which runs from the center of the pelvic floor through the crown of the head, "the empty flute."
The term Kundalini, which has been fetishized and imbued with literalist interpretations (such as a purely physical feeling of tingling up the spine", reduces the essence of that process. "Kundalini" describes in metaphorical language the present moment that is curled up but inaccessible in every movement of experience in which there is even an ounce of self-image. We are not present because of karmic patterns, most notably greed, hatred and delusion." (Emphasis mine.)
I've never really heard Kundalini described or defined in this manner and I think it is brilliant. We tend to speak of the Kundalini energy as the energy of pure potential, "coiled and sleeping" at the base of the spine. Certainly, there is no greater pure potential energy than the possibility of been fully present in any moment without the veil of Avidya (ignorance) and Asmita (ego) preventing us from seeing and experiencing what truly is.
Burn a little Karma today. Do your practice, whatever that may consist of (asana, pranayama, Jnana Yoga, etc.) and then take it "of the mat" and into your life. Stay with the breath, stay in the present moment, and see how much of the pure potential in every moment you can fully realize.
May the sun bring you new energy by day, may the moon softly restore you by night, may the rain wash away your worries, may the breeze blow new strength into your being. — Apache Blessing
I read this first thing this morning when I awoke. May your day, and life, be blessed in these ways.
I subscribe to this thing called Groupon and today they had an awesome deal: $30 for a one hour massage at a really nice spa in Charlotte. The offer is still available so if you have been desperately needing a massage (as I have!) you can sign up!
This is a great little blurb from Amy Weintraub's, LifeForce Yoga newsletter (you can learn more and subscribe here.) Amy specializes in yoga for people suffering from depression, PTSD and other forms of mental dis-ease. Compassionate, kind and full of amazing information, she is one of my favorite Kripalu yoga teachers.
Reduce Anger by Lying Down
Researchers at Texas A & M University found that the mere act of lying down can reduce anger. Researchers have known that mood can be altered by mimicking the facial and body movements of certain emotions (slumped shoulders can evoke sad, morose feelings, smiling induces an uplifted mood), but a new study recently published in the journal Psychological Science finds that when study participants who were in a supine position were insulted they did not show brain patterns associated with anger as compared to those participants who were seated when insulted.
Commentary: This study points to another good reason to practice Yoga Nidra, a deep relaxation technique that has been shown to be effective in the treatment of PTSD and is practiced lying down.
More and more research now confirms what the ancient yogis knew thousands of years ago: Meditation works.
Many studies have been done revealing the very measurable results that a meditation practice can have on everything from concentration and stress reduction, to relief from depression and healing of many diseases. A new study done by The UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, highlights some of the actual physical changes that occur in the structures of the brain.
A group of researchers at UCLA who used high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to scan the brains of people who meditate. In a study published in the journal NeuroImage and currently available online (by subscription)...the researchers found significantly larger cerebral measurements in meditators compared with controls, including larger volumes of the right hippocampus and increased gray matter in the right orbito-frontal cortex, the right thalamus and the left inferior temporal lobe. There were no regions where controls had significantly larger volumes or more gray matter than meditators.
"We know that people who consistently meditate have a singular ability to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability and engage in mindful behavior," said Eileen Luders, lead author and a postdoctoral research fellow at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging. "The observed differences in brain anatomy might give us a clue why meditators have these exceptional abilities."
In the study, Luders and her colleagues examined 44 people — 22 control subjects and 22 who had practiced various forms of meditation, including Zazen, Samatha and Vipassana, among others. The amount of time they had practiced ranged from five to 46 years, with an average of 24 years.
More than half of all the meditators said that deep concentration was an essential part of their practice, and most meditated between 10 and 90 minutes every day.
Research has confirmed the beneficial aspects of meditation. In addition to having better focus and control over their emotions, many people who meditate regularly have reduced levels of stress and bolstered immune systems.
I am asked by students all the time if it is difficult to get started in a meditation practice, and I have many people tell me they could "never meditate" because they are too hyper, stressed-out, etc. The truth is anyone can meditate and all of us have experienced "meditative states" at one time or another without necessarily knowing to name them that. If you have ever become completely absorbed in an activity, felt an sense of peace and clarity and lost track of time, you have entered one of the levels of meditative absorption.
Part of the problem, I believe, is the language we use to describe meditation. We tend to say, "I am going to meditate now," as if it is an activity we can just "make happen." In reality, what we do is create the right conditions for meditation to occur naturally (after all, it is our natural state of wholeness.) In yoga, we do this through asana practice, chanting, mantra and by focusing on an internal or external object. When we do these things with our full attention a chain reaction occurs in which sensory withdrawl (pratyahara) begins, then one-pointed concentration (dharana) develops, then meditative absorption (dhyana) occurs and finally experience (someday, we hope!) Oneness with All (Samadhi).
You can begin a simple meditation practice today. Choose a time of day and place where you can sit undesturbed for at least 5 minutes. Sit in a chair, or with your legs crossed, so that your spine is straight. Begin to follow your breath as it moves in an out through your body. As you inhale, say silently or aloud, "Breathing in." As you exhale, say "Breathing out." As thoughts and sensations arise simply stay focused on the breath and the repetition of this simple mantra. The key to meditation is consistency. Try doing this meditation every day at the same time for 5-10 minutes for 7 days. Please come back and leave a comment and let me know your observations.
You can also try some of my Guided Meditations, available at yogadownload.com.
Give meditation a try. You'll feel happier, sleep better AND have a bigger brain!
More and more often, I have students seeking out my yoga classes because they are suffering from a chronic illness or injury, or recovering from a major life event. While I do not see myself as a Yoga Therapist in the same light as some of the far more qualified individuals practicing Therapeutic Yoga, I do see myself as a healer of sorts. I think, at our best, we are all healers for each other and I spend as much time as possible studying areas such as the yoga sutras, anatomy, Positional Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, The Bhagavad Gita, asana and pranayama, etc. and with other teachers to gather more information on how we heal ourselves. And, this is how I see my role in the healing process of others: as a facilator assisting the individual in their own healing process.
There were so many amazing presenters at the conference I'm sure I could have chosen anyone and would not have been dissapointed, but for me the whole reason for the journey was to study, even for such a short time, with TKV Desikachar. He rarely leaves his school, Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai, India and although I would LOVE to go, I have no idea when I will get over to India. I can tell you meeting him and his beautiful, gracious wife Menaka was the learning experience of a life time. I was able to experience 4 sections with them while I was there: Meditation as Medicine; Pranayama: The Therapeutic Application of Breath; The Power of Sound: The Therapeutic Application of Mantras and Chanting; and the Four Stages of Healing. I will be discussing a little about what I learned in each section in future posts.
What struck me immediately and most about these two great teachers was their humble, gentle nature and their outrageous sense of humor. They were an absolute delight. One of the unexpected learning experiences came from watching their dynamic as a married couple of many, many years. As a newlywed of just under ONE year, this was quite relevant to me. From the moment Mr. Desikachar walked onto the stage, in front of a hushed and reverent audience, he spoke with such love and pride for his beautiful wife. "This is my wife, Menaka, and she is a SUPER chanter; she is going to lead you in a chant now for your healing." Menaka would just smile and shake her head with a little bemused smile at his praise. As the classes went on there were other such moments. "My wife is a SUPER painter, she has done these lovely paintings of Ganesha and Lakshmi, she is SUPER." I don't know, I just couldn't get enough of how much he thought everything she did was SUPER. It was so very sweet. God, let my husband think of me that way 30 years from now!
In return, Menaka was always supportive, always ready to recount a particular story needed to illustrate a certain point, ready to chant, ready to gently offer a little correction (always with that same slightly bemused smile) if Mr. Desikachar's English grammar was a little off. She was so kind and gentle. In a world where it seems almost weekly I learn of a friend who's marriage or relationship has hit the rocks it was good – really, really good, to see how long love and respect can last and to watch the dynamic of constant appreciation, admiration, love and respect that makes that possible in action.
When I think about healing powers and techniques, I know that in my own life there have been no deeper and more soothing healing waters then the depth of unconditional love I receive from my husband.
If you are looking for fresh fish in the Gastonia, Belmont, Charlotte and Mt. Holly areas you need look no further than Mike the Fish Guy.
Mike has fresh offerings every week and you can subscribe to his weekly email list at cltfishguy@gmail.com, or give him a call at 704-756-8880.
Mike does take requests and special orders. Here is his email from last week to give you an idea of what he's got and what his weekend schedule usually looks like:
This week I will be in Mt Holly from 8:00-10:00 at the "Farmers Market" and Davidson at "Campania Cafe" from 11-12:00, and Norman will be in Belmont from 8-9:30 with a variety of seafood. Below is a list of seafood offerings for pre orders this week. Please order by Friday noon and pick up in Belmont between 8:00-9:30, Mt Holly 8-11 and Davidson between 10:30-12:00 or come by and see what is available on Saturday morning.
Wahoo Loin NC $12.95/lb Scottish Salmon Fillet $12.95/lb Halibut Fillet Alaska $16.95/lb Scallops Jumbo Dry MA $16.95/lb Red Grouper Fillet, NC $15.95/lb Red Fish Fillet NC $12.95/lb Chilean Sea Bass Fillet $19.95/lb Trout Fillet NC $9.95/lb Mahi Mahi Fillet SC $13.95/lb B liner Snapper Fillet NC $14.95/lb Fresh Shrimp SC $11.95/lb King Mackerel Fillet NC $11.95/lb Yellow Fin Tuna Loin $15.95/lb B-Liner Snapper 1-2lb whole $9.95/lb Cobia Fillet NC $12.95/lb
Please feel free to contact me for any special deliveries or requests.
Mike the Fish Guy 704-756-8880
If you are wondering which fish are currently safe to eat and are most eco-friendly, check out this great site from the Environmental Defense Fund.
Fresh fish is full of wonderful Omega Fatty Acids which are so critical for flexibilty and strength in yoga practice. For optimum health look for ways to include Omega 3, 6, and 9 oils into your diet using fish and plant based sources.
If you are a pure vegan or vegetarian there are plenty of plant based sources for these oils including flax seed, grapeseed, olive, walnut, alomond, borage, and evening primrose oils.
Check out the WONDERFUL Gastonia Farmer's Market (if you are in my area) or any Farmer's Market near you for fresh, REAL food. Eating closer to the Earth not only tastes better, it's better for you.
Wishing you the blessings of whole, healthy food and a strong, healthy body. Namaste.
Sometimes at the beginning of my yoga classes I tell my students:
As you settle into your mats meet yourself where you are...right here...right now...in the "sukha" the sweetness of this moment. No need to strive or try to be something other than you are. You are already radiant, perfect and whole and loved eternally by all.
It is an easy thing to come to the mat full of expectations that moments later turn into harsh criticism. Next time you move on to your mat leave those things behind and just abide in your own True Nature...already perfect and whole.
Doing this on the mat helps us to recognize how often we move through our day setting up expectations for everything we do and then creating a hostile assault we wouldn't wish on our worst enemies if we don't meet those ideals.
How easy could your yoga asana be, how sweet could each moment of your life be, if you just met yourself in each moment full of love and acceptance just as you are?
The Subtle Body, An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy, by Cyndi Dale.
I've been interested in the study of subtle energy systems since I was a young girl. My father used to do a form of Polarity Therapy on my legs whenever I got a leg ache, I started meditation at the age of five, yoga at age ten, etc., so a deep understanding that these energy systems exist has been a part of my paradigm for as long as I can remember. As a result I have accumulated a lot of books on these subjects. I have books on the chakras, Shiatsu, Polarity Therapy, Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Reflexology and many more. The Subtle Body, An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy could replace a whole stack of them!
They put the word "encyclopedia" in the title for a reason; at 487 pages this book covers all the major energy systems I have been exposed to, plus a few I knew nothing about (you can take a peak at the table of contentshere.)
The book is well organized and filled with clear and detailed color illustrations and extremely useful reference charts. Author, Cyndi Dale does a great job not only outlining complicated subjects that range from modern physics concepts, to acupuncture and the chakras, but also illuminates the deep interconnectedness of these different ways of understanding our "Subtle Universe." As a yoga teacher this is an awesome reference book to keep on-hand in my studio, and I think it would be incredibly useful for anyone studying or working in fields that deal with the subtle energy systems.
So, if you've been looking for a few great books on Sacred Geometry, Tibetan and Hindu chakras , Chinese, Ican and Cherokee energy systems, Shiatsu, Reflexology, Kabballah, Auyurveda and color and sound healing, save yourself some money and bookshelf space and pick up this book where you will find all of those subjects and many more.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cyndi Dale has been a natural intuitive since young, and offers these gifts to clients and groups seeking to make real and positive change.
Live simply and take life more easily. Happiness lies in giving yourself time to think and to introspect. Be alone once in a while, and remain more in silence. - Yogananda
Take some time to just sit today. Sit and be with yourself. Just sit.
I saw a news story today on signing up for WIRELESS AMBER ALERTS and wanted to share it with everyone. Please take a moment and pass it on to everyone you know. This is a FANTASTIC idea. Sign-up and you will receive Amber Alerts to your phone and email for the zip codes that you list. It is amazing how many children have been saved since Amber Alerts came into effect. Let's do all we can to help Law Enforcement find Missing and Exploited Children.
Sometimes in the evenings I like to flip the channels on the TV to relax. I can do this better then most men...flip...flip...flip.... I don't really watch a lot of TV, but I like to flip. There is something relaxing to me about getting these brief snap shots of what is going on in the world (or at least the world of TV.)
As I do my evening "flip flip" I FREQUENTLY see an infomercial for this fitness program called P90X. I'll be honest with you it doesn't look all that bad; it seems to combine a lot of different simple strength building exercises, plyometrics and cardio that should work very well if you do them consistently (that's always the key.) But, the part I LOVE...just LOVE...is that they have an yoga component that they call...wait for it...drum roll please...
EXTREME YOGA!
Wowzie! Really? Extreme yoga? I mean extreme running, extreme kayaking...I went ice climbing once, that was pretty extreme, but extreme yoga? It seems like a contradiction in terms to me. Yoga is all about "medhum," being moderate in all things; walking the Middle Path.
But, then I started to think about it and yoga really IS extreme.
And most of all it is an EXTREME experiment and exercise in the development of our Inner Selves. It is perhaps one of the most radical, most extreme journeys, a human being can undertake. To make a commitment to the exploration and development of oneself takes the heart of a warrior and the patience of a saint; and man-oh-man is it worth every moment of effort on the journey.
May your journey be wild, wonderful, enlightening...and what the heck, even a little extreme:-)
Kate S. from California! (who writes a really awesome and very funny blog herself)
Thanks for participating Kate! You won the awesome (if I do say so myself) handmade necklace (by me — see more of my stuff at www.tealdesigns.net) featuring amethyst (which symbolizes the Spirit), Indian crow beads, and Czech glass. The center pendant is a pewter Celtic cross.
Kate downloaded my Progressive Relaxation from yogadownload.com and I think she liked it because she left the following review...
"Teal Chimblo could read the phonebook to me, and I would relax. Having her gentle voice instruct me on the relaxation of each part of my body is a step beyond! I chose the version with the music, and I would recommend it. The music is lovely, soothing, and very much in the background. You almost don't realize it's there. I highly recommend this lovely meditation. I suffer from chronic anxiety, back pain, and TMJ. If I can relax with this, ANYONE can!"
Well, with a review like how can you resist heading on over to yogadownload.com to get your own copy.
For less than the cost of a cup of coffee ($2.95) you can give yourself a little bit of bliss today.
While your there check out my Sivasana Meditation as well. It's really yummy too!
AND...
This week TWO NEW offerings will be up on the site. One is a 20 minute yoga class where you learn 3 of the foundation breaths for yoga practice: 3-Part Complete Breath, Nadi Shodhana, and a Measured Breath.
The other is called Sleepy, Sleepy Moon and it is just the sweetest bedtime meditation and breathing exercise for children. It is guarrenteed to put your child and YOU to sleep.
This is such a great opportunity to give a little that will mean SO much to families who have lost so very much. We are receiving a lot of applications, please help us to help them.
The practice of lovingkindness (or Metta, in Pali) comes to us from the Buddhist tradition, but its essence is a tenant of all major religions. The instructions are simple and universal: love yourself, love each other; and yet, we struggle with its application. It is easy enough to love ourselves or someone else when they are doing things that we like, but the challenges can be great when we are confronted with those whose actions are seemingly “unlovable,” or when we are faced with aspects of ourselves that we find hard to accept with love and compassion. Thomas Merton expressed the challenge, and heroic nature of our struggle to embrace with lovingkindness that which we like least in ourselves, and others, when he said, “True prayer and love are learned in the hour when prayer becomes impossible and the heart has turned to stone.”
The idea behind the Buddhist approach to lovingkindness practice is that it is, a practice. Something we must do repeatedly and with discipline until it becomes an integral part of our deepest selves; an automatic reaction to people and events in our world. The process of turning a heart of stone into a heart that is softened with the deepest compassion and love is a step-by-step process that we have the opportunity to practice in every moment of our lives.
One of the most effective ways to begin a lovingkindness practice is through the use of Metta meditation. In this simple meditation we offer a wish for freedom, happiness, and the cessation of suffering for a particular person, group, or the entire world. A basic Metta meditation for all beings is:
May all beings be happy. May all beings be free from suffering. May all beings be at peace.
An example of Metta directed towards a particular person is: May _________ be happy. May _________ be free from harm. May _________ be filled with peace.
You can repeat one, or all three of the phrases over and over, aloud or in your head, for 2-5 minutes while visualizing the person or group you are focusing on, and imagining that you are sending this lovingkindness out to them. Because it can be challenging to focus on and offer this sort of energy to those who we have negative feelings towards, it is recommended that the practitioner proceed by first offering Metta to themselves, then to a benefactor, a friend, a neutral person (bank teller, someone you see on a walk), a difficult person, and finally, All Beings. It is important to start the focus of our practice by offering lovingkindness to ourselves, because only by having a truly deep and abiding love for ourselves can we have this same love for others.
As part of the self-love aspect of a lovingkindness practice we can reflect back to the yogic practice of Ahimsa (non-violence, non-harming.) We must remember as we strive to fill our hearts, minds and actions with lovingkindness that we are only human, and we will often fall short of our ideals. In those moments we must embrace Ahimsa and not react violently towards ourselves, but rather use the next moment as an opportunity to start once again in the mindset of lovingkindness by offering it with gentleness and compassion to our selves.
Because Metta meditation is formed from such simple phrases it is a wonderfully portable tool that we can bring into our daily application of lovingkindness. When we find ourselves in a long line at the supermarket, or being cut off in traffic, or treated unfairly in our workplace, instead of becoming angry, and slipping to what author Joseph Goldstein calls, “the seductive habit of finding fault,” we can pause for a moment and offer a pledge of lovingkindness to the person that is causing us distress. By slowing down and being less reactive, we can often see the good qualities of the person we are confronted with, or “put ourselves in their shoes” for a moment. From this calm, centered point-of-view we can better see the reality of the situation and act in a logical manner that will bring the most wholesome outcome for all those involved, rather then reacting from a place of fear, irritation and anger. In time, lovingkindness removes the illusion of separation from each other that we often feel.
As the Dalai Lama says, “Through the practice of lovingkindness and compassion I have found that all human beings are just like me.”
May you be happy. May you be free from all suffering. May you be filled with peace.
Lovingkindness Practice Resources Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness by Sharon Salzberg Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha by Tara Brach The Gift of Loving-Kindness: 100 Meditations on Compassion, Generosity, & Forgiveness by Mary Brantley and Tesilya Hanauer DailyBuddhism.com (Website) from Brian Schell
A pic from our wedding in November and a few thoughts on love.
Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself. But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own understanding of love; And to bleed willingly and joyfully. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving; To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy; To return home at eventide with gratitude; And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.
Today Matt Logelin and his sweet little cutie pie, little girl Madeline were on the Rachel Ray Show (I felt super special because I was on there for about 10 seconds too!:-) If you don't know Matt's story it is a really tough one...
On March 24, 2008, little Madeline Elizabeth Logelin came into this world.
The next day, her mother left it.
From this impossibly tragic event, a community was born. A community of individuals, united in their desire to help and support Madeline and her father, Matt. This community formed the basis for what would become a worldwide charitable foundation:
What is so wonderful about the story is the out-pouring of support Matt has received. I've been privileged to play a small part by creating the foundation logo, but there is a group of amazing women out there (helloooo Creepies) that have done an ASTOUNDING amount of work to help Matt, and now the Liz Logelin Foundation.
But, the work has just begun.
The foundation is just getting started and really needs your help. To make this easier consider the $7 on the 7th program. "Skip the latte" for a couple days and do a little karma yoga (selfless service) by helping families in crisis.
(If you would like to add this widget to your blog, click here.)
If you'd like to help by donating your services to the foundation, making a contribution, adding the LLF widget to your blog, you can find out information on how to do this on the Liz Logelin Foundation homepage.
Check out these beautiful malas (prayer/meditation beads) from Mayhem Arts. They are having a really good sale on these beautiful handmade pieces. A good time to pick up a mala for your practice.
Win this beautiful amethyst and Czech glass necklace made by me!
This necklace was handmade by me and contains beautiful chunks of amethyst (which symbolizes the spirit), Indian crow beads, and Czech glass. The center pendant is a pewter Celtic cross. The necklace is 15.5 inches long and has a safety clasp. Jewelry making is a meditation for me and I infuse all the pieces I make with good energy and light for those who wear them.
How do I win?
FIRST
If you have already downloaded one of the classes - AWESOME- and thank you! Simply go to the yogadownload.com site and leave a review for either or both meditations. You will be entered once for each review you leave.
SECOND
If you haven't downloaded a meditation yet, do so and leave a review between now and March 6 and you will be entered to win!
DESCRIPTIONS AND LINKS TO DOWNLOADS
At only $2.95 per downloadable class (less then a cup of coffee!) you can give the gift of bliss to yourself, or a friend.
Two meditations are currently available:
Progressive Relaxation #1 will take you to a place of complete and utter serenity. "Teal's warm and meditative voice is ideal to help you get deep into a state of calm and tranquility. In this meditation Teal has you visualize a white light as it moves through you body and rids it of any and all stress and tension. Ahhhhhh!"
Sivasana Relaxation #1. Sivasana is a posture often practiced at the end of a yoga class, but you can do this relaxing Sivasana meditation any time you need to take a break and rest. Sivasana helps the body, mind and spirit to relax, integrate, and restore. This Sivasana Relaxation meditation will take you into a deep state of calm and is also great as a cure for insomnia.
I can not express my gratitude to all the people who downloaded my guided meditations over the last 3 months. It was wonderful to see such a positive response and it makes me happy to know they are helping to bring stress relief and relaxation into so many lives. There will be many more to come, so stay tuned...
This story was sent to me by my awesome college roomate Joya Lonsdale. Is this not the most beautiful idea??? I can't imagine a more peaceful environment for a class...unless we could really be under the sea with them:-)
Utthita Trikonasana (extended triangle pose) is a foundational yoga posture that engages, stretches and strengthens the entire body.
There is a sacred geometry inherent in all yoga asana. Placing the body mindfully and with proper alignment into yoga asanas activates the energy meridians in the body thereby increasing the flow of Prana (vital life force) throughout our bodies.
In Trikonasana, as in all standing poses, the foundation is in the connection the feet make with the earth and the energetic activations of the muscles in the legs. It is an excellent posture to build strength in the legs, core and back. The intense lateral side stretch and opening of the chest also aid in developing deep breathing.
Often when students new to yoga (and old, for that matter) move into Trikonasana they mistakenly focus their attention on getting the hand down to the floor. This is TOTALLY unnecessary. The hand may never reach the floor, and it if reaches it only by shortening the side waist on the extended side, collapsing the chest forward, or over straining the legs (sometimes all three!) then the sacred architecture and the great benefits of the posture are lost. What is more, serious injury may occur. Keep the hand as high up on the leg as necessary to keep the integrity of the pose (never press on the knee), or use a block as an excellent prop to assist in the pose.
Enjoy making yourself into a glorious extended triangle! Jai Bhagwan!
HOW TO DO IT: This is very good clear instruction for Utthita Trikonasana (extended triangle pose), given by John Schumacher, a senior Iyengar Yoga teacher and director of Unity Woods Yoga, in Washington, D.C.
AND FOR FUN: This is just TOO cute and clever, and quite good instruction, except for the hyper-extended knee:-)
One of my favorite morning reads is my battered old copy of the Bhagavad Gita (The Song of God.) I purchased it in high school at Peace of Mind Bookstore, and my copy was old and used when I got it. Now it looks to be almost as old as the 3,000 year old Vedic scripture contained within; but the message is ever shiny and new, and as deeply relevant now as it was when it was first told. Whenever I read it my heart fills up with love, peace and a deep sense of purpose for my life.
The Gita is nestled within a larger poem The Mahabharata, the longest epic poem ever written, which tells many wonderful stories of "Great India" (another fascinating and illuminating read.)
In the Bhagavad Gita, the great warrior Arjuna is on the battlefield, faced with the horrible dilemma of impending war. He is soul sick about how he should proceed and calls on Lord Krishna for help. The poem is a conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, and is a deep metaphor for the struggles facing all of humanity on the "battlefield" of Life.
There are many lines from this poem that come back to me again and again, but none more than these:
The Atman* is light: The light is covered by darkness: This darkness is delusion: That is why we dream.
* One's true Self.
This is the primary meditation for my own journey with yoga. To constantly return to where I truly am; to lay down the cloak of darkness that swallows me in delusion and makes me think that I am something other than a being of light in union with all things. I repeat the mantra to my self: Sat Nam. I am That, I am.
As you move through your day with yoga, or head to the mat for your sadhana, I encourage you to write these words from the Gita on a peace of paper and make them a part of your contemplation and meditation into your own true nature.
Thank you to Carolyn, and all the other lovely people who signed up for the Blissful Body Yoga Newsletter in January.
If you haven't signed up yet, today is a great day to do so! FIRST, because then you will be entered to win the February tote bag, and SECOND, because I am sending out a new newsletter tomorrow and it will be chock full of goodies, and details on yet another great giveaway (this one involves jewelry... people...I'm just saying! (sign up is easy, just fill out the form in the right hand column, and hit submit.)
Have a great day, and ::b r e a t h e:: deeeeeply.
In case you needed another reason to eliminate products containing high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) from your diet (and believe me if you haven't started doing this, you will want to after reading this article) here is one more: mercury. Not exactly something we want to be ingesting.
Mercury is a heavy metal and loves to store itself in the fatty cells of the body. The fattiest cells of all are in our brains, and this is not good news for this delicate organ. Remember the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland? That was actually based on the fact that "hatters" used a glue in the binding of hats that contained mercury. Constant exposure to this substance actually caused brain damage and "madness," in some cases.
When you begin the crusade to eliminate HFCS from your diet, you are going to discover it is in everything; not just things you would expect like sodas. It is in salad dressings, mustards, crackers, etc. Check your labels...buyer beware!
There are lots of healthy alternatives out there for products you commonly use, and the more consumers demand with their dollars that this is what they want, the more manufacturers will eliminate this nasty stuff from their mixtures.
The yogi strives to eat a wholesome Satvic diet that nourishes the body. This is always best accomplished by eating a whole food diet. Basically, if it doesn't come out of the ground or off a tree, try to avoid it. Packaged foods, even the best quality ones, are always going to be less nutritious, have less Prana (vital energy) then a natural food.
Make small changes every day, and it won't be overwhelming, I promise! You will feel and look better, and be on your way to a longer and more blissful life.
Namaste.
The original article (shown below as well), along with a lot more information on HFCS and mercury can be found on the great web site GRIST: Environmental News and Commentary, here.
High-fructose corn syrup rose from obscurity to ubiquity starting in the late 1970s, borne up by an informal public-private partnership between grain-processing giant Archer Daniels Midland and the federal government. For me, HFCS is at best a highly processed, lavishly subsidized, calorie-heavy, nutritional vacuum.
I recently visited a public high school in Boone, N.C. The main hall literally hummed with machines peddling variations on Coca-Cola's formula for success: fizzy water with artificial flavor, artificial color, added caffeine, and a jolt of HFCS. Other machines displayed snack "foods" tarted up with HFCS. Why are we feeding our kids this crap, again?
Now comes news that makes even an HFCS cynic like me do a spit-take over my home-brewed morning coffee. Turns out that HFCS is commonly tainted with mercury -- a highly toxic substance -- according to a peer-reviewed report published by Environmental Health (abstract here; PDF of the must-read full text here.)
The Environmental Health study draws on samples of high-fructose corn syrup taken straight from the factory. But no one drinks the stuff straight. What about, say, cookies sweetened with HFCS? The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy plucked HFCS-containing products from supermarket shelves and tested them for mercury. The result?
Overall, we found detectable mercury in 17 of 55 samples, or around 31 percent
Traces of mercury turned up in name-brand products from makers including Quaker, Hunt's, Manwich, Hershey's, Smucker's, Kraft, Nutri-Grain, and Yoplait.
That a ubiquitous industrial-food ingredient such as HFCS should be tainted by mercury is bad enough. But it gets worse. The FDA has apparently known about this since 2005 -- and done nothing to publicize it or change it.
In 2005, EH study lead author Renee Dufault was an FDA researcher. At that time, she conducted the tests now cited in the EH report. Her results found mercury in 9 of 20 HFCS samples -- 45 percent.
She doesn't comment on why, but the FDA apparently did nothing with her results in the years since they emerged. She retired from the agency in March 2008 -- and evidently decided to go public. She deserves praise for the decision to publish her work -- essentially blowing the whistle on what looks like an egregious attempt to hide key information from the public.
So how does mercury work its way into our the food industry's favorite sweetener? It finds its way into Pop Tarts and the like through the stunning array chemicals required to transform corn into a cane sugar substitute. (As you read the following list, marvel that the FDA recently ruled that manufacturers can label HFCS-sweetened foods "natural.") According the the EH study:
Several chemicals are required to make HFCS, including caustic soda, hydrochloric acid, alpha-amylase, gluco-amylase, isomerase, ilter aid, powdered carbon, calcium chloride, and magnesium sulfate.
Two of those charming-sounding chemicals -- caustic soda and hydrochloric acid -- can contain traces of mercury.
Caustic soda and hydrochloric acid are made through the same processes that produce chlorine. It can be done in one of two ways. The first involves pumping saltwater through a vat of mercury. The stuff produced this way is known as "mercury grade."
The second process involves no mercury. The industry is shifting to the second process, but the mercury style has by no means been phased out. According to IATP, "Today, the chlorine industry remains the largest intentional consumer (end user) of mercury."
So you've got this "mercury grade" caustic soda and hydrochloric acid floating around. Guess who's using it? According to the EH study, "mercury grade caustic soda and hydrochloric acid are primarily used by the high fructose corn syrup industry."
Not only did the FDA fail to inform the public of HFCS's mercury problem; food manufacturers that use HFCS may have been in the dark, IATP reports.
There is one hopeful tidbit from the highly disturbing Environmental Health and Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy studies. Several years ago, then-Sen. Barack Obama introduced legislation that would have forced the chlorine industry to phase out mercury.
That bill failed. I hope the new Congress revives it. And I hope the Obama FDA investigates precisely why the agency sat on information that could have saved consumers from mercury exposure. The officials who made that decision -- as well as the HFCS industry, led by Archer Daniels Midland -- must be held to account.
Yesterday was certainly a day full of immense energy here in the United States, and around the world, as we witnessed the inauguration of President Barack Hussein Obama. The swearing into office of this president was particularly significant for many reasons, but I think the thing that struck me most about the ceremony, is the same thing that amazes me each time we have a new president: the peaceful transfer of so much power. We need only look around the world today, or in the annals of human history, to see what a rare, and impressive occurrence this is. It makes me very proud of my country.
As I watched the inauguration yesterday it was wonderful to see so many happy, hopeful people. As a yogini I know that there is nothing more powerful, more initiating of great change, then the power of unity, optimism and positive thinking. I feel this country has suffered a great, "dark night of the soul" in recent years, and I too, feel that yesterday was the dawn of a new day, in many ways.
However, I also felt a great level of concern about the unrealistic, and somewhat excessive nature of the enthusiasm. Without getting into what I personally perceive Barack Obama's strengths and weakness as the leader of our country may be, I am absolutely certain that he is a man, not a messiah. And man, does he have his work cut out for him.
Listening to the almost frenzied way that some people have been talking about him over the last year, I've really come to feel a bit sorry for the guy. People have put him up, I think unfairly, on a very high pedestal, and it is a very long fall from there.
I am also concerned by the ferocious hatred I see coming from both "sides" of the political spectrum. I feel it in myself. I have opinions, strong ones, and sometimes it is hard for me to accept that others are entitled to theirs. I can feel the tightness and separation this causes in myself, and I see it in other people. We must work with great vigor to recognize that this separation is illusion. We must, as the Dalai Lama says, "find through compassion that all human beings are just like me." This is the tallest order of all, but I believe it is a worthy goal that we must strive towards.
How can yoga inform a situation like this?
Yoga is at it's core a set of teachings focusing on union, and on staying firmly rooted in "the middle path," where we are not subject to the highs and lows of excess in any area, including emotions. As the Bhagavad Gita teaches us, "A lamp does not flicker in a place with no wind." Powerful emotions can set us on fire with enthusiasm and energy, but they may not sustain us over a long haul when the initial "glow" of an exciting situation has worn off.
I say all this not to rain on any one's parade, not to diminish the excitement and power of this time, but to offer a call for a level of rationalism and realism, that will help us as a country, and throughout the world, to sustain a positive momentum for all the hard and long work we, and our new president, have ahead of us.
On this day I have a wish and prayer, from the bottom of my heart, for this man, for my country, and for this planet.
It is a portion of the Saha Navavatu Mantra that we often recite at the beginning of a yoga class, and it helps to define the scope and the nature of the work before us. I think it beautifully expresses the energy of enthusiasm, realism, and unity, we must have on our journey of "the middle path."
OM saha navavatu saha nau bhunaktu saha viryam karavavahai tejasvi navadhitamastu ma vidvishavahai OM shanti, shanti, shanti
Om May we be protected together May we be nourished together May we work together with great vigor May our study be enlightening May no obstacle arise between us Om peace, peace, peace
As one year comes to a close, and we begin to contemplate the next, a lot of us make these interesting lists called, New Year's Resolutions. They are usually brimming with hope and optimism, and chock full of things we want to “fix” about our selves, and our lives. So, how does the modern yogi or yogini go about creating a New Year’s Resolution list; and what does the ancient science of Yoga have to offer us as we consider the changes we want to make?
Yoga says,
“ You are already whole, already perfect. There is nothing to do, nothing to fix.”
Wow. Do you feel a tremendous load off your shoulders? You are done! Hooray! There was never really anything you needed to do. You are already perfect, beautiful, radiant and whole, and you always have been.
Yoga teaches us that our feelings of inadequacy stem from the illusion of separation. We often experience this “duality” or sense of separation as feelings of isolation, loneliness, and fear. We may constantly criticize our bodies, actions, and thoughts. Yoga teaches that there is no need to do this, and that these himsic, or harming, thought patterns, are toxic and keep us from enjoying the full experience of our lives.
Yoga also teaches us to practice santosha, or contentment by letting go of our grasping to the negative stories we tell ourselves, and cultivating right thinking and equanimity. This does not mean that we do not experience all the ups and downs of life, but that we are able to view them with perspective and balance.
However, there is a paradox in the idea of Contentment. If we were all completely content all of the time, we would never do anything. A feeling of discontent is what motivates all of our thoughts and actions; from getting up to get something to eat because we are “discontent” with hunger, to making a major life change because we feel a deep dissatisfaction with something in our lives.
This brings us back to the idea of making a “self-improvement list” for ourselves in the New Year. There is nothing wrong with wanting to change or “improve” something about our selves; tremendous good can come from making changes to our lives. The problem comes when we use the opportunity for constructive change, as another means for destructive self-abuse. The first and foremost aim of any yogini should be to practice, ahimsa, or non-harming, toward herself and all other sentient beings. So, as we make our lists we need to check our approach constantly against this benchmark, to insure that we are being kind and loving to ourselves, and others, in the process.
Let’s take a very common New Year’s resolution as an example: the desire to loose weight.
A common scenario is that we begin in January filled with a fire to loose weight and get in shape. We are joined in yoga studios, gyms and walking paths by others trying to “whip themselves into shape.” By the end of January those places are far less full, and we are home feeling increasingly dejected, eating more, exercising less, and feeling pretty bad about our selves.
The Yogic perspective on loosing weight would say, “Anything can be done in time, and with kindness.”
Making changes takes time, and it takes a plan; add in the component of kindness and you are bound for success. Without kindness, self-doubt and self-criticism beginning to chip away at our “resolve”, and make us feel like the task in insurmountable.
Let’s take a look at what a Yogic New Year’s Resolutions for Loosing Weight List might look like:
I (your name here) love my body and support and nourish myself with healthy food and exercise.
I give myself this love and support to increase my physical strength, cardiovascular health, and mental health.
I show my commitment to loving and nurturing my physical and emotional growth by attending a yoga class 3 times a week for 60 minutes, and walking in my neighborhood, 3 times a week for 30 minutes.
I have a positive relationship with food, and I choose foods that will give my body the optimum nutrients and calories I need to thrive in radiant health.
I am living in a healthy body, at a weight that is beneficial for all my physical systems. My body is energetic and strong and contains all the vitality I need to live my fully realized life.
As you can see this kind of list combines concrete actions with positive affirmations. This enables you to formulate a realistic course of action for self-improvement that harnesses the power of creative visualization, and reinforces the focus on self-love and the practice of ahimsa (non-harming) toward yourself and others.
Keep your list short, affirmative and in the present tense, as if you are already living the life (in this case living in the body) that you desire to have. Remember, once you think and believe these things, they already exist, all the remains is for you to manifest them into your life in a physical way. If you cannot imagine yourself in the body, or leading the life you want to lead, it will be difficult for you to realize those things fully in your life. See it, then be it!
Another helpful concept brought to us by the science of Yoga, is the focus on action, rather then outcome. The great yogic scripture, the Bhagavad Gita states, “Have no attachment to the ownership or result...” instead the focus must always be on each individual action.
We can apply this to our weight loss example by releasing our concerns about how much weight, or how many inches we will loose, and instead focus on each thing we are doing moment to moment to reach that goal. For example: focusing on the quality and attention we bring to each yoga posture, in each class; or by placing our attention on the energy we put into cooking each healthy meal, and eating it slowly with loving care for each bite.
This focus on one thing at a time, keeps us deeply grounded in the present moment, which in reality is the only thing we can influence, and the only thing that really exists. We may start with a certain goal, and find that it ends in a completely different outcome due to circumstance beyond our control. However, if we have cultivated mindfulness and focused on actions, instead of outcomes, then it is easier for us to release that result, and know that we have done our best, and that is all that we can do.
So, as you continue working on your list of resolutions for the coming year remember to keep them positive, be kind to yourself, focus on action instead of outcome, and remember that you are already perfect, beautiful, radiant and whole, and you always have been.
Image by kristin pfannkuchen via FlickrJust a few quotes to inspire your practice of Yoga, on, and off, the mat this weekend...
Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. ~Author Unknown
Yoga is bodily gospel. ~Reaven Fields
Yoga, an ancient but perfect science, deals with the evolution of humanity. This evolution includes all aspects of one's being, from bodily health to self-realization. Yoga means union - the union of body with consciousness and consciousness with the soul. Yoga cultivates the ways of maintaining a balanced attitude in day-to-day life and endows skill in the performance of one's actions. ~B.K.S. Iyengar, Astadala Yogamala
Inhale, and God approaches you. Hold the inhalation, and God remains with you. Exhale, and you approach God. Hold the exhalation, and surrender to God. ~Krishnamacharya
Yoga is 99% practice and 1% knowledge. ~Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois
Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours. ~Swedish Proverb
Image by wallyg via FlickrLooking for some new tunes to enhance your yoga practice? I just found Yoga Radio this morning and it is a cool way to hear some new music. Check it out:
My students are always asking, "what was that song?" So, I thought this would be a nice way to share some of the play lists I create for my yoga classes, and just mixes of music that I enjoy. Hope you will enjoy it too, and that it infuses your practice with energy and ananda (bliss).
Image via WikipediaThose of you who are long-time students of yoga are already familiar with two of the great ethical precepts of yoga: the yamas and niyamas.These two short lists of abstentions and observances, respectively, create a clear road map for the yogini's life. They are as follow:
YAMAS (abstentions/restraints) Ahimsa: non-violence Satya: truthfulness Asteya: non-stealing Aparigrapha: non-coveting Bramacharya: correct use of energy
NIYAMAS (observances) Saucha: purity Santosa: contentment Tapas: right-effort or discipline Svadhyaya: self-study Ishvara Pranidhana: surrender to the highest ideals, to Source, or God.
I am not going to address each of these in detail in this post, but check back as I will be forming discussions of each of them in the coming year, and I greatly welcome and encourage your reflections and input on the meaning and application these precepts have in your own lives.
For now, I would like to focus on Ahimsa: non-violence, or non-harming. This yama is the one I have been most preoccupied with in my personal study in the last few years. In part this is because of what I see externally in the world around me, and in part, as a result of what I observe within myself. In my mind, the two are inseparable. If each of us was not consistently practicing some level of harming within ourselves, and in our actions in our lives, it would be impossible for us to live in world that is fraught with fear and violence; that sort of world simply cannot exist without us each individually contributing to and supporting it with our own brand of violence.
While that may seem like a fairly heavy indictment, in truth I feel it to be really, really good news. This concept reminds us of the deep and far reaching power of our own personal thoughts and actions. And since our own personal thoughts and actions are the only thing we really have dominion over, we have an exciting opportunity to practice peace in every step.
At this time of year many of us are forming resolutions and plans of action to make changes to many areas of our life. I would offer the yogic precept of Ahimsa as an incredible spring board for any inquiry you undertake. Whether you are trying to loose weight, break an unhealthy habit, become a better parent, or start a new business venture, consider making Ahimsa the corner stone, and benchmark, for your efforts.
To do this simply check each thought or action against the standard of non-harming. Simply ask yourself, "are my thoughts, or proceeding with this particular set of actions, bringing harm or perpetuating violence in anyway?" If the answer is "no," you can go forward knowing that you are adding, in a powerful way, to the forces if good in this world; if the answer is "yes," then you have a wonderful opportunity to consider an alternate thought pattern or plan of action.
In applying Ahimsa to your New Years Resolutions, or just to your life in general, remember that the most critical place to stay grounded in kindness and non-violence, is in relation to yourself. If you do something "himsic" (harmful) in your life, and then use that as a way to think angry, disappointed thoughts towards yourself, you are only perpetuating more violence. Remember, we are only human, and we will make mistakes on our way along our path, but intention is everything, and we can always begin again... in the very next moment.
Ahimsa is at its root a path to non-suffering. I hope you will welcome this yogic ideal into your life in 2009. May it bring you peace, and peace to our world.
Great article from Psychology Today on how yoga can help us to overcome stress and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Yoga: The Strongest Stretch
An ancient tradition, yoga gains modern muscle.
By PsychologyToday.com
After the tsunami ripped through Southeast Asia in 2004 came a tidal wave of psychic devastation. The depression and posttraumatic stress that ravaged many residents of coastal villages from India to Indonesia provided a living laboratory for testing the most powerful cures available. What wound up providing the best help to some of the most afflicted refugees? Yoga.
Yoga is an age-old practice with roots in India—bas-reliefs depicting yoga asanas, or poses, have been found on 5,000-year-old archeological artifacts—but yoga as most Americans know it is only part of the picture. The hatha yoga popular here emphasizes the exercise element. There are many forms of yoga and all share an attempt to create a state of blissful enlightenment, called ananda. En route, specific forms of breathing and exercises encourage physical purification.
As a professor of psychiatry at New York Medical College who studies the effects of yoga on posttraumatic stress, Patricia Gerbarg seized the opportunity to test whether it could help tsunami survivors in India. To one group of 60 victims she gave a four-day yoga breathing course. Another group of 60 survivors was given the yoga course along with psychological counseling. A third group served as controls.
All the yoga users experienced a huge drop in scores for posttraumatic stress disorder and depression after just four days. And the effect was so persistent that Gerbarg and her team introduced yoga to those in the control group too. Counseling provided no added benefits over the yoga training alone.
While some forms of yoga have long been shown to reduce hypertension, cholesterol levels, and other signs of physiological stress, the effects of the ancient practice on psychological stress have been less studied. But a slew of research published in peer-reviewed journals in the U.S., Europe, and India is documenting the ability of yoga to decrease mood disturbance, reduce psychic stress and anxiety, and reduce PTSD symptoms. Effects have been seen within days of initiating instruction, and have been documented up to six months after a course of yoga training.
You don't have to weather a natural disaster or receive a clinical diagnosis to benefit from yoga, says Lorenzo Cohen, director of the Integrative Medicine Program at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Calling it "the quintessential mind-body practice," Cohen predicts that yoga "can and will be shown to be helpful for managing the stress and mild anxiety we all experience in daily living."
A group of healthy senior citizens in Oregon embodies Cohen's claims. They experienced improved energy and a greater sense of well-being after six months of yoga training. The study was particularly valuable because it compared the yoga group with seniors engaging in walking exercise classes. The non-yoga exercisers reported no such benefit.
In her yoga course, Gerbarg trains trauma sufferers in four types of yogic breathing that range from focusing on slow, complete exhalation to taking 30 breaths a minute. She and her husband, psychopharmacologist P.L. Brown of Columbia University, have found that yogic breathing physiologically affects the nervous system to produce profound changes in emotional states.
It acts via the vagus nerve—the "rest and digest," or calming, pathway of the autonomic nervous system extending from brain stem to abdomen; when activated, it slows down breathing and heart rate and increases intestinal activity. It not only carries signals from brain to body but ferries signals from the body back to the brain. "Your breathing pattern changes with emotional reactions to things," Gerbarg says. "Well, it goes both ways: If you change your breathing pattern, you can change your emotions."
Lynn Waelde, a psychologist at Stanford University and a yoga teacher, explains yoga's mind-body benefits in more metaphorical terms. "When we teach yoga, we teach people to let go of physical tensions," she says. "When you sit them in a chair in meditation, they get it. It's an easy step to see how you can breathe and focus on emotional or mental tension and let it go."
Could yoga save the world? It improves fitness, it doesn't cost anything, it has minimal side effects, it acts quickly, and the benefits endure. The advantages are especially important when applied on a large scale to impoverished people. Gerbarg and Cohen believe the value of yoga is just beginning to be documented. "We're in the early phases of something very exciting, and there's a lot more to learn about it," Gerbarg says. "This is not something you need to religiously incorporate into your daily life and do for years before you start to feel the benefits."
This Sunday is the Winter Solstice, and a great opportunity to go inside, evaluate what has passed this year, and set intentions for our lives in the year to come. Take some time this Sunday, December 21, to "find your seat" in meditation and reflect on your life.
meaning all that we need, all that is sacred and sustaining, already lies within us.
Natalie Maisel, yoga teacher and ritual guide, of goddessdownload.com offers this information about this solstice and the time of Yule:
Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year, after which the daylight hours begin to grow longer. This time is known as the birth of light. The Anglo-Saxon word for this time is “Yule”. Yule in ancient Celtic terms means “wheel”. This was celebrated as the day that the chief Druid cut the sacred mistletoe from the Oak. Huge bonfires were lit with Yule logs to welcome the return of the Sun. Yule is a time to leave old regrets behind as the light makes its way back to the Earth and back to you, as well. The old year has completed its cycle, just as some of our habits have completed their cycles. This is a time to shed what no longer is useful in our lives.
This ritual will include a guided meditation to a cozy winter cottage to reflect on the end of the year and what you would like to release and transform, as well as a candle-lighting ceremony to welcome the return of the sun and the igniting of your own inner fire and strength.
Natalie Maisel's guided ritual for Yule is available at goddessdownload.com, click here.
Check out the new COEXIST t-shirt, hoodie sweatshirt and gift designs at the Blissful Body Yoga Store on Cafe Press...there is even a Coexist Flip MINO HD design....enjoy!
I often hear the lament from my yoga students, "I have so little time for practice!!" Believe me, I understand, I never feel like I have enough time for sadhana; and practice is the most important element of Yoga. We can read a hundred books, go to lots of workshops, but unless we practice every day, progress will not take place.
So, one thing I have done in my own life that I would suggest, is to look for opportunities for practice in the activities of your daily life. The "have tos", like washing the dishes, doing the laundry, picking up a child, sitting at your desk, are all opportunities to bring Yoga's principles of strength, balance and focus into practice in your daily life. Yoga is all about mindfulness, so when we bring awareness into our actions and movements, moment to moment, we are "practicing," and expressing yoga, in the very fullest sense.
Here are some examples from my daily life, that you can bring into yours:
Tadasana at the kitchen sink: while you are standing and doing the dishes, notice your body position. What are your feet doing? How are your shoulders articulated? Where your pelvis? Press your feet firmly into the ground so that you can feel all four sides of your feet making contact with the earth. Take a deep breath as you do this, and feel the rest of your body rise up out of the firm base. Continue to elongate though your crown chakra (top of your head). Notice also your feelings about this activity. Do you feel rushed? Irritated? Acknowledge however you feel, and then, if your feelings are hurried or negative, see if you can bring them in a more positive direction with mindfulness. Just do what you are doing. Just do the dishes. And savor every minute detail of this activity.
Uttanasana and hair dryer: ...no, seriously...you'll love this one. Most women (and some men) that dry their hair with a hair dryer lean into a forward bend so their hair will hang down and they can dry underneath. This is a great time for uttanasana (standing forward bend!) Again, begin building your posture from the ground up: press your feet into the ground, feel all four sides of your foot; feel the energy move up from the earth into the legs, and create a circular inward rotation of the thigh bones to make more space in the sacrum. Take care how you move in this posture as you are drying your hair, bend the knees a little or don't come forward so far if the movement and weight of the dryer make this posture awkward and straining for your back. Let your back stay long and light.
Sukhasana wherever you sit: any where you sit, and whether you sit cross-legged, as in the posture sukhasana (easy pose), or with the feet on the floor as you sit in the chair, you still need to employ the same basic postural elements. The next time you are sitting in your chair at work come forward on the seat a bit so that your feet are flat on the floor and you can feel your sitz bones firmly against the seat. In the sitting position your sitz bones are your base, so press them firmly against the seat, as you would push your feet firmly against the floor. Notice how this immediately causes your torso to lengthen, your shoulders to drop and your neck to elongate. This will give you the same open line of energy from the base of your spine, through the crown of your head, and the same openness in the rib cage for breath to move, that we cultivate in all the sitting asanas.
There is no substitute for cultivating a vigorous, and focused Yoga practice in our lives, but bringing our awareness of how the postural components of Yoga asanas translate into the everyday movements of our lives, can add a whole new dimension to our practice.
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