Yoga in the News 10/06

Check this out!

Yoga for dowager’s bump

it works!, yes it does. If you practice, a lot.

Lovely students

I just received the nicest email from Carolyn. She is doing a challenge to get fit with 3 friends and using the LRY video to yogify herself.
She has lots of energy and excitement for the practice, so if you need a little inspiration/infusion, look at her blog!
Her words make me really happy. Making the videos was a lot of work. And then I sent them off into the world like baby birds.
Knowing that they are flying about, and finding good homes is really quite wonderful.

settling in

A favorite professor of mine said that one should never feel badly about taking the time to go through piles.
Or moving those piles from one side of the desk to the other.
He said that those little things may seem like procrastination, but are actually our way of figuring out where we are in relation to the world around us.

In yoga we take a lot of time moving a foot forward, and then back, and then over to the side.
All just on one little mat.
And in the end we figure something out about where we are in relation to the world around us.
Its all the same!

yoga of housework?

I'm thinking/hoping that washing dishes, sweeping, and organizing can be a yoga practice in and of itself. I keep reminding myself that cleaning is movement in action; an opportunity to do without rushing or stressing.
I still feel stuck beneath a mountain of boxes these days, and each time I get to the top, I fall back to the bottom again.
Its definitely good for staying humble.

pavritta janu sirsasana

This *photo (and pose!) make me happy. Maybe they will you too?

The yogini pictured is named Aditi. Aditi will be one of the teachers for Living Room Yoga's mobile yoga studio, coming to homes (maybe yours?) near you. This pose is called pavritta janu sirsasana, or revolved head to knee pose.

If you would like to try this pose, warm up a little first, and then sit down (in a park is nice!)
Open your right knee out to the side with your heel tucked in toward your groin. Straighten your left leg out to the other side, toes pointing up.
Lay your left arm to the inside of your left leg. Using the arm like a lever, spin your torso toward the ceiling (or sky!) Reach the top of your head and your right arm toward your left foot. If you can reach your toes, wonderful. If not, just as wonderful, just make sure to breathe. Hold for 5 deep breaths and then repeat on the other side. You will feel renewed!

*For those of you on my website go to my blog to see!

breathing exercise

I began an Alexander Technique master class on Sunday (ooh la la!).
Try this exercise; it is the beginning of my studies.

Imagine there is a big blossom on the top of your head. Whatever blossom you imagine is perfect for you.
Imagine big petals, maybe even say the word petal to yourself.
Imagine inside all those petals an opening, and that opening moves all the way to the base of your pelvis.

As you inhale, draw the breath from above you into the space within the petals.
As you exhale image the breath moving into, but not through your lovely sitting bones.
Continue to breathe like this, in through the top of your head, the opening of your blossom, and out filling the bowl of your pelvis all the way to your sitting bones.

I'll explain the importance of this later. For now, here is this exercise, sweet and simple, for you.

tai chi moves

I was at the park with my (new!) husband Jeremy this morning.
He practices tai chi, and was teaching me some basics. I felt calm and smooth and relaxed from the practice.
I liked it. Actually, I reluctantly liked it; A lot of the warm ups seemed the exact opposite of what I have learned in yoga is healthy for the body.

Jeremy was bouncing while he stretched, turning his feet at odd angles before bending forward, and leaning back and whipping forward.

But the thing is, he has had major injuries in the past, and this practice was a huge part of his recovery.

So the moral of this story is just to move, not too worry too much about rules, and just move.
Really, just move your body and your mind and your health will follow.

A Garden

is really wonderful.
sky + trees + a stone path + grass + a hill + water = magic
whoooooo~

the yoga of wedding planning

The main thing is to be with people that you love, celebrating love.
Everyone keeps reminding me of that.

I'm also thinking that you must gently ride the wave of the day.
Even when there's a hurricane forecast for the outdoor ceremony. (aaah!)

In yoga they say that we often get confused between what is real and what is not. And then we feel pain when we think that we mistakenly take the unreal for the real.

Love is real! Napkin choice is not!

grace

A long time ago a favorite yoga teacher of mine said that "The body likes to be graceful"

I've been thinking lately a lot about what grace means.
I've always thought of grace in a physical sort of way, like a ballet dancer is graceful.
Jeremy says that grace means forgiveness.

I like both but wonder how it all works, how does grace happen?