Just yesterday a student mentioned her love for chanting and how it's changed her life for the better. Along with the excess pounds, this person lost her impatience while driving in her car thanks to chanting. If you ever pull up alongside her at a traffic light, she's sure to have a chanting CD blasting from her car stereo. Who knew, right?Actually, folks in India knew. And they knew a long time ago. So many yoga afficionados are so stuck on asana that the other tools of yoga are often forgotten. Chanting is one of tthose tools and a powerful one at that. When we look the Indian Pancamaya…
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The Everything Yoga Blog
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Get Subtle with Chanting
30 Jun 2009 | 6:52 pm -
Is Your Diet Supporting Your Yoga Practice?
26 Jun 2009 | 3:47 pmI grew up eating processed foods...a lot of processed foods. Foods I wouldn't even dream of putting in my body now. Why? Because I didn't know any better. And I didn't realize how awful all of those foods made me feel (after all, they tasted so delicious and made me happy while I was eating them). Over the years I gradually changed my eating habits, but it wasn't until I started practicing yoga regularly that I made big changes and made them stick. A few years prior to my introduction to yoga were particularly bad. I shudder to think of the type of foods I consumed. ICK! If I ate now like I… -
Celebrating Summer Solstice with a Giveaway
19 Jun 2009 | 3:27 pmThe seasons, they are a' changin'. We celebrate Summer Solstice this weekend, which means it's time to celebrate the season of light and bounty (think long days, more time in nature, fresh fruits and vegetables, and warm temperatures). It's ironic that lately I find myself making the sun a part of my practice (that could also be because I miss seeing it due to all of the rainy/cloudy weather we've been experiencing in NY) whether it's sun salutations, or chanting the Gayatri Mantra, or visualizing the sun warming and inhabiting my body, or simply doing some candle gazing (Tratak) before bed. -
Yoga on the Cheap: Maintaining Your Yoga Practice in Tough Econonmic Times
16 Jun 2009 | 1:07 pmThere's a lot of talk out there about yoga being a practice for the affluent. A month-long unlimited yoga membership to a studio will cost you at least $100. Mats can set you back $100, and yoga pants that make your butt look perky run $85 and up. And don't even think about attending a yoga conference unless you have at least $500 sitting in your rainy day fund. Of course there are folks who practice yoga wherever they unfurl their $19 yoga mat. They don't have fancy yoga clothes or a studio membership, and yet they have a serious yoga practice that transforms and sustains them. They catch a… -
The Yoga Student/Teacher Relationship
12 Jun 2009 | 2:14 pmOne of the characteristics of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is saravat, which translates to full of essence. The Sutras are short yet full of meaning, which means that it's necessary to learn from a teacher rather than try to figure them out on your own. Since I've done both -- read through the Sutras on my own as well as study them with a teacher -- I can say with conviction that it is necessary to learn them from a teacher or with the guidance of a teacher.Moving onto the first sutra, we see the use of the words atha and anusasanam, which implies experiential teaching with atha representing…
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Teaching Kids Yoga
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One of the Biggest Dangers of Kids Yoga
2 Jul 2009 | 5:23 amCan You Spot the Dangers? I was reminded once again of one of the biggest dangers in kids yoga classes, and maybe even one of the biggest dangers of being around kids.No, its not loving them too much.Nor is it trying to protect them from getting hurt, thereby never letting them grow.Sure these are important, but there's one thing I've found to be even more dangerous than these. The problem is we forget about it until it happens - and then we think, "How did I forget about this!"Adults Beware!The truth is this Danger isn't even to the kids - this danger is to the adults! Especially since… -
Good-bye Sophia, We'll Always have Pre-School
29 Jun 2009 | 3:51 pmFor a Teacher, Each Kid Eventually Moves On This past week had a lot of goodbye's.It started with moving and saying a joyful goodbye to a phase of my life stuffed into a tiny apartment with my husband and our two home businesses. For a while that little apartment was kinda romantic. His desk took up the dining room and mine was wedged into the hallway. The sound of our computer keys tinkled like a love song.Discovering the Truth of a SituationThen when we decided to move up to a bigger space - the veil was lifted. Suddenly I couldn't believe that we were living in such a shoe box. Now that… -
Kids and Anxiety: What is Thought? (Part Two)
4 Jun 2009 | 11:08 amA Bee only Drinks the Nectar of FlowersAre you a bee thinker?Hello everyone - well I'm in the middle of a pile of cardboard boxes, dollies, and carts. Yes, I'm moving and it's been exciting to be going to a bigger place but also takes focus. So rather than delay - here's a short post with a great audio from Tulshi Sen.By the way, do you remember the little boy in my yoga class who was feeling bullied. As I told you in Part One - he doesn't know what to do about the bully except to start, as he puts it, "being bad too."What are the tools to deal with the bully?He's actually onto something by… -
Kids and Anxiety: What is Thought? (Part One)
28 May 2009 | 8:43 amPicture by GangaSunshine Worm, Fly, & Bee ThinkingAudio Story Below with Tulshi Sen As all of us who work with children know - stress and anxiety are not only for those with bills to pay and families to feed.Anxiety and Acting Out in ClassLast week in my kids' yoga class one of the boys was acting unusually defiant. He was acting out and not following the rules to the point where he ended up crashing into one of the other kids in the class. No one was permanently injured - but he was not happy to be sitting out for part of the game we were playing.This was near the end of the class, so… -
Child Development Resources for Kids (Contest)
21 May 2009 | 7:50 amHello All,I'm getting ready for this weekend's Kids Yoga Teacher Training Course. There are places available if you'd like to join us and I've extended the early registration deal. Plus, spring is one of the best times to visit Toronto, Canada, and the weather will be great. Here's the info.So this week rather than an article I'll point out a resource that I've found very helpful called:E-Beanstalk - Planting the Seeds that Help Children GrowEvery Kids' Teacher Needs a Few Good PropsI found this website when I was looking for ideas for props for a kids yoga class I was doing with babies in a…
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YogaDudes
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Yoga Journal Magazine Subscription for $5.29/Year
2 Jul 2009 | 9:00 amThis is such a great deal and I take advantage of it and renew for just over $5 every year. But it's only good for one day - Friday, July 3rd. Click on the link below on 7/3/09 to go directly to the link where you can make the purchase. Good for both new subscriptions and renewals.Best Deal Magazines Deal of the Day -
This May Be The Answer To My Sinus Problems
1 Jul 2009 | 2:47 pmA couple of weeks ago I wrote about my terrible sinus problems and how Down Dog and other inverted poses just makes them worse. I received a comment from a reader suggesting the use of a neti pot. I read about nasal irrigation in my yoga textbooks and have been intrigued by the idea. I've been meaning to buy one and that comment was just the kick in the pants I needed to actually get one. I jumped online and bought one. I was a little disappointed that it took nearly 2 weeks to arrive, but then again the shipping was free so I really shouldn't complain. And the timing of its arrival was… -
Free July Desktop Calendar
1 Jul 2009 | 4:16 amClick here to open the full size graphic. Once the full size image loads, right-click and Save as Desktop. -
The Power of Arnica
23 Jun 2009 | 12:22 pmI’m sold on the healing powers of Arnica. I’ve taken it before, both topically and orally, but never together. Yesterday I mysteriously hurt my elbow. Not quite sure exactly what I did, but it was sore and clicking strangely all morning. Might not have been the smartest idea to bust out 40 pushups and lift weights at lunchtime, but I did. And, of course, the pain got much worse. By the evening it was really sore and this morning I had trouble pushing myself out of bed, brushing my hair, and doing anything that required me to move my arm. It was even worse when I needed to both move my arm… -
Free iPod Workout Downloads
11 Jun 2009 | 10:08 amI just stumbled across a web site that offers iPod workout downloads. Some of them cost, but there are a few downloads available for free, one of them a yoga bundle. I downloaded the Glut Camp Workout this afternoon and I was quite pleased with it. I didn't actually put it on my iPod, but instead just watched it on my computer. It was very straightforward. They showed a model doing one of the exercises, explained what to do, and then told you to pause and do a set of reps at your own pace. Then you simply hit play again, watch the next exercise, and repeat the pause/play options until you get…
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Yoga Peeps
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Yoga On the Dance Floor - Ekayani and The Tom Glide Space
18 Jun 2009 | 6:25 pmEkayani and The Tom Glide Space are bringing Yoga to the dance floor. Ekayani sings sanskrit chants over Tom Glide’s deep house grooves. Some are slow with deep soulful beats, like Dehino Smin (Sanskrit rap), and Gaura Pahu, and others are faster and trancey, like Parama Karuna. Listen http://www.ilike.com/artist/Ekayani+and+The+Tom+Glide+Space I also LOVE the yogic dance moves from B-Boy Neo and the Concrete Monkeys in the Parama Karuna video. Brick and Mortar locations are JivaMukti Yoga School located at 841 Broadway 2nd flr- NYC, (where they played in February) and East West… -
Episode 69: AK Kennedy Hyde Clothing
11 Jun 2009 | 5:43 pmEpisode 69 is an interview, with AK Kennedy, of Hyde Organic Yoga Clothing, and Lara Hedin, Founder of Yoga Peeps. In this episode, AK and Lara talk about how she got started, about going organic, healing her running injury with yoga, her favorite teachers, satya and santosha. To listen click: YogaPeeps_061109_AKKennedy_HydeClothing Subscribe with iTunes ShowNotes About AK -
Episode 69: AK Kennedy Hyde Clothing
11 Jun 2009 | 5:19 pmInfluential teachers: Rusty Wells Schuyler Grant Elena Brower Anne Carpenter Jason Moring Books she loves: Tao Te Ching - Steven Mitchell David Foster Wallace Italo Calvino - if on a winter’s night of traveler Music she loves: Indie Rock Bonnie Verr Andy Bird Beethoven’s Sonatas Bach Concertos Kevin Courtney - Kula Yoga Project Yamas/Niyamas: Ahimsa, Santosha, Satya Peeps she’d like to hear: Kira Ryder - Yoga Peeps Interview Schuyler Grant Website: http://www.yogahyde.com Podcast Music: Piano Sonata in E-flat Major, mvt. 3 by Joseph Haydn Ajero, Mario -
Episode 68: Jaimal Yogis Saltwater Buddha
29 May 2009 | 9:25 pmEpisode 68 is an interview, with Jaimal Yogis, of San Francisco, California, and Lara Hedin, Founder of Yoga Peeps. In this episode, Jaimal and Lara talk about how thoughts can pound you down daily, riding life with grace, Jack Kerouac, dharma, negative ions, surfing, dynamic moving spirals of energy, freedom in this life, and self acceptance being the only real tool that brings lasting happiness. To listen click: YogaPeeps_052809_JaimalYogis Subscribe with iTunes ShowNotes About Jaimal -
Episode 68: Jaimal Yogis Saltwater Buddha
29 May 2009 | 4:41 pmJaimal’s Most Influential Teachers: Steven Tainer Baba Hari Dass Hung Sway - monk in buddhist monestary who listens to dylan Books: Thomas Farber Caught Inside - Daniel Duane Zen Mind, Beginners Mind - Shunryu Suzuki Siddhartha - Herman Hesse Music: Diegos Umbrella: Mexicali Pirate Gypsy Polka Nine Pound Shadow Podcast Music: Back to Da Mouseville, by the B-Sea Surfers Website: www.jaimalyogis.com
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Mastery of Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen
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How to Meditate
29 Jun 2009 | 11:28 amLearn to Meditate Meditation Instructions with Illustrations Learning how to meditate is the most important part of being a human being. In fact, to uncover and embrace all that you are, meditation is key. Meditation reveals to you the Truth of your infinite, divine nature, and there are absolutely no material equivalents to these discoveries. Along the way to Self-Realization, many other priceless benefits are also bestowed by meditation practice, and I have detailed those in the following article to help motivate you even further: Top 10 Benefits of Meditation. … -
Yoga, Meditation & Personal Development Articles for Weekend Enjoyment
26 Jun 2009 | 3:45 pmYoga, Meditation & Mind Power Personal Development & Spiritual Growth Articles - Edition #31 Thank you everybody for making this one of the largest and best personal development and spiritual growth carnivals in the blogsphere. I would like to invite all my fellow bloggers, webmasters and readers to feel free to network with me on any of the Social Media sites below. Let us use these emerging mediums to develop long lasting friendships and business partnerships . Network w/ Anmol on Stumble Upon Network w/ Anmol on Twitter Network w/ Anmol Facebook Network w/ Anmol YouTube… -
5 Dangers of Not Meditating
24 Jun 2009 | 3:29 pmSigns of Not Meditating Many popular articles on Mastery of Meditation expound on the benefits of meditation, such as Top 10 Benefits of Meditation and 10 Amazing Benefits of Meditation for Students and Young People, but today I want to present you with another view of meditation. I want to explore the dangers of not meditating. I want to discuss what happens when you don’t meditate and what are the signs that are yelling at you to start meditating immediately. 5 Dangers of Not Meditating: 1. Anger: Every time you lose it. It does not matter what the reason is, this is… -
Yoga for Full Body Fitness
22 Jun 2009 | 12:54 pmYoga for Fitness Full Body Yoga Workout Yoga, as I have mentioned previously, is not just for stretching and flexibility, but is perfectly capable of giving you a complete full body workout. Thus, if you are looking for fitness, strength and muscle tone, along with the added benefits of mental and emotional balance, yoga is an excellent solution for you. In this article today, I will combine for you several key exercises and sets, which when put together give you a complete fitness routine. This workout will target your upper body, stomach and abs, as well as help you tone and… -
5 Excellent Yoga Tips to Elevate Your Practice
18 Jun 2009 | 7:03 pmSimple Yoga Tips Improving Your Yoga Practice Previously, in the series Clever Yoga Tips for Busy People, I gave some handy tips on how to incorporate some useful yoga techniques into your everyday life. These included doing the wonderful Kapalbhati Pranayama for Weight Loss and Health while walking or driving, and doing Toe Touches (Padahast Asana) while in the shower. But, today I want to share with your some very good tips which you can easily integrate right into your yoga routine, in order to get a whole lot more out of it. After all, you are doing your practice anyway,…
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meeting myself on the mat, every day, in search of love, truth & beauty.... will you join me?
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The Dude Abides, The Writer Comes & Goes…
22 Jun 2009 | 10:43 amTo abide is to remain, to witness, to sustain and to look upon with kind regard. To abide is one definition of meditation: to remain with one’s own mind in a state of kind regard. To abide is a gift, a discipline and a way of love & I have the most loving readers in the blogosphere! I’ve been AWOL for months, focused on other areas of my practice, following lights I didn’t at first realize would lead me away from blogging. And yet, you keep visiting, reading & letting me know you are out there. My own practice has become more vigorous and maybe you’ve been… -
YSP: “Or the mind can also find peace by contemplating the luminous light, arising from the heart which is the source of true serenity.” tr, Stiles
21 Feb 2009 | 1:13 amThe Sanskrit name for the heart chakra is “Anahata,” translating as “unstruck.” The first time I let this sink in, I could feel my world slightly shifting to take in the implications and the truth. The heart chakra designates more than a literal or even metaphorical heart, it refers to a “region” and a process of being. In one of the Upaya ZenBrain lectures I referred to yesterday, one of the scientists speaks of his struggle to make sense of the yogic system of koshas, or layers of being. The problem with the notion of “layer” is that… -
Cool Media to Inspire Your Practice & Your Life
20 Feb 2009 | 12:28 amYogis need yoga, teachers need teachers and bloggers… need bloggers! Here’s one I discovered today & I just love Davidya’s title “In2Deep“. “Basic Skills” is an extended reflection on attention & intention, but what grabbed me was the opening. She spoke to me where I am, reminding her readers that when our influences feel unsupportive, our attention can change our influences and that support is a breath away. Speaking of a seemingly unsupportive “culture,” she says “it’s more a boogy than a monster.” Indeed,… -
Yoga Teacher, Heal Thyself
19 Feb 2009 | 12:18 pmWhat happens when the yoga teacher gets gimpy? Well, denial is a great first shot. Right? Isn’t it? I mean, I’m healthy, I have healthy habits, aches & pains – phww! These things come & go, the practice goes on. Right? Right? Anyone?!? OK. So the practice is to cultivate awareness of what is, which includes the aches & pains. Paying attention to the space between the feelings is a great way of taking perspective, but if I forget to be with the feelings, then I’m just avoiding, not meditating. In practice, we can vacillate between poles, diving deep into a… -
Yoga Sutra Conversations I.35: “By regular inquiry into the role of the senses we can reduce mental distortions.”
13 Feb 2009 | 8:31 amWhat is the relationship between our senses and our minds? Whether this is a bottom up or top down system differentiates millenia of philosophers. One thing is for sure, though, the more we take in, the more we must digest, and the excess becomes mental fat. The “vrttis” – vacillations – aren’t of themselves mental fat, but any unprocessed intake gets stored – whether its Twinkies (do they still make those any more?) or Desperate Housewives, cross words or imaginary what-ifs we call “worry.” Sensation - sight, sound, touch, taste, smell –…
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In Limine: on the threshold, at the beginning
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A moment
17 Jun 2009 | 8:17 pmThe cherry is cold in my fingers. The stem comes off with a tug. I press the stem-hollow against a paring knife’s blade and the red-black skin and flesh part. The blade reaches the pit, and I turn the cherry. Knife akimbo, I twist the cherry halves and they part, one bearing at its center the convex pit, the other a glistening, concave hollow. My fingers stain with juice. I drop the finished half into a bowl and thumbnail the pit out of the other. Pit goes into the cup with stem, second half into the bowl with the first. It is only when I start the next that I notice the wetness, the… -
An evening meditation, mental illness, and emptiness
10 May 2009 | 7:18 pmA recent Friday was busier than most days are for me. On Thursday, we’d had a heavy snowstorm that carried into the evening before tapering off. Since morning commutes are often ugly in the snow, I decided to forego a morning meditation and was on the road before six. Once I got to work, I managed a variety of matters, including a court hearing in the afternoon. I got in a yoga practice with a favorite teacher before getting home in the evening in time to run errands of various kinds. It wasn't until about 9:00 p.m. that I finally got around to meditation.I sat peacefully for twenty… -
Wild Foods
2 May 2009 | 9:15 pmA short thought about life and living on others’ lives:In sixth grade, we got to do an overnight field trip to a camp on the shores of Chesapeake Bay. The days were programmed with various things that entailed us heading in groups from one set of outbuildings to another along trails through the woods. I loved it.Uncharacteristically, though, as the co-cabined students I was a part of headed over to the dining hall one afternoon, I ducked out of the group and headed toward the wooded shore, down the hill and a couple of dozen yards away. The others faded from sight and sound, and I was alone… -
Haiku along Earth's Sky-Path
21 Mar 2009 | 8:34 pmFall’s day-stars now gleamThrough leafing willow twigs. SpentBud-shells crunch on Path. -
Off the mat -- Taking what is not offered
16 Feb 2009 | 7:23 pm(Another in a series of dharma talks)During a recent meditation retreat, the other participants and I each undertook to live by the five Buddhist training precepts during our time there. One of those precepts is this:For the purposes of training, I will not take anything that is not offered to me.This is a common sense rule for those who will live in close proximity to one another – no “borrowing” your roommate’s shampoo, no swiping someone else’s flip flops. It’s a basic principle that is embedded in social systems everywhere – in the yoga tradition as the niyama of asteya –…
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YogaForce
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Boomerang Three Icons Lost
29 Jun 2009 | 3:28 pmOn Tuesday, June 23rd Ed McMahon died. Two days later, I posted this Tweet to my Face Book Page: RT @hawkt michael jackson, farrah fawcett... what a morbid day. it's like watching your childhood die.According to James Poniewozik at TIME “McMahon’s career would be unimaginable to anyone who lived before TV existed: his Zen-like job was mainly to be Carson’s companion.” McMahon was the first side kick for The Tonight Show airing from 1962 to 1992. Baby Boomers watched him with their parents on Fridays when they got to stay up late. We grew up with Farrah Fawcett and her looks and talent… -
Do Not Try This At Home
9 Jun 2009 | 10:07 pmCement and heights and narrow surfaces do not mix well with yoga! It freaked me out to realize that I could have fallen and landed on my head... Lights out. You can see that I am tentative in the pose. The mind/body connection really kicked in and got me off the ledge quickly and without incident. However, it did get me thinking about something really important: Integrative Medicine.This is a holistic movement that began in the 1970’s where the goal is to treat the whole person ( mind, body, spirit ) all at once. The Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, San… -
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month
12 May 2009 | 1:41 pmMay is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. The sun is out and the sweaters come off and we are once again reminded to wear sun protection. YogaForce has participated in the recent Sunday Streets events and being out in the sun for a few hours requires SPF 30, especially on your face. Yes, you do have to reapply after two hours. Speaking as a skin cancer survivor, I know.You should notice more reminders about skin cancer this month and throughout the summer. Kim Raver of 24 and Lipstick Jungle is one of this year’s spokespersons for the cause. But, it is important to note, applying sunscreen should… -
YogaForce at SUNDAY STREETS SF
29 Apr 2009 | 11:12 amThe first Sunday Streets San Francisco launched last year and was so successful that we are happy to be doing it again this year! The weather has been beautiful. Our next venue will be at the Park at China Basin on the Waterfront overlooking AT&T Park @ 11:00 -1:00 on May 10th, Mother’s Day.Sunday Streets is an event that encourages physical activity in car-free roadways and public space. Other free activities taking place between 10 am -- 2:00:Bay Trail Educational ActivitiesDance LessonsSkating AreaBike RentalsKids GamesBird WatchingGuided WalksThank you to photographer, Paul Furman @… -
Join Us For SUNDAY STREETS SF
21 Apr 2009 | 12:00 amYogaForce and The YMCA are teaming up again this year to bring you some fun outdoor yoga at 11:00 am - 1:00 on April 26, 2009. Come bring a mat and a friend and don’t forget the SPF 30. Join us for some Power Yoga in a car-free zone! This is a FREE event and I will be teaching! The location is @ The Bow and Arrow on The Embarcadero between Folsom and Howard. We hope to see you there. Sunday Streets starts at 9:00 am. You can take a dance lesson with Cheryl Burke Dance Studio, run the bases at AT&T Park or go to Fisherman’s Wharf. Kids and Senior yoga will also be offered in the…
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Om Shanti: A Yoga Blog
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Rock Climbing Again
28 Jun 2009 | 2:31 pmAfter a long hiatus, I’m trying to get back into rock climbing. Hopefully, I’ll be able to stick with it and can start posting climbing-oriented yoga sequences on this blog again. I went to the climbing gym for the first time in a very long while, and was reminded very quickly just how fun climbing is, and also how well it goes with yoga. There was actually a route named “Yoga Helps”–rated a 10c–and, yes, yoga did help. To my great surprise, I made it to the top without falling or taking any breaks. There are some obvious ways in which yoga and climbing are… -
Back in Btown
23 Jun 2009 | 2:17 pmDespite my intention to practice yoga a few times while traveling through Ireland and the UK, that never happened. I went three weeks without doing any yoga–the longest stretch I’ve gone without yoga in years–and my body feels all out of whack. It makes me wonder what my body would feel like if I never did yoga! In the past few days, I’ve been getting back into my practice, and have been surprised to see just how stiff and tight I got. I was tightest in my hamstrings and back. It was also pretty obvious to me that I lost some strength, especially core strength. -
Leaving for Ireland
25 May 2009 | 7:56 pmI’m leaving tomorrow for Ireland, and won’t be posting on the blog for the next three weeks or so. I’ll be back in the US, and online, in mid June. In the meantime, all classes at Bloomington Power Yoga will be held as usual, including my classes, which will be covered by Anastacia and Susan. -
Pattabhi Jois
19 May 2009 | 7:01 pmFor those of you who haven’t heard yet, Pattabhi Jois, founder of modern Asthanga yoga, has passed away. Somewhat surprisingly, none of the major news outlets seem to be covering the story, but here it is on the Huffington Post. -
Yoga in Ireland and England
18 May 2009 | 3:40 pmI’m going to be doing a little traveling this summer to Ireland and England. I’ll be in Dublin and London mostly, but will also visit some smaller cities. If anyone has studio recommendations (or any other recommendations, for that matter), I’d really appreciate it.
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Dahn Yoga Member's Blogs
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Healing Pain
30 Jun 2009 | 4:15 pmOne of Dahn Yoga founder Ilchi Lee’s awakenings after a rigorous 21-days of fasting and meditation was: “My body is not me, but mine.” Inherent in this statement is that we are more than our bodies. We can transcend our physical form, and don’t need to suffer from mental anguish when our bodies are sick, injured and in pain. (At the same time, it implies we are also responsible for our bodies. Recently I read a blog post by Jonah Lehrer on ScienceBlogs.com that talks about scientific research and doctors who have shown that the way we think of pain, especially back… -
Dahn Yoga Makes It to Social Media
16 Jun 2009 | 12:15 pmDahn Yoga and its founder now have Facebook pages!To join the community, click here for Dahn Yoga and here for Ilchi Lee. Then click on “Become a Fan” below the photo on the left.You can also follow Dahn Yoga and Ilchi Lee on Twitter! -
Dahn Yoga Crazy
12 Jun 2009 | 2:58 pmPeace, serenity, calm…words often associated with yoga. But sometimes to get to the peace and serenity, you have to go a little crazy. You have to be crazy enough to burn away the extra energy that’s stuck in your body, and crazy enough to blow past the preconceptions about yourself that are holding you back from true peace and freedom. Just move in a crazy, new way. Use more energy than you thought you had. Soon your mind will be more quiet and your body can move without conscious direction. Afterward you’ll have more focus and peace to direct toward a clear-headed… -
Acupressure Points for Reproductive Problems
2 Jun 2009 | 10:25 pmAccording to the book Meridian Exercise for Self-Healing by Ilchi Lee, “Adherents to Eastern Medicine believe that cramps accompanying menstruation are the result of coldness and stagnant blood in the area of the pelvis. This weakens the uterus, ovaries, and muscles near the pelvis, causing fatigue, headache, anxiety, hypersensitivity, abdominal cramps, and excessive menstruation. You might even experience spasms caused by the intestines twisting. Menstrual cramping can also occur if there is blockage in the Conception Vessel, low ki energy in the kidneys, or overall body… -
YEHA Brain Art Camp
14 May 2009 | 8:27 pmYEHA Brain Art Camp? I realize that the title of this post uses a lot of terms that only a person with some experience at a Dahn Yoga Center would understand, so let me break it down for everyone else.YEHA stands for Young Earth Human Alliance. Earth Human is a term coined by Dahn Yoga founder Ilchi Lee that identifies the earth as the common bond among the many different people living on it. Making people conscious of that common bond and its significance is one way Ilchi Lee hopes to make the earth more peaceful. The Young Earth Human Alliance is a group of young adults (roughly 18-40 years…
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United Yogis - Online Yoga Community
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"Home" Movie - Climate Change is Real
"Home" is a free 93 minute movie regarding climate change. Film maker, Yann Arthus-Bertrand uses stunning and vivid cinematography to depict the impact of human activity on the planet. The movie struck a cord with me, so I thought I'd share it with you and I hope it resonates with you as well. Some significant points: * 20% of the world's population consume 80% of the world's resources * 1 billion people are going hungry, yet over 50% of grain traded around the world is used for animal feed * Livestock sector is the single largest anthropogenic user of land * Grazing occupies 26% of the… -
Our Deepest Fear by Marianne Williamson
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as… -
Yoga Behind Bars
Laura Sygrove, co-founder of New Leaf Yoga, teaches in unusual circumstances. As the executive director of an organization dedicated to teaching at-risk youth the fundamentals of yoga and meditation, her work frequently takes to her beyond the cheerful, sunlit, incense-scented enclave of a typical yoga studio, and into the concrete and routine of a youth detention facility. Founded in 2007, New Leaf is dedicated to bringing peace and mindfulness to young people who might not otherwise receive the benefits of yoga’s teachings, including incarcerated youth. New Leaf teachers work with at-risk… -
Balance your root chakra
The root chakra is linked to your most basic survival needs. It is the base of the kundalini energy which starts at your root and rises to your crown chakra. If reached, it can bring you to eternal bliss, known as the state of samadhi. The root chakra is closely linked with your physical, emotional and security needs, which includes food, shelter and sleep. There are ways to balance your root chakra and make you feel happy and confident with yourself, your body and your sexuality. Yoga Postures Warrior I- the warrior poses keep you grounded and connected to the earth. They build up strength… -
Samadhi?
So I started reading the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. If you are not familiar with it, it is a text written by the Indian yogi Svatmarama in the fifteenth century C.E. The text describes specific asana, pranayama, cleansing practices (such as swallowing a long piece of cloth and pulling it back up, threading string through your nose till it comes out your mouth, and I wont even describe the self enema), dietary suggestions and various concentration techniques on attaining Samadhi. It is a short text, packs a powerful punch and makes you realize true bliss is a long and not so pleasant process. Not…
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Yoga Blog - My Yoga Online
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Top 10 Yoga Poses For Relieving Tension Headaches
25 Jun 2009 | 1:32 pmMy Yoga Online has posted a new Yoga article by Kreg Weiss, Top Yoga Poses for Headaches. Explore 10 classical yoga exercises that will help alleviate the cause and symptoms of tension headaches. Yoga can be a beneficial therapeutic tool for relieving headaches brought on by muscle tension and stress. The majority of headaches originate from muscle stiffness and imbalances emanating from the neck and upper back. When headaches set in, using a series of restorative yoga exercises can greatly relieve both the cause and symptoms. Here are our top yoga poses and exercises that naturally treat… -
Five Important Health Reasons to Reduce Stress
22 Jun 2009 | 6:18 pmMy Yoga Online has added a new health and wellness article by Kreg Weiss, Five Reasons to Reduce Stress. With people needing to work more, save more, and find more time just to manage schedules, stress is becoming a chronic ailment for most people. Without recognizing the effects of stress and not having a stress management plan in place, this negative energy can produce physiology and psychological health hazards. Here is our top reasons why it is so important to reduce and management stress. 1) Prolonged Stress Weakens the Immune System Studies have shown that prolonged stress presents… -
Is Neck Tension The Origin of Your Headache
21 Jun 2009 | 2:36 pmMany types of headache exist: tension headaches, migraines headaches with and without aura, cluster headaches, temporal arteritis and cervicogenic headaches, just to name a few. Each of these headaches develop for a different reason. Once the cause of a headache has been determined, it can often be successfully treated. This is especially true for cervicogenic headaches. Manual medical practitioners frequently are able to diagnosis cervicogenic headaches and, fortunately so, since there is much that can be done to manage them. Have you ever had a headache that starts in your neck, wraps up… -
Working Your Core May Be Damaging Your Back
20 Jun 2009 | 7:54 amA recent study has shown that the trend towards targeting and conditioning the transverse abdominal muscles may have potential for developing chronic lower back pain. Often the focus of many fitness and yoga classes, core conditioning has become a common theme for fitness enthusiasts. However, the application of core training is showing signs that excessive overloading of only key groups like the rectus abdominus (6 pack) and the transverse abdominus (inner circular layer) can generate tension imbalances on the vertebrae. Understanding that the framework of support around the spine must… -
5 Quick Eating Tips for Weight Loss
17 Jun 2009 | 1:11 pmPart of an overall health and wellness program is managing body weight and maintaining a healthy percentage of total lean body mass. To optimize your healthy body weight composition, we have some simple, yet effective eating tips that will enhance your wellness strategies. 1) A calorie is a calorie! Even though some foods are ‘empty’ calories offering little nutritional value, all foods contain calories, so manage your intake regardless of the quality of the food you eat: *use smaller dishes to eat from so you avoid overloading your meals with excess calories *drink water or…
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Total - Health - Yoga - and more
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Taking a Break
22 Jun 2009 | 7:07 amTo all of you that have checked in, commented, or followed this blog, thank you. Currently my life is taking on some transitions and I find transitioning easier when my energy is on where I am going and taking more time to clean up--literally, I'm talking the piles on the desk, at the bedside, and spewed about the kitchen counter. Between that, the kids being home for school break, and our wonderful--all too short--summer finally here, I find taking time to blog is like a task instead of a joy. Being someone that likes to limit tasks and increase joy, this blog will be inactive, at least for… -
I CHOOSE LOVE
8 Jun 2009 | 2:54 pm(Photo from http://shawngallaway.com/)This is amazing! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMOMgQCRAqMChoose Love,Krishttp://www.totalhealthyoga.com/Today is the first day of the rest of your life! -
Spiritual Beings
3 Jun 2009 | 10:46 amMy son, Jake, just posted the following on Facebook:"Man and god are one and the same. Man need only strip away the illusion of god as we see him now and see the truth. Man is not god.......god is man. - Jake Kramer(to the best of my knowledge)"He's 14.Love Much,Kriswww.TotalHealthYoga.comToday is the first day of the rest of your life! -
Master Yoda
1 Jun 2009 | 8:00 amIs Yoda a Yogi?Okay, so he's short, green and has three toes--not your typical yogi. I've yet to see him doing trikonasana (triangle) or suyra namaskar (sun salutation). However, his wisdom is profound and universal.So what is a yogi? Just because someone practices asanas (hatha yoga postures) or teaches a yoga class does that make them a yogi? Krishnamacharya (the father of most yoga practiced today) said, "Anyone who claimed to be a yogi, wasn't." (pg. 23 Yoga and the Living Tradition of Krishnamacharya) Even though this great master, who only allowed the title "Professor" to be bestowed… -
Daily Words of Wisdom
21 May 2009 | 8:57 amThanks to Heather Walton in California for typing all these words of wisdom from Yogi Tea bags. I took the liberty to omit two of them, due to word choices that didn't resonate with me. Several of the ones below touch my heart deeply, and my hope is that you, too, will gain from these reminders of who we are and how to live."The purpose of life is to enjoy every moment." "Delight the world with compassion, kindness and grace." "Laugh because that is your purpose in life." "Happiness is every human beings birthright." "Real happiness lies in that which never comes nor goes, but simply is."…
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Hillary's Yoga Practice: Free Online Yoga Podcast Classes
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Podcast #68 Your Life is a Work of Art! 60 Min – All Level Class
16 Jun 2009 | 9:07 amEnjoy this FREE online audio yoga podcast class and to click the following link to get a a taste of my New Yoga DVD Foundations. (in order to receive your copy of the Ultimate Relaxation Healing session sign up for the newsletter) or Get Your Copy of Yoga Foundations with Hillary Rubin Today! You will be happy you did and please share this with your friends & family! (pls forgive me for not having the yoga pictures and yoga sequence listed, hey but I got this up!!!) My Free Monthly Tele-classes to help those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis & AutoimmuneAskHillaryNow And there is a… -
Join the Movement & Get Empowered
12 Mar 2009 | 10:10 amYou are invited to be part of my movement to take any diagnosis (Multiple Sclerosis, auto-immune disease and others) and transform them into a platform for healing. As you know I have offered over 60 yoga classes in the style of Anusara. Now is the time to take the teachings and apply them as I have to my diagnosis of MS and transform our challenges into opportunities. Tell your friends, family, co-workers and even doctors to come aboard!!!! Ask your questions and see how our coming together will shift how we see diagnosis as a problem into a teacher. Join my facebook group and share the… -
Podcast #67 – Dancing Fearlessly- Approx. 60 Min – Level 1-2 (not for total beginners)
26 Oct 2008 | 8:48 pmCONTEST • CONTEST • CONTEST • CONTEST • CONTEST • CONTEST • CONTEST ENTER NOW TO WIN MY YOGA DVD!!!! Take 2 Action Steps NOW: 1. Sign up for my newsletter and you will be one of the first to know when the new site is launched, save a spot for my free upcoming tele-seminar and other groovy discounts for products I LOVE!!! 2. Leave a Comment and share how you are Dancing Fearlessly in YOUR Life! _____________________________________________________________________________ Join Intent.com – This is an amazing community – set your Intent today! Join my community networks:… -
Podcast #66 – Create Space and Listen to the Yes of Your Life – Approx. 40 min – All Levels with Extented Relaxation
5 Aug 2008 | 10:11 pmTHANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR LOVING SUPPORT!!! YOU MAKE MY LIFE RICH AND MEANINGFUL!!!!! Please enjoy this free online podcast you can enjoy at the end of the day, in the morning or anytime you want to de-stress and connect to the true essence of yourself. Mentioned in this yoga podcast: Yoga Month Denver – Sign up and share with your friends…… check out the zine Fit Yoga pg. 67 - buy the issue (The lovely Sara Avant Stover - check her out) Twitter Itunes – write a review and share with your friends & family they will love you for it!!!! (Please forgive me for not… -
Podcast #65 – Video – Foundations First Stretch Your Feet
1 Jul 2008 | 8:27 pmBecome part of my foundation & BUY my new I AM NOT A MESS ™ YOGA DVD FOUNDATIONS - this is where you begin from the base to become stronger and feel better! Get to the foundation, your feet how do you walk and if you want to find better health in your knees, hips let’s begin with our feet. Check out these great products (the clothing I am wearing & props) to better assist YOU with your foundation off the mat: Earth Footwear – These shoes rock and keep your in great alignment Beyond Yoga - Great clothes and listen to my interview with the designer/owner Jodi Guber…
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About.com Yoga
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Pilates Plank
2 Jul 2009 | 8:06 amAbout.com Pilates Guide Marguerite Ogle has put together a very thorough look at three versions of plank from a Pilates perspective. The poses she explains are: plank, side plank, and... -
What is Forrest Yoga?
30 Jun 2009 | 3:22 pmOne of the newer kids on the block, Forrest Yoga is gaining popularity across the USA. Based on the methods of charismatic teacher Ana Forrest, this style appeals to those... -
One-Legged King Pigeon Pose - Eka Pada Rajakapotasana Is the Pose of the Week
28 Jun 2009 | 10:11 amFor me, pigeon is a pose that really brings out the differences between my right and left hip. On the left side, my hip comes nicely to the floor just... -
Romance at the Yoga Studio
24 Jun 2009 | 11:25 amAn interesting blog post over at Yoga Journal just caught my attention. It deals with the ethics of romantic relationships between yoga teachers and their students. On the one hand,... -
Has Yoga Helped You Lose Weight?
23 Jun 2009 | 3:06 pmHave you tried yoga as part of your attempt to lose weight? Did it work or not? Share your story about yoga and weight loss, whether positive or negative....
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Yoga Buzz
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A Studio a Day
1 Jul 2009 | 9:28 amWhen I think of a yoga retreat my mind fills with visions of yoga classes on a beach, vegetarian meals, and daily massages in an exotic locale. But you don't have to go to an exotic place to have a yoga retreat--there are likely tons of studios close by. Go to a new one every day, take from as many different teachers as you can and instead of a pricey summer yoga retreat, you can have something more like a "yoga adventure." In fact, the yoga adventure trip may be this summer's trend in the yoga community.The writers of YoYoYogis (a blog at yoyoyogi.com) are spending their summer exploring 100… -
September is National Yoga Month
29 Jun 2009 | 11:09 amThis September will mark the first official National Yoga Month designated by the Department of Health & Human Services. National Yoga Month was developed to raise awareness of yoga's health benefits and provide people with guidance and tools to improve their well-being. Organizers are calling on the yoga community, particularly yoga teachers and studios, to help through hosting events and offering free classes and donation classes that help support the cause. See www.yogamonth.org for more information.Are any of you planning to participate? -
Join the Club
25 Jun 2009 | 9:32 amDeepening your practice doesn't always mean getting your body into a deeper asana. In fact, sometimes you'll get more out of sitting down with a book and deepening your knowledge of the practice.But there are so many important yoga books filled with philosophy, history, anatomy, and spirituality that it can seem like an impossible task to just pick one up and start studying. For many yoga students, it's even more difficult to stay motivated to keep reading when the books get too esoteric or life gets in the way. If either of these scenarios for yoga study sounds like you, you might consider… -
Student and Teacher Sitting in a Tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G
22 Jun 2009 | 11:24 amImage: Brant Ward/The Chronicle I'm not sure where it came from, but the idea that yoga teachers should never date yoga students seems to be prevalent in the yoga community. It was taught as ethics in my teacher training course a few years ago, and every once in a while you'll see a story about a forbidden yoga relationship. Take, for example, this story from SFGate.com. Laura Camp, an Oakland, Calif. yoga teacher, describes meeting her now husband (a student in her class) like this: "I had rules about not dating students," she tells SFgate. "It was the first time in 15 years of teaching that… -
Yoga for Equality
19 Jun 2009 | 9:29 amIt's not uncommon for people in the yoga community to gather up the troops and host a yoga fundraiser for a worthy cause. There are donation-based classes that support charities for all kinds--yoga in schools, funding for homeless shelters and animal shelters--you name it! So it should not surprising that on June 27 Seattle yogis will gather at Cal Anderson Park and Playfield to practice together in the name of equality, according to SeattlePI.com. The yoga class is part of a larger event, StonewallForty, which commemorates the 40th anniversary of Stonewall -- the 1969 confrontation that…
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Sahaja Yoga Meditation News - Light of Love
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The Truth We Are Seeking
30 Jun 2009 | 4:19 amShri Mataji First of all, it’s important to know what the truth is. You find so many people are seeking the truth, but they don’t know what to find and that’s how they are twisted around, taken to some sort of false rites. It is important, first of all, to know what is the truth we [...] -
A Gift
15 Jun 2009 | 5:52 pmShri Mataji This is what I could give you and a mother is only happy when she can give whatever she has to her children. Her unhappiness, all her restlessness, everything is just to achieve that end, to gift all that she has. I don’t know how much to thank you people for going through all this [...] -
“Freedom & Liberation” in Bathurst
9 Jun 2009 | 10:16 pm[ June 14, 2009; 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. ] The movie, "Freedom and Liberation", will be screened at the Metro Cinemas in Bathurst. The movie tells the fascinating story of how Shri Mataji, the founder of Sahaja Yoga, developed a unique method to enable people to experience the joy of true meditation. When: Sunday, 14 June 2009 at 2.00 pm Where: Metro Cinemas, 144 Piper St, Bathurst Please come along! -
Sahaja Yoga Evening in Brisbane
9 Jun 2009 | 10:05 pm[ June 13, 2009; 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm. ] You are invited to a special evening of enlightened music, meditation and a unique movie. The evening will include: · Live music performance by "Sahaj Sangeet", a diverse group of musicians with a unique and lively sound. · Meditation and self-realisation - a guided meditation experience leading to the state of mental silence. · Screening of the movie, "Freedom and [...] -
Free Six-week Meditation Courses
27 May 2009 | 11:23 pmFree 6-week meditation courses will be held in New South Wales during May and June, 2009 at twenty-five locations in Sydney, Bathurst, Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong. Learn how to meditate, how to achieve the peace of mental silence and how to deepen your meditation. “Know Thy Self ” is a six-week introductory course to the Sahaja Yoga Meditation [...]
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YogaHub.com
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The Smoking Gun!
3 Jul 2009 | 8:54 amI didn’t want to write this. I should say that first. But this week has been difficult - really difficult - and I have it on solid professional advice that it might help to get it out in the open: I had my last cigarette on last Thursday. The fact that I’m quitting, however, may come as somewhat less of a surprise to some of you than learning that I smoked in the first place. Now, to be fair, I assume a good many people figured it out a while ago; the signs were certainly there. I was never really proud of the habit, so I tended to publicly deny it, preferring that it stay unmentioned… -
Healing Yourself… “Are You Truly Ready?”
1 Jul 2009 | 8:55 amAs a body worker, this is a question that I share with my clients. In my journey, there have been many individuals I have encountered who have amazingly overcome what many professionals deemed incurable diseases or a slow process of deterioration. Being fully attuned to mind and body, I appreciate everything to do with health and well being for all individuals. I believe that there is reason for Eastern and Western medicines. There is a place for both to integrate and create an important balance within each individual. Body, mind, and spirit. Many do not believe these are integrated to their… -
Goodbye Farrah
29 Jun 2009 | 7:33 amAnother icon left us last week. Farrah Fawcett. The ultimate golden girl of the seventies, who made watching TV’s “Charlie’s Angels” a guilty pleasure for many people during that era. Farrah, who somehow managed to combine girl-next-door qualities with sex symbol ones. Who in our generation doesn’t remember Farrah, with her full luscious mane of golden-blond hair, her sunny smile, and that figure? And who - especially men - could fail to appreciate that iconic poster of Farrah in her red swimsuit? I remember walking into my cousin’s room one day and seeing the poster on his wall. -
Yoga and Energy Levels
24 Jun 2009 | 8:38 amLast week, my car and I had a falling out. Usually, she behaves herself beautifully and we get along very well together. Not that day, though. For some reason, whenever I pressed my foot on the brakes, there was a loud jarring noise that was disconcerting, to say the least! Finally, after a few days of this, I decided to take it in to be repaired. So off I drove to my mechanic, who checked it out, gave me the bad news (brakes, suspension…), and then gave me even worse news when he told me how much it would cost! Having no choice in the matter, I left my car in his not-so-tender hands… -
Yoga for Writers
22 Jun 2009 | 8:33 amThis week I suck. I’ve got writer’s block. Actually, it’s a bit more than that. It’s more like a general creativity block. I hate it. The more agitated I get, the heavier the block becomes, so naturally I’ve done nothing but agonize over it, which has only succeeded in deepening this hole. It’s been this way for a few days now. I’ve been staring at the same unyieldingly blank screen and daunted by the same empty sketchbook since before the weekend. None of my attempts in either direction have borne fruit. Not even sour, unripened, bug-nibbled fruit. Nada. So, bored and…
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Heart of Yoga
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Delightful quiet
2 Jul 2009 | 4:45 amI miss my kids. But I love my quiet, quiet house. And I love the fact that I no longer follow Ze Rules, whereby I spent my seven weeks of quiet last summer waking at dawn and railroading it into the city where I had my arms yanked halfway out of their sockets and my triceps stretched to the point of feeling that same burning, ripping feeling that I felt when I was giving birth to my first child, -
Rock Climbing Again
29 Jun 2009 | 7:45 amAfter a long hiatus, I’m trying to get back into rock climbing. Hopefully, I’ll be able to stick with it and can start posting climbing-oriented yoga sequences on this blog again. I went to the climbing gym for the first time in a very long while, and was reminded very quickly just how funny climbing [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement; -
Xavier School Turns Virtual
27 Jun 2009 | 1:45 pmJust five days after I blogged about how technology could be used by schools in the wake of the A(H1N1) virus, Xavier School suspended classes for 10 days after one student tested positive for the virus.Was this a setback for the school? If you’re thinking in traditional mode, yes. Teachers & students could not come [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement; -
Michael Jackson (1958-2009): Never Can Say Goodbye to the Man in the Mirror
26 Jun 2009 | 4:45 amAn icon from my generation is gone. Michael Jackson died of apparent cardiac arrest at 2:26pm today (Los Angeles time). He was only 50.Growing up in the 70s and 80s with Michael Jackson, I remember him as a tiny boy with a fantastic angelic voice that could hit all those high notes effortlessly. We used [...] yoga therapy; Self Improvement; -
Top 10 Yoga Poses For Relieving Tension Headaches
25 Jun 2009 | 1:45 pmMy Yoga Online has posted a new Yoga article by Kreg Weiss, Top Yoga Poses for Headaches. Explore 10 classical yoga exercises that will help alleviate the cause and symptoms of tension headaches.Yoga can be a beneficial therapeutic tool for relieving headaches brought on by muscle tension and stress. The majority of headaches originate [...] yoga; Yoga Poses; Health and Wellness;
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Grounding Thru the Sit Bones
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The Teenage Soundtrack
29 Jun 2009 | 8:54 amBy now, I'm sure we're all a little tired of the Michael Jackson coverage. I'm a bit surprised why so many people (myself included) are so moved by this event , but I guess it's sort of a perfect storm of celebrity: tragically young performer, 15 yrs. of freakish behavior, child molestation charges, a potential comeback in the works, orphaned (?) children, and, of course, the legacy of the music.When a famous young musician dies, it's always a big deal--not just because of the premature death, but because of the ownership fans have over the music and the person that created it. Many intense… -
Yoga True Believers
24 Jun 2009 | 1:52 pmThe post was inspired by the thoughtful interview Nadine had with Crescence Krueger, one of her yoga "mothers." Crescence speaks of how the powerful experience of motherhood brought her in tune with her body and, as a result, her personal yoga practice. This deepening encouraged her to pursue training as a doula, which also affected her role as a teacher. It got me to thinking about the moment, if you can pinpoint it, that your practice becomes something greater than just a series of poses.It's what I call becoming a "true believer." And this becoming usually leads to teaching, because you… -
Inner Control Freak, your time is Up!
19 Jun 2009 | 6:56 pmBack when I lived in a City, my friends and I would joke about the Voice--the nag inside our heads urging us to work harder, exercise more, send weekly resumes, rearrange the portfolio, etc etc all in the interest of being successful free-lancers. Some of the nag was useful, because it kept you on your toes instead of slacking off, but it could also be a distracting voice of self-doubt that just made you feel guilty and disappointed with yourself.I referred to mine as my I.C.F.--my Inner Control Freak.And, like I said, in the old days I got a lot done with that voice in my head, but I've… -
Quick Link
16 Jun 2009 | 2:13 pmJust back from a lovely weekend at the beach...child-free, if you can believe it. The wireless connection was non-existent, so my plans for a lovely, leisurely posting went unrealized. Tomorrow.In the meantime, here is the link to the latest My Yoga Mentor article on yoga without chanting. Let me know what you think! -
In a class my myself...
6 Jun 2009 | 7:52 pm...so to speak. I'm trying to find a class for me to take, but living in a small town means finding something that is at the right time, not too far and my style is an awfully tall order. And I am not filling it.I tried a class the other day at a new studio in a nearby town. It was a lovely space, with a very knowledgeable teacher. But, I was the only person that showed up for class and, even though we practiced, I got the feeling that this was a bit of an inconvenience. I've been trying to decide if this was the teacher's fault, or mine for being too aware of how teaching a group class to…
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A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama
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Celebrate your OWN Independence Day!
3 Jul 2009 | 5:11 am"If we were talking to you on your first day here we would say, "Welcome to planet Earth. There is nothing that you cannot be or do or have. And your work here—your lifetime career—is to seek joy. '"As you think thoughts that feel good to you, you will be in harmony with who-you-really-are. And in doing so you will utilize your profound freedom. Seek joy first, and all of the growth that you could ever imagine will come joyously and abundantly unto you."'~Abraham-HicksAs the USA, the land that I love, celebrates its Independence Day tomorrow, it reminds me to celebrate my own personal… -
Make Mondays Count
29 Jun 2009 | 5:28 amIf you have a "typical" work week, you're probably guilty of dreading Mondays. At least every now and again... admit it!What if you did it EVERY Monday? That would be wasting 52 days a year or a one seventh of the calendar. That's a lot of dread, and where is it getting you? Probably into hating Sunday evenings and maybe even all day Sunday. It's a slippery slope, and is it really worth it?What if you could find advice on how to make Mondays a little more tolerable and even count? There's a site called http://everymondaymatters.com/ that gives 52 ways to make Monday into the new Friday. All… -
Ten reasons I do yoga
26 Jun 2009 | 5:18 amMakes me happy.Feels good. Plain and simple.Helped me out of depression, anxiety and a bad back.Connects me to ALL of me – body, mind and spirit.Releases stress, anxiety and tension.Connects me to all other human beings in a more compassionate and loving way.Tunes me into source or God so I may receive blessings more easily and frequently.Helps me sleep soundly through the night. Is my prescription for living a fuller, more even keel and healthier life.Offers a philosophy that resonates and guides me in making daily choices.Aids me in being the best mom, wife, daughter, sister, teacher,… -
Yoga with or without music? Plus win free Yanni Voices CD!
23 Jun 2009 | 4:32 amBe one of the first three commenters on the question below AND win a free Yanni Voices CD. Include your first name in your comment and send an e-mail to Rama.Mama@live.com with your name and mailing address.Do you think music goes well with yoga or would you rather practice postures to the rhythm of your breath? If you like the combo, what artists, songs, etc do you like?Creating a mixed tape (i.e., mp3, for you youngsters) is such a joyful process for me.When I first began contemplating becoming a yoga teacher, one of the first thing's I did to prepare was create the ultimate, yoga mixed… -
Need some summer reading?
5 Jun 2009 | 4:55 amLooking for some reading material for the summer? If so, read "Best Yoga Books," which has a list of nine great suggestions to build your personal yoga library. Or better yet, check them out first at your local library and see if they're worth buying or not.The list has several books I've either read, thumbed through or have been recommended. I personally discovered that my personal yoga practice really developed when I began seeking more information on my own and off my yoga mat about the philosophy of yoga.What are some of your favorite yoga books?http://feeds.feedburner.com/RamaMama
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RAJA YOGA
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10 Deadly Sins of Negative Thinking
8 Jun 2009 | 5:38 pmI like this article very much and want to share this with all of you. This article is taken from karmicmantra.com. Please take time to read...Life could be so much better for many people, if they would just spot their negative thinking habits and replace them with positive ones.Negative thinking, in all its many-splendored forms, has a way of creeping into conversations and our thinking without our noticing them. The key to success, in my humble opinion, is learning to spot these thoughts and squash them like little bugs. Then replace them with positive ones. You'll notice a huge difference… -
Guide to Cultivating Fabulous Friendships!
7 May 2009 | 6:55 pmA good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world. - Lois WysFew people would dispute the benefits of friendship. Friendship cannot be created once. It must be created over and over again. People and priorities change. What worked yesterday may not work today. We must nurture our friendships so they may flourish with us through our changing lives, and that’s where this guide comes in. The problem seems to be how to fit our friends into an already overcrowded life.Choose friends wisely. Focus your energy on people who… -
Chicken a la Carte
15 Apr 2009 | 6:21 amThis film is about the hunger and poverty brought about by Globalization. There are 10,000 people dying everyday due to hunger and malnutrition. This short film shows a forgotten portion of the society. The people who live on the refuse of men to survive. What is inspiring is the hope and spirituality that never left this people.Directed by: Ferdinand DimaduraProduced in: 2005 -
Change Is Good Movie
26 Mar 2009 | 1:47 amA strong message for motivating everyone...Click here to watch the movie. -
Finish Strong: An Inspirational Movie
6 Jan 2009 | 10:47 pmClick here to watch
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NewWest.Net Community Blogs
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Anti-Tea Party Mob Storms Bozeman
3 Jul 2009 | 5:49 pmFor my money, there are few sins so egregious as the taking of yourself too seriously. I mean, really, what’s the point? We’re all going to eventually kick the bucket with an equal amount of kicking and screaming. Might as well enjoy ourselves while we’re here. So I knew I’d met a kindred soul when I ran into Brian Leland yesterday morning in downtown Bozeman. A local master electrician, he’s also the founder and organizer of “The Green Coalition of Gay Loggers for Jesus,” a tongue-in-cheek, don’t-take-yourself-too-seriously counterpart to a Tea Party demonstration being held… -
Simple Luxury in the Big Sky
2 Jul 2009 | 8:02 pmEager to escape the week’s workload and to celebrate our wedding anniversary, my husband, Mark, and I pull into the long driveway that delivers us to the doorstep of Steve Gamble’s Gallatin River Lodge. A rustic fishing and hunting lodge from the outside, complete with pond, mountain views, and deer foraging in the meadow (did I hear someone yell “cue the deer?”), the Gallatin River Lodge is anything but rustic on the inside. This little luxury inn sits on 350 acres just 15 minutes from downtown Bozeman. -
Beetle Hysteria Again
30 Jun 2009 | 7:25 amBeetle hysteria has raised its head again, and I am not talking about the Fab four. A prominent article in the New York Times titled “Tiny Beetle Adds New Dynamic to Forest Fire Control Efforts” quotes many foresters and others who suggest that beetle-kill trees across the West will create larger wildfires and by implications are “destroying” our forests. For instance, Montana’s State Forester Bob Harrington said as much at conference recently, as in the article. While it may seem “intuitively obvious” that dead trees will lead to more fires, there is little scientific evidence… -
Going to the Sun in a Handbasket
29 Jun 2009 | 10:27 amWhen you look at a map of Glacier Park, Going-to-the-Sun Road looks like the heart rate monitor of a gay Filipino man when he heard that Michael Jackson died. It’s as twisted and bent as the plot of a Coen brothers movie. But you should go. For just a few short weeks during the peak of each summer, the entire road is plowed and passable, from West Glacier clear through to St. Mary’s (home of the $3.50 bag of ice). We drove it the other way, though, and I’m glad we did. If you go east to west, like we did, your lane is the one hugging the mountain, not hanging out over space with nothing… -
My Dad Can Beat Up Your Dad
25 Jun 2009 | 12:33 pmThis is a Father’s Day piece, but I didn’t want to post it on the actual date, because I was afraid that if my father saw me actually pay attention to the calendar, it might give him (another) heart attack. (He’s just about to get his Christmas present when I visit him at the ranch next week, if that gives you an idea of what kind of a schedule I keep…).
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YogaBasics.com
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A Summer of Yoga Festivals
1 Jul 2009 | 12:06 amFrom entire festivals dedicated to yoga to the classic summer music celebrations incorporating asana and meditation, the summer festival and... -
Pose of the Month: Parvritta Janu Sirsasana
29 Jun 2009 | 2:00 pmPavritta Janu Sirsasana (http://www.yogabasics.com/seated-side-bends/revolved-head-to-knee.html) (revolved head to knee pose), we stretch ourselves to the limit of how we define ourselves... -
The Yogathon is Catching On
26 Jun 2009 | 12:39 amYou’ve probably seen the concept before, a walk-a-thon to raise money for a local shelter, a dance-a-thon to sponsor local... -
Yogabody Book Giveaway
23 Jun 2009 | 1:30 amWe have 5 copies of Yogabody by Judith Lasater (http://www.yogabasics.com/explore/yogabody-by-judith-hanson-lasater.html) to give to our lucky readers! To enter this... -
Yogabody by Judith Hanson Lasater
22 Jun 2009 | 2:00 pmMaster yoga teacher Judith Lasater draws upon her training and experience as a physical therapist in her latest book on...
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ABC of Yoga News Feed
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Top Chef Winner Hosea Rosenberg
Jennifer Ripa-Edson draws from her training in yoga, meditation, sustainable living and healthy eating to support clients in a process of self-discovery and personal healing. Castle Rock, CO July 02, 2009 -- On July 9, 2009, at 12 Noon Eastern time, Bravo TV's "Top Chef” Winner Hosea Rosenberg will appear as the featured guest on the BlogTalkRadio show entitled "A Little LightWork with Jen & Amy.” Show co-hosts Amy Scott Grant and Jennifer Ripa-Edson plan to showcase Rosenberg's spiritual side by exploring the connection between cooking and intuition. "Hosea exhibited remarkable focus and… -
Sage Rountree Releases First Book of Yoga
Nationally known endurance sports coach and yoga instructor Sage Rountree has published the first book of yoga routines for athletes. The Athlete's Pocket Guide to Yoga: 50 Routines for Flexibility, Balance, and Focus offers runners, triathletes, and cyclists a convenient way to gain the benefits of yoga. When endurance athletes attend yoga classes, they bring tight muscles and even tighter schedules. At the height of the season, athletes often disappear from the yoga studio, yet it is then that yoga can be most beneficial. The Athlete's Pocket Guide to Yoga makes it easy for athletes to… -
Monroe Yoga Studio Retains ShellMar Consulting
My Yoga Place, 494 Main Street, Monroe, CT. has retained ShellMar Consulting, a Monroe based marketing and public relations consultancy. ShellMar will develop and execute targeted marketing and public relations strategies to grow business and increase visibility for My Yoga Place. ShellMar Consulting owner, Shelly M. Harvey said "I am excited to help Vince and Marianne gain additional exposure in this marketplace. I am a firm believer in yoga and know firsthand how beneficial it is for your body and mind.” My Yoga Place owners Vince and Marianne Adamo are equally enthusiastic. "We're… -
Q & A on Yoga Therapy with Susi Hately Aldous
CALGARY, Alberta, Canada - Susi Hately Aldous is a renowned yoga teacher, kinesiologist and author of several international best-selling yoga books including Advancing Your Yoga Practice: the Art of Slowing Down, Therapeutic Yoga for the Shoulders and Hips, Yoga for the Desk Jockey and the Anatomy and Asana: Preventing Yoga Injuries Series. Her yoga skills are combined with her B.Sc. in kinesiology, post-graduate training in mind-body medicine and ergonomics and practical field experience assisting companies with disability management and workplace safety issues. Susi is currently working… -
Soul and Sport Ventures Offer Women's Retreats
Kauai's locally owned Soul and Sport Ventures announced today the launch of the company's multi-sport adventure retreat series for women, to be held on the verdant North Shore of Kauai in Hawaii. The all-inclusive seven-night/eight-day packages run year-round, and features multi-sport activities, lodging at a private residence, and daily meals provided by an on-site chef utilizing locally grown and organic produce. Among the upcoming retreats are a "Girlfriend Getaway," which includes a full week of surfing, outrigger canoeing, hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, ziplining, yoga, meditation, a Na…
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Yoga News
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Win a major spa package from The Kerr House
3 Jul 2009 | 7:24 pmHey, Moms: Ready for your kids to go back to school? Want to center yourself? Need some peace and quiet? Of course you do. -
The Dailey Method
3 Jul 2009 | 11:17 amDon't have enough time to go to yoga, pilates, ballet or do weights? How would you like a one hour class that combines all of them? This type of exercise is called "The Dailey Method" and it's new to the valley. -
Indy's City Yoga beckons
3 Jul 2009 | 6:51 amWe do have a lot of great yoga around here, but sometimes it's fun to design your own yoga adventure retreat. -
Oppressed for exercising Falun Gong
2 Jul 2009 | 10:41 pmHoward County Times/ The View : Perhaps before you go to the picnic and take in the fireworks this weekend, you'll head for your Saturday morning yoga class, where once a week you spend an hour with 10 or 12 people similarly seeking physical well-being and a sense of spiritual peace and focus. -
Big Bang Theory
2 Jul 2009 | 3:14 pmHow would you rather burn off approximately 190 calories - one hour of hatha yoga or 30 minutes of foreplay followed by 30 minutes of doin' it doggy style? That's right - provided you are protecting yourself from STDs, good old fashioned sexual intercourse actually has a plethora of physical benefits.
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Cowgirl Yoga
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What if your yoga mat had 4 legs?
3 Jul 2009 | 10:01 amThere are many similarities between practicing yoga and riding a horse, which is how Cowgirl Yoga, a merging of horses and yoga, came about. Despite the similarities, there is one very, very big difference between yoga and riding: when you practice yoga you are on your mat, an inanimate object; when you ride a horse, you are on a living being that possesses its own feelings, intuition and instinct. Most of the time you can be pretty sure your mat is not going to fly out from under you — this doesn’t necessarily hold true for the horse.Read on for more of my musings on yoga and horses on… -
Behold the Beargrass
1 Jul 2009 | 2:24 pmMy fascination with wildflowers continues, which makes me wonder if this and my other new passion for birdwatching means that I am becoming eccentric...? (don't answer that.) During our weekend away in Northwestern MT's Swan Valley, we saw oodles of beargrass. My favorite description comes from my pocket naturalist guide that I always make sure is in my hiking backpack: star-like creamy flowers bloom in a dense terminal spike. These elegant, 5 feet tall flowers are definitely stunners. Other interesting factoids: beargrass blooms in 5-7 year cycles, and Northwestern Native Americans have… -
Birthday Girl
29 Jun 2009 | 2:04 pmThe most important person in my life turned four years old last Thursday, and we spent all weekend celebrating at the Holland Lake Lodge. It was the perfect place with the most perfect Montana weather, and much fun was had by all...but lest you think my life is just perfect, you should know that I came home to utter chaos chez Vap, including dogs that ate themselves sick at the dog sitting place where they spent their weekend away...Lola looks like a large football. Everything is a tradeoff, right? The birthday girl checked out nesting robins, hiked to Holland Falls, collected rocks in the… -
Mix n' match pesto
24 Jun 2009 | 3:17 pmPlease excuse my lack of reports this last week. Been busy with overcoming my fear of camping, advance planning for the care of 3 dogs while we are away this upcoming weekend (and let me tell you, this requires a lot of advance planning), riding horses and doing yoga. Oh yeah and workin' and writin' too, but that isn't all that interesting to read about. I have reignited my Ashtanga practice, I think it's because I've needed the structure in my life right now...I may not be a hard-core ashtangi anymore but it always feels like coming home when I do it. I also have a new role as the newsletter… -
Friday Flowers
19 Jun 2009 | 12:44 pmMore summer eye candy: the wildflowers have exploded all over the trails in the last few weeks. Endless carpets of bright yellow, purples and pinks. I've taken it upon myself to learn their names, so that when a visiting Cowgirl Yogini asks oooo what's that? I have something more intelligent to say than I dunno. I informed husband that the arrowleaf balsam root majority from 2 weeks ago has now given way to prairie roses. He was impressed with this update. But what I have on my wildflower wish list right now are these babies, solely on account of their lovely names: pipsissewa, nettleleaf…
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Yogoer
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Exhale at Hotel Gansevoort
27 Jun 2009 | 1:30 pmHotel Gansevoort Another fabulous location for uptown mainstay Exhale: the luxe hotspot Hotel Gansevoort. In celebration of their grand opening, they’re offering two full days of free classes this week. Most are “Core Fusion,” their trademarked, $30 workout, but there are two slots of “Core Energy Flow” and “Music Energy Flow” that promise to bring in some yoga and qi gong. Exhale’s Grand Opening at The Gansevoort 18 Ninth Avenue Monday, June 29 and Tuesday, June 30 Reserve your spot -
The Eight Limbs of Yoga
26 Jun 2009 | 10:27 pmMost Americans are introduced to yoga through the poses. (Sometimes I think that Krishnamacharya’s genius was to let us see it as a physical thing, instead of another religion to convert to or flee from. Later on, we can try on the spirituality.) Then we might find breathing or meditation practices. And eventually we get it hammered into our heads that it’s not just about physical health, or habits, but our whole psychology and worldview. And there’s more to practice than just Down Dog. As Patanjali put it: “The eight limbs of yoga are: respect toward others,… -
More Stuff You’ll Care About Eventually
23 Jun 2009 | 5:57 pmi gotcher granthi The ever-vigilant Leslie Kaminoff pointed me towards a great update on the state’s Yoga Extortion Initiative: Since the licensing battle with the Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision (BPSS) began in April, two pieces of legislation have popped up—both of which will have dramatically opposite effects on the future of teacher training for yoga studios. One bill seeks to bolster the cash-strapped BPSS by raising application fees and increasing fines. Interestingly enough, the BPSS’s only source of revenue is generated from application fees and fines collected from… -
Sunday Sunday Sunday
20 Jun 2009 | 12:26 pmYogoer at Om Factory I forgot to mention that I am teaching tomorrow morning at Om Factory. If you want to see how I walk the walk, come on over! It’s an open level Vinyasa class; I’ll throw in a little Kundalini to wake us up. Yoga Playground (Open Level) 10:00 – 11:30 am Om Factory 265 West 37th St (at 8th Ave) 17th Floor Solstice in Times Square If you’re getting a slightly later start, there’s the Summer Solstice Celebration happening in nearby Times Square. I went a couple years ago, and brought my early morning students as a little field trip. It’s a… -
Free Yoga in Fort Greene Park
20 Jun 2009 | 11:55 amTo the Prison Ship Martyr If it ever stops raining, and you have a Tuesday free, go to free yoga in Fort Greene Park! I love practicing outdoors, it is a totally different feeling than a studio practice. And Fort Greene Park is one of the cutest parks in Brooklyn. Free Yoga with Lindsay Sage Tuesdays, all summer 7:00 – 8:00 pm Fort Greene Park, near the Prison Ship Martyr’s Monument Weather permitting Thanks to Clinton Hill Blog for the info. Don’t forget your mat!
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Sky Yoga Studio
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Diane Birch: Bible Belt CD
7 Jun 2009 | 9:39 pmBio: For singer-songwriter Diane Birch, music was a refuge. Although Diane was born in Michigan, her childhood was spent on the move as the daughter of a preacher, living between Zimbabwe, South Africa and Australia, before her parents finally settled in Portland, Oregon. When she was in her early teens, Diane absorbed a unique and cosmopolitan [...] -
Yoga can improve Low Back Pain Suffering
1 Jun 2009 | 1:33 am“The study, conducted by researchers from Group Health Cooperative, a nonprofit health care system in Seattle, examined 101 adults, all of whom had experienced mild to moderate lower back pain for at least three months. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three treatment plans for 12 weeks. The group who attended weekly 75-minute classes of [...] -
Bikram Yoga Studio Caught in Violations
1 Jun 2009 | 1:32 amhttp://www.camlawblog.com/yoga-354-yoga-guru-bikram-caught-in-legal-web.html -
Namaste Students
30 May 2009 | 8:12 pm10-01-2006 Students and people in general, are gifts and lessons in life. No two students will ever be the same in their ability, potential or learning style. Honoring my students means many things to me, and I use these ideas to help guide my teaching. First, I view it as an honor to have a student [...]
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Share Yoga Blog
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Manifesting: Through Yoga, Surrender with Gratitude to the Present
23 Jun 2009 | 10:34 amEditor’s Note: This is a guest post series entitled “Living Your Dream Life” by yoga teacher and life coach Laura Erdman-Luntz. This is the final article, 4 in a series of 4. Living Your Dream Life Series by Laura Erdman-Luntz Article 1: You Can Live Your Dream Life Article 2: Manifesting - Personal Strength: It is All in the Feet Article 3: Manifesting - Bringing the Dream in Article 4: Manifesting: Through Yoga, Surrender with Gratitude to the Present Marya in standing forward fold It is time for the final step in our manifesting process: Surrender or letting go, with trust and… -
And the winner is… Winner of yoga haiku contest
22 Jun 2009 | 11:18 amThis month we asked our readers to write a yoga haiku. In order to qualify to win the Pink Yogitoes towel, the haiku needed to include a reference to an animal, needed to follow standard haiku syllables and needed to be received by the deadline. And the winner is… After much deliberation and conversation over the many entries, we have chosen JiggaRoo’s entry: swan in still water calm beating heart and clear mind yoga, my refuge We loved the image the haiku created of strength, grace, and clarity. Congratulations and thanks to everyone for entering! Stay tuned for our July contest! -
Thanks for the yoga haiku submissions
17 Jun 2009 | 4:17 pmThanks to everyone for entering our June contest: Write a yoga haiku. We received 14 wonderfully creative entries. Stay tuned for the winner - we’ll announce it tomorrow. Related posts:And the winner is… Winner of yoga haiku contestWrite a yoga haiku. Win a pink Yogitoes yoga towel!Win $50! Share Yoga’s Best Motivational Yoga Tip Contest -
Write a yoga haiku. Win a pink Yogitoes yoga towel!
5 Jun 2009 | 10:20 amShare Yoga’s June Contest June is here. Month number six out of 12 in year 2009. Can you believe it? I am excited to announce this month’s contest. This month we’re giving away a Pink Yogitoes - a very cool and cute towel that sits on top of your yoga mat, measures 24″ x 68″ and gives you added traction and padding. The contest is open to people who live in the United States only and the winner gets the Yogitoes mat shipped right to your home! Our June contest asks you to write a haiku devoted to yoga and related to an animal. The winning entry will be selected… -
June Yoga Pose of the Month: Upward Facing Dog
4 Jun 2009 | 2:52 pmEditor’s Note: This is a guest post series entitled “Yoga Pose of the Month” by yoga teacher and life coach Laura Erdman-Luntz. I love yoga. In fact, one could say I revel in it. I enjoy studying individual poses to learn more about how they affect me and how to better teach the pose to my students. Please join me as I study one pose each month. I will be posting the new pose on Share Yoga at the beginning of each month with a few ideas for studying the pose further. You can also join me on my other blog: museasana for studying the pose more deeply. I post weekly over there…
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Tread Earth Lightly
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Starting the Garden
1 Jul 2009 | 8:57 pmThough, a little late, we are finally getting the garden started. It's been raining, for what seems like years here, so I didn't mind being out in the blazing sun the past couple of days. I loosened up the soil... -
Music & Yoga, Together
26 Jun 2009 | 9:28 amTo get more info and to purchase tickets click photo above. -
How to Reuse Everyday Items w/ the Environmental Ninja
25 Jun 2009 | 7:00 am -
What is your Practice?
24 Jun 2009 | 10:24 pmWhen it comes to discussing Yoga with others it can sometimes be a heated, difficult conversation. For most, Yoga is an exercise. A series of movements that help to tone the body and relax the mind, which is 100% true.... -
N: Wood Design
24 Jun 2009 | 11:01 amNoel Fedosh, a friend of mine, is an architect and furniture designer who specializes in green design. I recently got back in touch with him and found out about his sustainable designs; of course I had to feature him here...
