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Beautiful Places Healthy Living

International Smorgasbord

That’s Tokyo. The city seems to be getting ready to host the 2020 summer Olympics and one thing that’s for sure is that no athletes or staff or spectators are going to go hungry. Or not have enough culinary options – here I cite typical ramen, Indian, Egyptian, and of course, American…Shake Shack!? Whether you are vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, omnivore … it’s all available from all regions of the world.  It is truly an international city with the Old & the New; East and West fusion all around.

Yoga for athletes? What would that look like?

That would depend on the sports but would be interesting to explore … as a good warm up or conditioning or as much needed resilience to not break under pressure. That last skill is something we can all use –  A world-class athlete or not, to have that skill to better manage stress; to use stress for its positive effects rather than stew in its negative effects.

Categories
Healthy Living Yoga

Doga = Yoga with a Dog

Smiling dogs everywhere !  Sometimes they even laugh as they play on this surf … They are very expressive beings.

Down dog with a dog 🐕 in the waves feels good 🙂 The above are photos from last Sunday walk with other paws friends. Time spent with our canine BFF got me thinking about how to better teach a dog.

Having been going mostly to teachers’ classes where one is always humbled by some other superhuman yogi flying through the air and striking a side-crow, it’s a reality check. It’s a reality to check to teach yoga to regular you and me who do yoga after work or on weekends, that is,  after caring for family members, after that snarly commute, after feeding the hungry … after that long day 9- 5 and more work, in all the roles you play and different hats you wear, to show up –  as part of the overall fitness program.  It’s not the ashram in India or a monk life in the temple in Japan shutting out the world here – to take time out for self-care to find insights from this ancient but modern practice for self- care.  It’s real and so needed so we can be fully engaged and awake and embracing of this life.  It’s a surprising reality that some people find even a Child’s pose a challenge.  But not down dog.  It’s all about which body part is in need of some TLC and recovery.

t’s actually challenging to teach in an all levels class because you have to be mindful of everyone and noticing who is not following the cues. Often the “flow” is interrupted by those who are fumbling … or worse, giving up. Looked over the divine faces attending my class for “normal folks” and in that initial exchange realized I have someone in his 20’s – a runner and in contrast a senior in her early 70’s completely new to Yoga and … all in between with various issues attending the same class ! If that’s not scary or even terrorizing, I don’t know what is – just kidding – really enjoy the mix of abilities, levels, and conditions – and seeing how to make all poses accessible to every single practitioner. My intention is earnestly just that.  I am not trying to dumb it down nor am I trying to turn off anyone – I just want everyone to get hooked the way I was …and that may mean referring to another teacher or suggesting another style more in tune with their uncovered needs.

Down dog tutorial can be helpful for those who don’t feel the joy in this pose. Often the beginners are just imitating the outward shape (and actually, down-dog is not a beginner pose …).  In a self-critiquing, or feeling rushed, they forgo accessing their own proprioception to get the best out of the pose.  If just copying the appearance of a pose, and without upper body strength, then unfortunately their wrists or their lower back and shoulders may suffer.  And breath?  What do you mean? Right.

Let’s deconstruct this pose to find more ease and freedom ❤️🐾  Your dog may not look like the dog images you see on yoga magazine covers. Your imprint may be different. But you are going to feel so much better.

Categories
Beautiful People

Olympics watching after … Yoga

Teaching (I’m just a Sherpa to hold space for safety and guiding along their journey) Sunday yoga at 4:15 is so well timed.  It’s that time dedicated to dealing with the reality of weekend coming to an end and preparing for the start of the week, Monday tomorrow.  Monday to some is dreaded, for some, it’s welcomed, for some, it’s an ambivalence that fluctuates from week to week.  For 75 minutes, purely for self-care, those thoughts, to-do lists, the plans and schedules are left off the mat.  Came home to very light family dinner and to watch figure skating & ice dancing.  Beautiful.

Yuzuru Hanyu to watch out for … Men’s Gold Medalist from 4 years trying to hang on despite a serious right ankle not tendon but ligament injury rumored  … So superhuman that all these skaters (okay, only a few) are nailing quad spins  – I mean, how is that humanly possible without the wear and tear on your joints.  As I thought this, it turns out, it’s very very tough.   It is said when they land on ice after the high jump spins, they sustain 4, 5x their body weight impact.  So imagine, 500+ lbs onto your hips, knees and ankles.  Plus those joints need flexibility (yes, synovial fluids can’t dry up! Can’t be dry and brittle for those smooth graceful fluid movements) as well as the strength.

It is understandable that his passion takes a toll over the years so I suppose, age 23 would be considered a “senior” in such an intense world.   Still, it is crazy that he is made to feel like he’s over the hill after age 20.  Age 23 is quite the senior apparently when the “senior” division starts out at age 15 or younger.  When you see him falling and getting up over and over again – 60 times during one practice (NHK documentar), it’s no longer just about your mind and your will.  Your body may just not cooperate anymore.

So there’s a suspense waiting his appearance as he had gone into hiding, out of public eyes after his last injury that got him hobbling on crutches. Is he all fixed?

In wonder and anticipation all the more, Olympics is inspiring. Especially when you see someone who overcomes limitations and challenges.  Which I hope he does.

If you thought yogis are contortionist, this tops any yogi.  Amazing skater…there’s balance, speed, flexibility, strength, grace and breathtaking … beauty.  Beauty of that very moment.  He has since sustained an ankle injury speculated due to punishing practice to perfect quad spins that took a toll on his body.

& here in Gassho or Anjali mudra … under the biggest pressure, he seems to always carry that air of that special … calm. Intensely focused but … relaxed in a sense of truly embodying his body and mind. He’s in his own bubble of zen … and every hand movement is a choreographed and intentional mudra, if not the whole body.

I’ve read that he practices something likened to yoga to strengthen his mental resilience more than for the physical benefits – and … it shows.