Month: July 2018

Categories
Beautiful Places Beautiful Things

Strength Based Natural Alignment Trumpets over

mindless flow for the sake of movement alone ?  I know I did it too – those 108 sun salutations jumping through rapidly, wear yourself out, probably doing 50% all rather sloppy,  just to get through, hurting my body (Chaturanga Dandasana (chah-tuur-ANGH-uh dahn-DAHS-uh-nuh)= shoulder girdle at risk) instead of healing it, strengthening it – but elated in the sense of “accomplishment” – the endorphin rush ! Some workouts resembles this – just get through it – burn calories – pump it – the rush – collapse.  Is that sustainable and … kind to our body?  In fact some naming of the workouts gives you the sense of false power and a rush – “Shreds!” “Rip!” “Burn!” “HIIT” “Beast” “Combat” “Box”- it’s very masculine sounding and great in motivating the … sloths … sure empowering but … what an agitation to our nervous system and strain to our cardiovascular health if pushed beyond one’s edge.  Sculpting is different – it’s good.

But what would a Mindful Flow look like?  Originally “sun salutation” really was a body prayer, a ritual and a sacred worship… prayer towards the divine within, towards the Higher Self, consciousness using one’s entire body to express that devotion. I experienced a touch of it for the first time when I had the privilege to take Gary Kraftsow’s workshop at Yoga Journal conference some time ago and then … now again wholeheartedly at another master teacher’s workshop couple of years ago where each asana in a vinyasa was accompanied by a chant from the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali – an amazing experience.

***

So why am I at the yoga wall ?  Instead of flowing and jumping through one pose to the next in a vinyasa or finding stillness in each delicious yin poses?  So that my yoga poses can get “adjusted” and refined,  thanks to yoga wall training by Jason Cull – IAYT, ERT, who trained with PT turned Yoga Teacher – which is what I’m doing too so felt at ease right away taking this workshop.  Do no harm is yoga therapist’s overarching intention so with that, of course, you feel at ease faced with rather intimidating wall full of straps and metal panels and what have you.

Here – Keeping the hips leveled, shin sliding up the wall but with thigh leveled parallel to the floor with the straps for the arms to sustain the back bend, the balance and elevated arms …Pulling on the straps actually mimics an effect of a pull up where we are working our upper arms muscles/biceps/triceps and lats … you can keep the arms at shoulders height or hands at waist with straps under arms …all depending on how your shoulders feel, listening to our body to redefine our own range of motion.

Reviewing our pattern of movements can give us some clues as to our needs as we deepen our practice – yes, some of us may want to burn calories with cardio and strengthen our muscles, the core, bringing weight management to the forefront – then ? and then what?

We may have the daily commute sitting, then sitting in front of a computer (that’s why a lot of high tech companies have standing ergonomically designed desks for their employees), then back again into the car or some transit where we sit … then instead of exercising, we may sit again to eat at the table then slouch on a couch – the western style you know where also is about … sitting on a donuts shaped ring of a chair not on the floor or in malasana (squat) to take care of business.  SO cumulative sitting exacerbates the physiological load on our back. By strengthening and lengthening our back and strengthening and then releasing the core muscles with the pull-up and a back bend, we can prevent future back pain – yes? Yes. YES. a resounding yes !

What an ultimate prop this is if used correctly with the intention to adjust, lengthen and strengthen:)  Great Wall of yoga at Yoga Health Center !  Likened to the Iyengar studio’s ropes on the wall where students find “freedom” in their body with the use of this support, that makes yoga even more accessible all people with different conditions.

I was reminded of that principal of stability vs. mobility, what Judith H. Lasater Phd PT often mentions in her wonderful backcare immersion course.  Can you see how that relates to use of straps as we make progression into movements to free up space within?

Natural Flow returns when the body’s joints, muscles, connective tissues all work in tandem… in harmony for those signature supple fluid graceful movements.  Inching my way up and down and all around, sometimes defying gravity, sometimes giving into gravity – thanks to adept support and guidance from Jason Cull and cohort yoga teachers.

In every practice, I hope to calibrate the Yang & Yin balance to find more Ease & Stability.  In staging our own practice in this production called Life, variety of props lend the support we can use to grow our practice to the next level.  First comes the surrendering of our ego and attachments to bring some props to serve us – to find more freedom in mobility founded on stability … support.  Then, we can finally stay and hang out – over time, that time will come – as our body remembers this form, you will find yourself holding Natarajasana, Lord of Dancer’s pose – free stand in perfect balance !

Categories
Beautiful Places Healthy Living

Harnessing Energy

Not just any energy but a positive energy like a PAWSITIVE energy with a little help from a furry friend! (Spotted a car generated by a new kind of energy at a parking lot.) 

Whenever you feel depleted:

1. Get in touch with nature and get out of your house, office … get out of your head.  Need not be out in the wilderness camping on a mountain top (though that would be nice!).  If you can’t get to a beach, forest, that mountain top, try walking barefoot maybe just back yard lawns, parks … find a sanctuary of a garden –  if that’s all we can get to – that will do to soak up the sun, the fresh breeze, the rustles of the leaves in trees, smell the fresh air and take in the sweetness of flowers blooming …  real or imagined.

2. Exercise – swim, jog, run, walk – skip – on the beach counts !

3. Okay – to be realistic – not all of us can get to the oceans and mountains on regular basis – find a closest yoga studio and try a class that appeals to you.  Try a power class – Try regenerative therapeutic yoga. Customize. Gentle yoga not a push yourself self flagellating workout kind of yoga where you get agitated over a pose you can’t seem to nail – the class you select can be based on your TYPE (Ayurvedic “DOSHA” type) or the condition and mood of the day.  Many “offset” the heated practice with a cooling practice to calibrate a balance.

4. Note:  gentle does not equal easy but still all levels and challenging  – it means gentle enough to not cause injuries to one’s body; not punishing but Nourishing Regenerative kind of practice. What does that look like -if that means sweaty hot super intense workout that allows you to relax by passing out – then –  that works for you.  Just be open to all possibilities and know there are many paths to get there.  You just haven’t tried them. See about blending different practices for a “program” you can stick to. It’s about regular practice not just for instant short term endorphin release but sometimes could do harm in the long run. Finding what’s LASTING … sustainable. Addictive in a good way:)

4. Meditation to be included in #3 & #4 above. In fact, Yoga, meant to be “forceful” union of mind and body was devised/designed to curb and down-regulate the hyperactivity (or slothness, lol) of young men, so that they can move mindfully, then, settle down to meditate for spiritual enlightenment … and for practical day to day – to keep their body fit, mind clear and focused and spirits UP. If you are interested in Origins or History of yoga, check out Richard Rosen and Mark Singleton.  Fascinating reads.  For more a daily or approachable reads, if you are a woman, those juggling several roles, highly recommend “Living Your Yoga” by Judith H. Lasater:) More scholarly reads –  by  Georg Feuerstein … readable like Srivatsa Ramaswami … Basically what’s applicable TODAY to optimize our health today… Gary Kraftsow’s books on therapeutics and  … there’s so much.

5. Make the time for above which magically creates more time you thought you didn’t have. Really.  Time expands when you rest and relax more because … you are less tired, and therefore have MORE ENERGY; more focus and so things get done more efficiently. Less wasted energy; more abundance.

6.  Challenge yourself to do or learn something new and stimulating.

7.  If there is that “time” – volunteer to help someone, some group, some organization to make a little, at a micro-minuscule-tiny level a difference.  That can start from those closest to you – a family member and then … beyond. Do a nice deed for another human being without seeking any recognition or return.  How does that feel to have no agenda – to be just kind – how does that feel? You are not trying to get something out of another, you are not networking, marketing, trying to impress, trying to gain an advantage … What would that look like?  What if you just wanted to make another person feel better?

Seems easy but sometimes not – it’s not the I am better than you attitude as honestly that’s so easy to detect.  It’s hard to serve with humility.  I volunteered the other day and I said after the experience – I can never be Mother Teresa – yep, that’s why there’s only one Mother Teresa – but we can do just a tiny little bit, just one-trillionth – and that’s still more than nothing – right?

8.  Lastly and so obvious, almost forgot to mention … BREATHE.

This might of interest Click Here for Yale’s most popular class.  Being happy … joyous creates the ultimate ENERGY & VITALITY:)  Our furry friends do this so well:)

Categories
Yoga

Low Tide; No Sleep; No Sounds

By the observance of aparigraha, the yogi makes his life as simple as possible and trains his mind not to feel the loss or the lack of anything. Then everything he really needs will come to him by itself at the proper time.” 

–B.K.S. Iyengar

Have you ever started out with all good intentions but the Universe introduces obstacles when least expected – that while in scheme of all things, very trivial, so small and perhaps even irrelevant – and yet, you feel a bit deflated?

I have.

It’s not that you are defeated by these life’s curve-balls – of things not quite going as planned turn of events – but nevertheless, you feel depleted of your energy?

Have you ever thought about how to deal with and change the story-lines not going the way you planned ?

I have.

We all have.

I enjoy a silent class or class without any music typical of some yoga classes.  But that’s just it – while I enjoy that kind of class for “learning” as a yoga teacher where the yoga teacher is explaining every tissue, every muscle group, every movement, etc. as though yoga teacher him/herself fearing any pockets of silence or for pure relaxation (lettt goooo) as a yoga student- for my practice, and for my students, I enjoy sharing … positive sound vibes. Sounds are uplifting to the spirit.  Unless you are Srivatsa Ramaswami, a master to lead the sun salutation with chants, some chanting just does not seem authentic in my own humble opinion – even kind of a cultural appropriation-ish to be avoided – so least I can do is to offer my playlist as at Cal, I once interned for a DJ at the student radio station.  Love different genre of music only problem being I may get “stuck” on one track and play it over and over – I don’t get tired of things very easily !

Inspired, curated a playlist until midnight last night; exhausted crawl into bed but end up tossing and turning all night –  terrible or no sleep; not getting any shut eye, tracing the prior day to figure out the cause of this insomnia –  is it the Kombucha made with green and black tea, thus CAFFEINE?  Is it the stress of seeing a homeless treated unkindly at a food bank ?  Is it the to-do-list growing with unchecked items? Is it … this or that?  The mind races to find answers to this puzzle … rumination leads to answers only then to morph into constant chatter… clock reads 3am  … Good Morning – almost ran over a jogger who dashed out in front of our car …slamming on breaks; woken by the jolt – was the jogger in a runner’s high?  Unexpected swerve to avoid hitting her – a scare to drive an otherwise uneventful commute   … walk into a studio to teach yoga – relieved to be in a peaceful space – Yeay !  I love teaching yoga …

BUT

the stereo system just does not work  … sooooo …. the said playlist is not accessible.  Told there’s a problem with the stereo system … normally I would take that in a stride – of all days, the day after staying up late to curate a playlist when there was that stroke of insight to make a new one.  In fact, no other music comes on either … unable to retrieve any of my musical selection – the class time is upon us…

Have you ever set an intention to be very well prepared, striving for perfection? Or at the very least attached to a certain kind of class you wanted to put on?

I have.

Have you ever felt like … screaming in sheer frustration (esp. when sleep deprived) or crying in annoyance over little petty thing?  You know it’s really not a big deal … but still.

I have.

So does someone want to holler out a primal scream on my behalf so I don’t have to?  So that I can flush out the toxins of …attachments and ego from my system ?

Low Tide

New Moon

Super New Moon …

Tomorrow – Friday the 13th.

Yoga to the rescue … practice is essential.

Thank you for the reminder.

To which I respond – Yogis are people too:)

We have attachments to want certain outcome -it’s human.   It’s only that in teaching yoga, we want every single student to feel a little bit better after the class than before.

Recognizing we have the power and choice to shift our mindset from that of suppressed primal scream of annoyance to a resolute mindset more in alignment with our higher self, Self that is patient, compassionate and resilient.  That mindset echos the vibrant chant of OMMMMM … There’s no need to dwell on the past nor fear for the future – all is well.

Cessation of agitation …calming the fluctuations of the mind …  comes.

Gratitude to a student who stopped by after class to ask if he opened the shades the way I liked it for the class – wow – such a gentleman and all knowing.  Thank you – if the sounds weren’t right (or more like void), at least the lighting worked as … it’s the morning sunshine.  Sun salute – sun always shines in the hearts of those with grace – Namaste.