Yoga

Yoga & Self-Love

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Putting yourself first is often seen a negative, selfish. Altruism, or selflessly putting others before yourself is often rewarded and praised.

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So how do we take care of ourselves while still taking care of others? Those of us who have careers in public service or non-profit can understand the risk of burnout. Constantly giving ourselves to others can be quite exhausting and often takes a toll on our wellbeing. So what do we do?

Spoiler alert…yoga can help!

One of the key principles of yoga is the increase self-awareness, to promote self-realization. Once we are more aware of ourselves in terms of our feelings, our thoughts, etc, we can understand how external events or situations affect us. We can then cultivate better means to deal with situations which may later lead to burn out.

This is self-care. By engaging in regular self-care, we can allow ourselves to become the best possible versions of ourselves. This will allow us to continue serving others without as high as risk of burnout. By engaging in self-care, you aren’t saying that you matter more than anyone else…in fact its quite the opposite. Self-care suggests you simply want to make yourself better to help others more effectively.

Consider this: You wake up Monday morning after a mere four hours of sleep because you were up all night helping your child who was sick. You make breakfast and lunches for the family, then get ready for work. At work, you are helping people too, whether it is fellow staff or customers your company serves. During your lunch hour, you help a co-worker work through a personal problem. After work, you pick up your kids and head home to start dinner.

In this scenario, where is there any time for you to simply be? We are constantly doing, but when are we just being? I assert that if we took just a few moments each day to practice self-awareness, we would be less stressed and overwhelmed throughout the day. Even if its a simple five minute break, where we acknowledge our feelings and just allow them to be. There doesn’t need to be a solution at the end of this time, but awareness of the self promotes peace and tranquility, ultimately the ability to accept things as they are. This is key in self-care. By accepting yourself as you are, by admitting what you can do and what you can’t and accepting that…you can then truly serve others to the best of your abilities, whether it is family, friends, or in your career.

So…let’s get out there and practice some self-love!

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Pose Breakdown: Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

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Let’s breakdown a pose that is fairly standard in most yoga practices: Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

First and foremost, there are many ways to do this pose and for each person it is going to look and feel different. That’s OKAY!

Here are two basic versions of Tadasana:

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The basic aspects of Tadasana are:

  • keep full contact of both feet on the ground
  • straighten legs
  • firm thigh muscles (squeeze them together)
  • bring belly in and up (engage core)
  • straighten back
  • relax shoulders (keep them down/away from neck)
  • keep gaze straight ahead (keep your focus, drishti, on something immobile)
  • keep breathing deeply, slowly
  • hands can be open, at sides or in prayer at the heart
  • feet can be together, touching or about hips width distance

Tadasana is a great pose for standing meditations or beginning a yoga practice. It can help bring focus to the mind, allowing you to feel grounded and present. These are important aspects to begin a yoga practice.

Tadasana also can encourage feelings of strength. Here’s a fun experiment to do with a friend. Stand completely relaxed, muscles and feet loose. Allow your friend to gently push you. Did you move or shift position? Now, come to Tadasana. Stand firm, grounded with muscles engaged. Now, again, allow your friend to gently push you. Did you move or shift position? In most cases, the invocation of Tadasana provides stability and strength, which leads to minimal movement when touched. Translated off the mat, being grounded and feeling strong can allow us to remain steadfast when presented with adversity!

Some other benefits of Tadasana:

  • improves posture
  • unifies body and mind
  • promotes better blood circulation
  • promotes lengthening of the spine

Enjoy practicing Tadasana and see how it changes when you’re more aware of your body!

 

Drugs, Alcohol, and Yoga

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There seems to be a growing trend in yoga classes and yoga studios to add either drugs or alcohol to the yoga practice. I have recently seen stories of “Ganja Yoga” and “Beer Yoga” classes popping up across the country and all over the world. There seems to be this idea that having a high takes yoga to another level.

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I have to say, I don’t know if I’d agree. While I admit, I haven’t tried doing yoga while being in any form of mind-altered state, I can’t conceptually see the benefit to it. From my understanding, these substances are meant to take you out of yourself, take you away from the things in your mind that keep you rooted and grounded. These are forms of escape from your life. While yes, some people use yoga as a temporary escape, the true purpose of yoga is to unify yourself with yourself. Yoga is used, more often than not, to keep one grounded and centered. In the Yoga for Recovery training, we used yoga to embrace the feelings, good or bad, that came up during the practice. THAT’S THE POINT! Yoga literally translates to union…union of all parts of the self, mind-body-soul. I just don’t see how dissociating these things can really align with the traditions of yoga, any type of yoga.

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Now, maybe these substances are being used to help the body relax so that it can get into the poses during the asana practice. Maybe these substances help individuals with any anxiety or pressure they feel from being in a yoga class. I’m certain individuals who participate in these yoga sessions can come up with their own reasons and defenses. To that I say, to each his or her own. I can’t say that these classes are right or wrong. Honestly, if you want to try it, maybe it’s the fun thing that gets you into the yoga studio. In my humble opinion, I don’t think its for me. I know I can’t knock it until I try it, so I won’t completely knock it, but I don’t know if I’d ever want to try it.

*Please note, the statements above are 100% my opinion and do not reflect any stance taken by any other contributors to this blog or any classes mentioned above.

 

Yoga Festivals

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At the end of January, I was honored to participate in the first ever San Diego Yoga Festival. When I found out this festival was taking place, I wondered where else I could find yoga festivals. I found a website (YogaFestival.com) that has a very concise list of yoga festivals taking place all around the world.

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Yoga festivals are great for exploring different types of yoga as well as yoga in different atmospheres. Most yoga festivals have outdoor and indoor classes as well as different types of yoga. The San Diego Yoga Festival even had non-yoga activities like surfing and aikido.

Yoga festivals are also great for meeting people. You can really make connections when you’re surrounded by like minded people. Generally most yogis agree on many things, on many issues, so if you’re looking to meet people and you are also interested in learning more about yoga, a festival just may be the ticket.

Yoga festivals aren’t just for the veteran yogi. They are great for beginners, teachers, and pretty much anyone with any form of interest in yoga. They range in price from inexpensive to really expensive (especially the international ones). They also range in time. Some yoga festivals are one day while others span a whole week.

Check out the list and see if there’s one that seems right for you! It may be just the thing you need to dive even deeper into your yoga practice.

Yoga Revolution

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Throughout the month of January, I participated in the 31 Days of Yoga Revolution with Adriene (Yoga with Adriene). I’ve done many different types of challenges like this at various times of the year, but I have to say this one may be my favorite. Most of the challenges I’ve done in the past have been short term, somewhere between 5-10 days. Last fall I did a long challenge, 30 days, but it wasn’t what I expected.

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I went into this new challenge with an open mind and an open heart. I didn’t want to bring any past experiences into this challenge, so I took the new year as a reset and a restart. I figured this challenge would be a great way to kick start a new year and really make a solid attempt to do 365 days of yoga!

Each day, a short 25-35 minute yoga video was sent via email. It was accompanied by an often very long, but very thoughtful and thought-provoking text. So many mornings, when I was too tired to think about practicing, I would read the email and it would reinvigorate me, help me reaffirm this challenge and my goals for my life. The first email also included this calendar, allowing me (and the other yogis) to see what lay ahead.

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Some of the practice titles looked daunting, I will admit. I will also admit that some days I wasn’t 100%. I did most of the sessions in the morning, before starting my day. Some days I really did not want to practice for 35 minutes. Some days I just wanted to do my own thing…AND THAT’S OKAY! The point is, I stuck to it. Each day, no matter how I felt or what mood I was in, I went to my mat and gave myself up to the practice.

THAT, MY FRIENDS, IS WHAT YOGA IS ALL ABOUT!

Some practices were tough. Some were easy. All were EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED.

Ultimately, yoga is what you make it. It can help you become the best version of you possible. It can help empower you to take that step towards your career or life goals. Or it can simply be a way for you to get away and be calm.

I highly recommend this 31 Days of Yoga Revolution. You can find the entire challenge on YouTube (31 Days of Yoga Revolution). Adriene also has various other challenges, like Yoga Camp (Yoga Camp). Even if you simply review her YouTube videos and pick and choose which ones you want to do, they are a great way to get started with yoga and to really become more serious about your practice. Adriene also has many instructional videos on specific poses which is great for beginners and advanced yogis (sometimes we need a reminder to prevent injuries).

Here’s to finding what feels good in 2017. Heyyyoooooooo!

Yoga with Animals

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Goat Yoga. Bunny Yoga. Cat Yoga.

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The news headlines have been recently saturated with stories of yoga with different types of animals. So what are the benefits of doing yoga with animals?

Animals are often seen as companions. They can provide calm when we are stressed and provide comfort when we are lonely or sad. In a yoga class, animals can provide a sense of comfort and distraction. Many people feel overwhelmed or intimidated when in a yoga studio class. Looking around, it’s almost natural to compare ourselves to others in the class. With the addition of animals, one can be distracted from those feelings by focusing on the animals.

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Distraction can also be a negative side-effect of doing yoga with animals. The main purpose of yoga is to bring yourself into the present moment, to focus on the sensations of the body and the feelings within. Having animals roaming around the studio (or farm) can take away from that “being present” mindset. It can also distract you from focusing on your breath or on specific poses in the asana practice.

Either way, yoga with animals in on the incline. Studios across the country are beginning to offer classes with “social” animals and the reviews are more positive than negative. Maybe yoga with animals helps increase awareness, as you are having to focus on your yoga practice and try not to be distracted by the cute, fluffy bunnies. Maybe it’ll help to focus on the sounds and smells of the farm while the goats are chewing on their grass. Ultimately, yoga is what YOU make it, so give yoga with animals a go! Who knows, it may be the purrrrrrfect practice for you.

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Yoga for Kids

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Let’s be honest, kids can often drive us bonkers. They are little bundles of high energy which, when combined with lack of sleep, can lead to exhaustion and frustration.

Yoga is a great tool not only to help kids use that energy but also to help instill a sense of calm and focus. Many kids have trouble focusing or sitting still, which can lead to other issues later on. Yoga can teach children tools and techniques to help them focus and sit still not only at home but at school and in many other situations.

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Here are just a few of the benefits yoga can have for children (and adults):

  1. Yoga promotes non-competition.
  2. Yoga promotes self-acceptance and awareness.
  3. Yoga promotes empathy.
  4. Yoga teaches techniques to focus and stay calm in difficult situations.
  5. Yoga supports and promotes positive mental health and coping strategies.

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So now that you’re convinced yoga is good for children, how do you teach them yoga? You don’t have to go through an entire 200 hour yoga teacher training. Though a short day or weekend training is recommended, here are some quick tips to teach basic yoga to children.

  1. Keep the practice FUN!
  2. Be high energy to promote high energy.
  3. Do the poses with the kids.
  4. If the kids are old enough, allow them to provide input on what poses they like.
  5. Build your class for your kids at their level.
  6. Keep the class fast paced.
  7. Use games, be playful. Yoga doesn’t have to be serious.
  8. Help the kids by adjusting them or assisting them.
  9. Use positive reinforcement.
  10. Use props/toys. (Meddy Teddy)

One of the key things to remember is that kids will be kids. They will get distracted, they will want to stop. Just go with the flow and see how the practice progresses over time! After a few weeks/months, you may see a difference!

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Yoga for Work Stress

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Now that the holidays are over, many of us are dealing with the reality of going back to work. Many of us struggle to continue feeling the relaxation and renewal we gained through a vacation or simply having time off. Even after a long weekend, so many of us curse that dreaded Monday alarm. This is often because of the stress we feel from our jobs. Every job has stress, whether you work at a computer all day or you work with people, stress is a factor. This stress often illicit physical and mental reactions, resulting in a negative association with our jobs or workplace.

Here are some yoga tips to help mitigate that workplace stress:

First, before doing any physical poses, when you feel stressed take a few deep breaths.

Then, continue on to do a few yoga poses at your desk to help reduce some of that work place stress. Here are some examples:

Seated Crescent Moon Pose

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Chair Pigeon Pose

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Sit and Stand Chair Pose

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Desk Chaturanga (push-up)

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Desk Downward/Upward Dog Pose

Credit: Women World

Seated Cat/Cow

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Repeat each pose as desired, or as much as you have time for. Also remember to breathe throughout the pose. Hold each pose for 5-10 breaths to receive full benefits for stress reduction.

Hopefully these will help in transitioning back to reality.

*All images are from Google Images

A New New Year’s Resolution

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When each year comes to an end, we see so many advertisements about dieting, starting the new year off right. We see stories about new year’s resolutions, how to keep them, and what goals to stay away from. We get advice about how to many achievable goals and what to do if we don’t meet the expectations we’ve set for ourselves.

Let’s face it, resolutions can be hard to keep. Even when we add goals with the best of intentions, often we find ourselves “failing”. Instead of being a wonderful new beginning, New Year’s can bring on stress and feelings of letting ourselves down. So many of our goals are either vague, like “I will eat better in 2017”, or we don’t take into account that a goal may not be achievable, like “I will go to the gym for an hour every day”. These two examples can set us up for failure. Why put that on ourselves?

Instead of trying to change our whole lives in one go, why don’t we take small steps towards that larger goal? Back in 2015, I added the resolution to do yoga each and every day that year. Sadly, I did not achieve that goal. I did, however, push myself to do more yoga than I had ever done. In 2016, instead of saying I would do yoga every day, I told myself I would do something good for me each day, whether it was eating a salad, meditating, or even doing yoga. While this is a vague concept, I think it helped me with the first step of embracing a yoga lifestyle, meaning I was becoming more present and aware in my life. By becoming more aware of how my body felt after a meal or what I was feeling in the morning, I was really attuned to what I wanted and what my body needed each and every moment of the day. From there, it was much easier for me to embrace yoga each and every day. In the mornings I soon observed that when I took time to meditate, I felt much better throughout the day. I also noticed that after just 15 minutes of yoga, I felt much more clarity and inner peace.

Ultimately, while I may not have done yoga every day this year, I am closer to reaching that goal. I have also successfully integrated meditation and pranayama (breathing practices) into my daily routine. This, combined with eating healthy based on my body’s needs and wants, has really illustrated that our goals are achievable. We just have to give ourselves a break and really start with creating self-awareness.

Cheers to 2017! Here’s to achieving greater awareness and being present.

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Yoga Listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO

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The ancient practice of yoga is now listed as one of UNESCO’s “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”. In 2014, UNESCO’s committee for safeguarding listed practices voted unanimously for India’s proposal to add yoga. Yoga is now OFFICIALLY an international heritage and treasure…as if yogi’s really needed an official notice.

So what does this mean?

The main reason for creating the list is to highlight cultural contributions and heritages present around the world. By creating this list, UNESCO is essentially fostering understanding between cultures, highlighting the great contributions they have made to societies and cultural progress.

As quoted from the UNESCO website:

“Based on unifying the mind with the body and soul to allow for greater mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing, the values of yoga form a major part of the community’s ethos. Yoga consists of a series of poses, meditation, controlled breathing, word chanting and other techniques designed to help individuals build self-realization, ease any suffering they may be experiencing and allow for a state of liberation. It is practised by the young and old without discriminating against gender, class or religion and has also become popular in other parts of the world.”

Essentially, this list is a means to preserve cultural practices. UNESCO is not only highlighting yoga as a cultural contribution to the world, but it’s also creating a means to safeguard the practice from cultural elimination. Apparently, UNESCO may offer technical or financial support to communities who may be struggling to protect such ancient practices. This is still something to be seen happen or confirmed by UNESCO.

Ultimately, the addition to yoga to UNESCO’s list of cultural contributions helps us further the use of its traditions not only for physical exercise, but for overall health and healing. It also gives yogis an even better response when asked, why yoga?

For a complete 2016 additions to the list of UNESCO’s “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”, click here.

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