Monthly Archives: February 2012

On Yoga, Really: Who’s Your Yama? (Part 1 of 3)

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With all of the controversy and distortion about yoga in the media lately, I thought I’d take us back to the basics — before ridiculous sex scandals and unfounded sensationalized books — to patanjaliexamine the foundational text of Raja Yoga, The Yoga Sūtras.  Raja yoga which includes asana (poses),  focuses on transcending the mind through meditation.  in fact, Patanjali refers to yoga as “the settling of mind into silence.”  P.S. asana helps set the body up for meditation.

While Patañjali was not the first to write about yoga, his sutras have become an authority text along with the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads (which make up the sanskrit Hindu epic, the Mahabharata).  The yoga sutras are aphorisms that outline the art, science, and practice of yoga and meditation.  Yoga means union or join — the uniting our ourselves that isn’t actually separate — and sutra means thread.

The yoga sutras are referred to as the eight limbs or eight fold path of yoga because the path is not necessarily sequential as one can be practicing many concurrently.  The first limb of yoga are the yamas, or laws of life (sometimes referred to as restraints).  They can be thought of as the universal moral code for living.  Continue reading →

When Breathing isn’t Easy – A Cystic Fibrosis Adult’s Journey to Teaching Yoga

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breathe-rockI recently had the opportunity to tell the story of my journey as a kid with a grim diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis to becoming an (almost 40) adult who teaches yoga — who teaches about the breath.

When I was five years old, my parent’s received a devastating blow.  They learned that me, their only child, had Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic lung disease that would gradually progress making it difficult for me to breathe and take part in activities like other children. It would also shorten my lifespan.

Read the whole post, When Breathing isn’t Easy – A Cystic Fibrosis Adult’s Journey to Teaching Yoga…

Namaste.

-Your Charmed Yogi

Move Through Life Sequentially

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Surya-Namaskar-A

In many styles of yoga — Ashtanga and Vinyasa, particularly — the class is constructed by a series of postures sewn together to make a sequence.  Each pose, though distinct, flows into the next almost without a separate beginning or ending.  Separate, but seamless.   In fact, the transitions themselves are, of themselves, poses.  Moving with the breath, each movement is both active and passive.    For me, Yoga, which means “union” is the unification of one pose to another; the unity of the breath to the pose; the uniting of the self with the all.   And, to truly be present during yoga, the mind is absent of thought and distraction.  Absent of multi-tasking.

When I’m in a yoga class or doing my morning asana (poses) at home, my awareness is on my practice and my practice alone.   For those 45 to 90 minutes, I am doing only one thing at a time sequentially, and life seems manageable and clear.

In 2012, it seems almost incomprehensible to tackle one thing at a time.  With all of the electronic devices, television, radio, and pressures we place upon ourselves, one track succession is a foreign concept. We are a generation of multi-tasking, overthinking, producers.   We are rarely, if ever, doing only one thing at a given moment.  Right now you are reading this at work perhaps with four other browser windows open.  Or maybe you’re reading on your iPhone and walking (look out for that fountain).  Or you might even be reading while listening to music, or while half paying attention to someone on the phone. Continue reading →

What’s Your Favorite Yoga Pose?

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fish pose in yogaSo just for fun this Friday, I thought I’d do a quick post about my favorite yoga post, and open it up to you.   On any given day, there are a few poses that I gravitate to in my personal daily practice.  I try to incorporate a balanced practice that includes a few Surya Namaskar (sun salutation) C and A;  Virabadrasana (warrior) II; Trikonasana (triangle); and Vrkasana (Tree Pose).  Plus, I add in some abs, backbends, twists and, of course, restorative poses.  But, if you asked me point blank, “What is your favorite yoga pose?” Anyone who knows me, taught me or takes my classes knows that I’m a Matsayasana (Fish Pose) lover (see post pic of me blissfully chill in the pose during yoga teacher training).

I just love sinking into this heart opening gentle backbend.  You can tell by the look on my face that the world around me has all but disappeared.

Continue reading →

Freedom through Forgiveness

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Hands with forgive stoneI don’t know about you, but I used to be the kind of person that could really hold a grudge, I mean championship, award-winning grudge-holding.  I thought I was honoring myself my not giving up that punishment of another.

The truth is, holding on to that animosity is toxic.  Do you really feel better now that you’ve officially cut someone out of your life, “defriended” them on Facebook, or just froze them out passively hoping to forget those hard feelings?

Whether you make a grand gesture to reconnect with someone whom you feel has wronged you or simply choose to consciously forgive them in your heart, you will immediately feel a sense of completeness.  That “closure” you were looking for wasn’t in the venom.  The antidote is forgiveness.

Sometimes the hardest things we do in life turn out to be the best for us; the most rewarding.  Sending love to a boss who seems to have it out for you, or an ex who has hurt you may seem impossible.  ”Why would I send them love?  They don’t care about me…, [insert additional justifications here.]” Why?  Because we are all connected.   Don’t believe in the new age concept?  How about physics?   Mass–energy equivalence states that the mass of a body is a measure of its energy content. That is, mass is a property of all energy, and energy is a property of all mass; both are connected by a constant.  That all energy is relative is represented by the famous equation E = mc2.

So, knowing that at a fundamental level, we are all one energy, it becomes conceptually easier to believe that forgiveness of others is forgiveness of ourselves.

This type of exoneration, goes both ways.  For it means that we should extend the same opportunity to people with whom you may need to make amends.  Apologizing affords someone whom we may have hurt the opportunity to forgive.  It’s definitely not easy to approach someone from your past, hat in hand, but you can feel the” rightness” in your soul.

First and foremost, though, as I’ve mentioned in previous posts, forgiveness and acceptance starts with yourself.  How could you begin to acquit others for their harms against us if we don’t go easier on the person in the mirror?

It’s taken me a long time to cultivate peace with exactly who I am right now through yoga.  Letting go of self-punitive judgement on the mat taught me that I haven’t always been kind or merciful with myself.   In the beginning, if I couldn’t quite rise up and sink effortlessly into Warrior I from a high lunge, I’d deduct points mentally. I was literally robbing myself of the money I’d paid to take the class.  So, gradually, I began to relinquish control and establish myself firmly in my perfect imperfection.

Let go of the toxic harboring, open your heart and give yourself the opportunity to experience freedom through forgiveness.

Namaste.

-Your Charmed Yogi

Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude

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There’s nothing like a good fright or a “near death” experience to remind you to be grateful for all that you have.   One day recently, I forgot to blow out a candle after my morning yoga candle in a windowroutine.  I meditated, finished getting ready, had some breakfast and was out the door to work for 12+ hours.    When I arrived home that evening, I noticed a glow coming from the front bedroom.   I hurried upstairs to find a pool of melted wax, and a delicate flame still burning.  I blew out the candle, and extinguished my absentmindedness with it.  My heart was pounding at thought of what I could have come home to.

I began to feel extremely grateful for the lesson, and became acutely aware of the gratitude I was feeling for all that I have — my home, my dogs, my family, my friends, my life.

While yoga asana (poses) and meditation have become part of my ritual everyday, I’d forgotten about a previous ritual I used to do.  Right before bed, I would journal about what I was grateful for that day, and I’d let that crucial exercise lapse.

Be appreciative every single day, even of the rough situations as there may be something to be learned.   A few months ago, I had to spend $1200 on house repairs in a very short time.  A friend commented, “man, that sucks.  aren’t you frustrated?”  I can honestly say that the first feeling I had was thankfulness.  I am thankful that I have a home that I can repair.  I am thankful for the job that affords me that home and those repairs.

If you’re constantly focusing on everything you don’t have, didn’t accomplish or “can’t” do, you’re perpetuating that state of negativity and stagnation.  On the other hand, if you regularly spotlight your own abundance, prosperity is naturally drawn to you and you feel better.  There have actually been studies, including one out of Kent State that concluded subjects’ levels of happiness and life satisfaction improved after regular practices of gratitude . In addition, depressive symptoms decreased over time with the letter writing.

Try this Gratitude Exercise:  Light a candle, and sit quietly for a few minutes at the end of your day.   Connect with your breath, and begin to think about what went well, what you enjoyed about your day.  Write down all that you are grateful for at that moment, then stop and send that gratitude into the universe or direct it to the people you’re grateful for.  Now,  And, think about something that could have gone differently, and maybe even what you might have done to change the outcome for the positive.  Write it down, and send that intention out into the world.    Finally, breathe in all of the gratitude that your friends, loved ones, teachers and even people you may not know are undoubtedly sending you.  Then, breathe out and release any negativity or resentment you’re clinging to from the day, and extinguish the candle as you let it all go.

In yoga, we teach about about acceptance and appreciation of exactly where you are at this moment in time with regards to your practice.   So, cut yourself a break in your next class and be appreciative of how far you’ve come.  When you’re in final resting pose, or in your final seated position with your hands in Namaste, send out gratitude to your teacher and to your fellow students.  And, receive the same gratitude for yourself.

I regularly think about the candle in the window that I came home to, lighting my path back to a spirit of conscious grace.  And, I am thankful for that reminder, for all that I am and the abundance in my life.

What are you grateful for today?

Namaste.

-Your Charmed Yogi

Just Breathe – even when it isn’t easy

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breath-artworkPranayama is a Sanskrit word meaning “extension of the prana or breath” or more accurately, “extension of the life force”.  Put simply, it’s the art of breath control.  For some people taking just one full conscious breath is not part of their day.  We live in a world full of anxiety & fear; moving too quickly from one moment to the next. Short, shallow breaths have become normal and almost nobody realizes that they’re doing it.   As an adult with a chronic respiratory illness,  breath had been a struggle at times throughout my life.  But then I discovered yoga.   In addition to the asanas or poses, I learned how to breathe for the first time in my life.  I didn’t realize that,  for much of my life, I wasn’t taking  full breaths, and when I finally experienced what it was like to take a full, conscious breath, it was like the first real breath I’d ever taken.   I realized that my illness played a part, but that I’d fostered bad breathing habits for years as a result of anxiety, fearfulness, and simply a  lack of awareness.

As children, we just let that belly hang out and breathe — true diaphragmatic breathing.  As we get older, stress manifests itself in breath holding, or a tightened belly, restricting breathing to just the upper lungs.   The body actually interprets this kind of breathing as a fight or flight response set off by the sympathetic nervous system.  Every time you neglect to take a full breath, it’s the same response as if your body is under attack.   No wonder so many people suffer from sleep disorders or are just plain tired or anxious much of the time. So, let the belly hang and relax — no one’s looking.

Try this.  Find a comfortable seated position without anything restricting your belly or chest.  Give yourself breathing room (pun intended).  On an inhale, expand the diaphragm, then breathe up into the lungs, and hold if for just a moment. Then let it out slowly for a truly complete breath.   This full, diaphragmatic breathing, activates the calming response of the parasympathetic nervous system.  Notice that you feel calmer, lighter, and more present.  If you practice 3-5 of these full, conscious breaths often throughout each day, it will once again become your natural respiratory state and not such a concerted effort.  In addition to oxygenating the blood, and removing carbon dioxide gas, this three-part breath also known as “yogic complete breath” brings you back to the present and calms the mind.  I find this type of breathing the most beneficial in increasing lung capacity and relaxing my “chest armor.”

breathe-tagxedo

In my yoga classes, I’m a virtual pest about reminding my students to breathe and to let the breath guide the pace of their Vinyasa.  If they try to “catch up” to the pose with their breath, they’re back into a shallow, stressed breathing pattern and they’re out of their practice.  Let the breath guide you on and off the mat.  If you’re in the midst of a crisis, or you’re in a difficult pose and find yourself panting or holding, breathe in feel the word, “let,”  and when you breathe out feel the word, “go.”  Breathe in.  Breathe out.  And, let go.

For Danni & Ruby with Love, breathe deeply and often.

Namaste.

- Your Charmed Yogi

Laugh Yourself Healthy

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Remember when you were little and you found something funny?  Remember how you would just guffaw, without regard for how you looked or horse-laughingsounded.  Maybe you snorted.  Maybe a little drool fell out of your mouth.  Maybe you even tinkled your pants a little?  Are you smiling yet?

When was the last time you laughed so hard your sides literally hurt?

Try this.  Stop what you’re doing and force a ridiculous, loud outburst of laughter.  Who cares who’s around or who might be watching or hear you.  Just do it.  Did you try it?  Did you notice, that reflexive laughter took over?  Do you feel better?

A March 8, 2005 at the American College of Cardiology recommends that we laugh on a regular basis for our health. Dr. Michael Miller of the University of Maryland, School of Medicine in Baltimore said, “Thirty minutes of exercise three times a week, and 15 minutes of laughter on a daily basis is probably good for the vascular system. The recommendation for a healthy heart may one day be to exercise, eat right and laugh a few times a day.”

Some fitness gurus even claim that a good hearty laugh is actually like a little workout.  Your abs are engaged, your heart rate increases bringing oxygen to tissue, and you actually burn calories just like when you’re on the treadmill.   And, most importantly, when you’re laughing heartily you are immersed in the present moment.

Just like taking a few breaths in the midst of crisis or anxiety, finding humor in the situation can minimize emotional and physical reactions to stress.  Being able to laugh at yourself is an exquisite talent.   As one of the worlds clumsiest people, I had to learn at a young age to laugh it off like the time I stepped on a moving treadmill at the gym and went flying off like a bad ’70s sitcom scene.

If the thought of shrugging off some of your most embarrassing moments with laughter seems too lofty a goal for now, start simple.   Fill your environment with items that make you smile or laugh.  Watch a funny movie every week.  Surround yourself with people who laugh a lot.  Laughter is, in fact, contagious.  The company you keep affects the way you feel. 

In yoga, try lion pose in the mirror and let me know if you can keep a straight face.  If you can’t seem to get it together in Warrior III, chortle, rinse and repeat.

Whatever gets you cracking up, do it.  Do it daily.  If you need something to get started, I leave you with this video…Quad Babies Laughing.

Nama-Silly.

- Your Charmed Yogi

Keep Your Cool Amidst Chaos

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yoga-easy-seated-pose

You know the old idiom, “a watched pot never boils?”   While we all know water will boil in the same amount of time whether or not we’re hovering over it, the true meaning of this phrase is more about patience.  If you stare at the pot, time appears to be at a standstill.  Of course, if you occupy yourself with something else while waiting for the pot to boil, it will be boiling over before you know it.

But, when it comes to emotional reaction to mind activity or external stressors, I say WATCH the pot!  When a simmering mind full of thought  goes unwatched, it most definitely can boil over in the form of fear, anxiety, depression, anger, etc.

Being aware of physical reactions to stress and keenly observing thought patterns can quickly take the wind out of your mind’s sails, and the reaction itself becomes diminished.

Instead of trying to push the thoughts,  feelings, or physical reactions away (we call this resistance), bring your awareness to them.   Notice what happens with your muscles, particularly in your shoulders, between your eyes and in your jaw when you’re stressed.  And, release.  Notice what’s happening with your breath.   Is it short and shallow?  Are you holding your breath subconsciously?  Without making a conscious effort to change these responses, notice how simply bringing your awareness to them results in relief.

If you’re amidst an acutely powerful stress reaction, talk to someone.  Take a step out side and connect with the earth — literally.  Sit on the ground, hold a rock, ground yourself.    Once you’re able to bring attention to the physical, see if you can observe your thought process.   Note: you are not your thoughts.     Listen to your own mental chatter as often as you are aware of it, and see how you can’t be thinking it and reacting to it at the same time.

Meditation or even just sitting in silence and connecting with your breath for five minutes a day helps show incessant thoughts the way out of your head.  If stress has you feeling down and diminished, try a restorative practice.  If you’re feeling particularly antsy and agitated, a power yoga class might help you get rid of the excess energy.    On the other hand, if you always gravitate to a restorative class, try mixing it up with a more vigorous flow and vice versa.  We all hold onto energy in different ways.

However you choose to find balance and bring silence into being, watch your pot carefully.

“Not to be able to stop thinking is a dreadful affliction, but we don’t realize it because almost everybody is suffering from it, so it is considered normal.  This incessant mental noise prevents us from finding that realm of inner stillness that is inseparable from Being.”

ECKHART TOLLE, The Power of Now

Namaste.

-Your Charmed Yogi


Process Not Progress – Check Your Ego at the Door

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In westernized society, particularly the US, we’re conditioned to  strive for improvement –  “what is” simply is not satisfactory.   We’re taught to be competitive — most often with ourselves. “Go for the gold.” “Don’t settle for less,” etc.  Life is a bloodsport, take no prisoners.  But focusing on the progress or outcome, that which hasn’t even happened yet, takes the enjoyment out of the doing; out of the process.

Think about an activity you love, even if it seems trivial.  Are you a runner?  Do you knit?  Is writing what drives you? Does painting bring you joy?  Now think about the most rewarding aspects of those activities — the activity itself.  Sure, if you win the race you have a ribbon to put in your drawer,  and your latest masterpiece looks beautiful on the wall.  But it’s somewhat bittersweet isn’t it?  When you really stop to ponder, those tangible items are simply reminders of the pleasure you got out of the actual doing.  The best part of the rollercoaster isn’t the achievement of getting out of the car at the end.  Surfers will tell you, the last moments on the surf board as you coast to shore  isn’t the sweetness, it’s the ride itself.

Now, let’s take that to the yoga mat.  Certain poses have a way of humbling even the strongest ego.  Take Vrkasana (tree pose) for example.  Looks simple enough, right?  How blissful the yogis in magazines look balanced on one leg with their arms extending toward the sky.  Okay, your turn.  Do you wobble and roll to the outside of your foot?  Is your face srunched up in fierce determination?  Oh whoops — you toppled out of the pose anyway.  But, guess what, you’ve executed the pose perfectly, for the act of trying to achieve balance, is balancing in and of itself.  Balance poses are great for teaching you t relinquish control,  remain in the present moment, and above all to laugh at yourself.

Even more beautiful than the poses themselves is the transition from one pose to the next.  For me, the transition from upward facing dog to downward facing dog has become more enjoyable than the end pose itself.  When you bring your awareness more to the “tween” poses, you understand where the word “flow” comes from in yoga.  The poses are no longer separate, they are part of one giant fluid movement.

The same thing happens when you focus on the now in everything you do.  If you try to find enjoyment in the act of performing, the idea of a goal becomes immaterial.  Guilt pokes you from the past, fear creeps in form the future — neither of which you can effect.  The only thing in the present is you. There’s a great quote by A. B. Zu Tavern that I turned into an exercise a while ago to become more aware of how I was living my life.

“If, before going to bed every night, you will tear a page from the calendar, and remark, ‘there goes another day of my life, never to return,’ you will become time conscious.”

How will you live tomorrow’s page?

Namaste.

- Your Charmed Yogi