Category: Yoga

Or 20 minutes = 2 hours

What kind of math is this?

Math of “yogic” sleep – quality sleep where brain waves reach that “sleep” with awareness, consciousness. Yes, that underrated sleep. When you get up in the morning not feeling refreshed, energized and bright eyed, that’s when you need it the most while regular practice would ward off those unwelcomed state of fatigue, lethargy, disease, negativity, physic and physical paralysis…

So 20 minutes is equivalent to 2 hours of sleep in “restorative yoga” sessions; 1 hour might be 3 hours in Yoga Nidra if you are able to … I say if you are “able” to because for some, its very challenging to be with their own thoughts – so the intention to take away as much as possible the physical discomfort or emotional disturbances – the DISTRACTIONS… that I usually “clear” “cleanse” “purify” with other techniques.

In other words, you are not passed out and unconscious letting life pass you by like sand in the hourglass; just UNPLUGGED to the outside; fully charging up in the inside. Fearing becoming susceptible to slip into coma? No, jokes aside – it’s not a coma – an entrapment within one’s body – but enlivened life-like dreams and some might say, trip-ish, but this is the natural way. Natural, using your own inner chemicals you were inborn with. Nothing toxic or artificial – just pure nectar from the honeycombs you’ve nurtured within you. The practice empowers you to produce and boost those chemicals and bring you into that state that promotes healing and – its the source of all creativity and intuition…

20 minutes of Savasana = 2 hours of sleep and

One Hour of Yoga Nidra is what? There’s a claim that one hour of Yoga Nidra is equivalent to 3 hours of sleep. Perfect for most of us who:

– do not get 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night;
– lead a very hectic, active life.
– to a point where concept of “rest” is vilified so much that you equate rest to “rust”.
– or the opposite. There’s an inertia and you are stuck, immobilized and unable to put things into “action”.
– have quite a bit of stress to cope with.
– coping with anxieties, anger, and depression.
– lead a exhausting life of either too much excitement and drama.
– longing for peace, harmony and wholeness.
– just looking to balance out the yin & yang elements in your life.
– wanting to know the meaning of the word – compassion.

I for one have benefited greatly. When my mind is clear; I can help brighten the dimming lights a little better serving as a … reflection. A mirror.

Now I can’t serve as a mirror if it’s all fogged up or cracked, can I?
With my Haahhhh breath I fog it up more and wipe off with a silken soft light to find the shine, the true reflection.

It’s a dreamy bliss – Sweet Dreams:) Tap into your very own Source …it’s golden.

– Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression
– Stimulates the pituitary and pineal glands
– Strengthens the spine
– Strengthens the lungs
– Tones the abdominal organs
– Improves digestion
– Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
– Therapeutic for asthma, infertility, insomnia, and sinusitis

***
The above are benefit statements for what kind of yoga poses?

… inversions.

Yes, inversions but if you have a neck issue, shoulder, rotator cuff issues*, vertigo, blood pressure issues, weakened core (e.g., from c-sections), expecting, or lack upper body strength needs to be rebuilt… it may be risky to go into a headstand or a shoulder-stands. Does that mean, you can’t do inversions?

Noooo,
there are many other options that can be done in “restorative” “therapeutic” style. Thank goodness I had the opportunity to learn the practical applications of yoga therapeutics (from none other than Judith Lasater:) In contrast to exclusivity of some advance level practice, her teachings can be tailored to the needs if all … it’s so inclusive…

Yoga is for everyone.

* I have suggestions for rotator cuff pains … it works!

Subbing the above captioned yoga class next week. I am not an intense and far from being a professional athlete (and certainly not married to one like Lydia is) but more I would call a “former” athlete who dabbled – Unfortunate for yoga, not a former gymnast or a dancer but does varsity level volleyball competing from years ago count in any way? Today, I would not identify myself with any one sport – but I know there are many runners, tennis players, bikers out there. So of course doing my homework just to be sure I meet the needs and expectations… even though I’ve subbed this class before to a very receptive and positive feedback – thanks to the regular teacher who must attract the curious and the open minded “athletes” turning to yoga – I wanted to make sure my ideas fit the aim of the class.

That desire to understand this particular population’s unique needs, led me to me to discovering an online site …I normally do not care for online yoga as yoga class in flesh is so much more energetically beneficial, but … for studying classes you are still relatively new at teaching, it’s very informative. We can’t always go see the teachers’ teacher for a specific style, this may be the next best thing… for those into studying – Then you try the sequence daily yourself to more or less get a feel for it; then modify, add and mix the blueprint – sprinkle more of your own spice to make it more what you would want…

Yoga Anytime – because some of the teachers led me to this site and what do you know? There is this excellent series on yoga for athletes. Now I am in LOVE with
Lydia Zamorano. She is wonderful ! I really love the fact that she is so authentic and especially love her voice. She has this very sweet “natural” sisterly voice – sometimes, yoga teachers have a voice that’s just trying to sound too authoritative, too bossy, or too fakey, hypnotic – but here, she has a bit of little girl’s voice that sounds disarming but very instructional. Her voice is … lovely and she is so beautiful – a nature girl who can survive in the wilderness for sure.

I will be incorporating her tips along with my own ideas. I am glad I tried Lydia’s sequence as she is one who has done the research already so I don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Based on her research, she discovered:

(Athletes) wanted a little bit more restorative stuff. They are really active all the time and looking for recuperative, restorative kind of mobilization work, a little bit of stabilization work great for after the sports.

Thank you Lydia Zamorano – You have really done your research and I learned a lot about what their needs are – they are not coming to yoga to replace their sports with. They are coming to yoga for almost physical therapy or sports medicine – like hope for injury prevention and performance enhancements. I was misguided to think they were looking for very strong intense, heated power yoga kind of practice – actually, it’s probably the exact opposite that they seek. If in training and to prep – strengthening and stretching; if after the sport, recuperative, restorative. That sounds about right:)

Here’s a Patagonia commercial that features Lydia:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHj81NjA_7w

“For the past 5 years (before yoga) I’ve been kind of in pain. I was a non-believer of yoga. The whole concept of paying someone for fancy stretching and have people tell you how to breathe and feel is kind of funny.” – Brittany, the rock climber

hahaha.

Then Brittany goes on to say –

“But the structure of it all has helped me ...a lot.”

These women are amazing athletes … such tenacity; such drive … in awe. But, it can take a toll on one’s body so … be a yoga believer:)