Yoga & Nature

I'm beginning to really feel summer in the air. Spring rains have begun to make way for hazy heat & sunshine, and the city sidewalks and parks are starting to fill with people walking, biking, running, and playing.

Being outside has proven health benefits. A daily dose of sunshine can lead to increased energy levels, better sleep, stronger defense against autoimmune diseases, and a more optimistic outlook! Being barefoot outdoors is even better- it helps to strengthen the muscles and ligaments in your feet, awakens the central nervous system, improves posture, and literally grounds you. It's hard to be distracted when you're carefully choosing each step, feeling the grass tickling your toes, feeling each step connecting you with the Earth. 

So, spending some time outside might be just what the doctor ordered! And what better way to spend time in nature than with yoga? Yoga is about connecting with every element of the present moment; to let go of clamoring thoughts in the mind and pay attention to the breath; to the sensation of the wind on your skin; to deeply feel your connection to the universe. 

Practicing outdoor yoga also provides a greater challenge to disciplining the wandering mind. Outside, there are always smells, sounds, and distractions to keeping yourself focused on the practice. But it also allows you to open up and feel the depth of the experience. You can smile and laugh, brush the leaves off your mat, and let go of your expectations about what "should" be happening. You can hear the sounds of children playing, smell blooming flowers and fresh cut grass. Feeling heat on your skin from the warm sunshine, and feeling gratitude for a cooling breeze. Yoga is about developing an understanding of your role and place as an individual, a part of the universe that surrounds you.

This summer, take your practice outside! I am teaching 2 (FREE!) weekly classes at the park, Wednesdays at 5:30 and Saturdays at 11:30. I hope you'll join me!

The Chakra Series: Part 4

Continuing where I left off in my closer look at each of the Chakras- today, we're up to number 4: the Heart Chakra, Anahata. To read more about the Chakras, check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Anahata means “unstruck”- meaning the sound that is made without any two things striking. It is associated with air, the element that is neither solid nor liquid in nature. The 4^th Chakra is related to forgiveness and compassion; developing unconditional love for others which leads to self-love and self-acceptance.

Anahata is associated with the color green. It is depicted by the image of a lotus flower with 12 petals; in the center, two intersecting triangles make up a 6-pointed star, representing the balance between the physical body and the spiritual body.

The Heart Chakra develops between ages 21-28, the time when most people begin the quest to balance love for others with love of self.  When we give too much of ourselves in a relationship, we forget to love ourselves, which can lead to intense jealousy and possessiveness. Loving relationships offer the potential to dig deep, stripping away layers of the “outer shell” that is presented to the world and really get in touch with our raw, exposed selves.  In order to be able to truly love others unconditionally, there must be a foundation of self-respect and self-love: love that includes knowledge and acceptance of our own dark sides as well as the strong qualities we present to the world.

Emotional dysfunctions associated with the Heart Chakra are; co-dependency, conditional love, fear of commitment and/or betrayal, and feeling unworthy of love.

Physical dysfunctions associated with Anahata are high blood pressure, shallow breathing, heart disease, and cancer. This Chakra is associated with the heart, chest, lungs, and circulation. 

One of the best ways to heal this Chakra is simply by cultivating loving relationships with ourselves and others. Love is a powerful tool, and a healer of many wounds. 

Two yoga poses associated with opening the Heart Chakra are Camel pose- Ustrasana and Fish pose- Matsyasana. Backbends such as these force us to let go of fear and literally open the chest & heart. The head dropping back lower than the heart creates a powerful sensation of "letting go." 

Camel, Ustrasana

Fish, Matsyasana

Happy heart opening, yogis!

Rebecca

Yoga Humor

Because sometimes, we all just need a laugh! Enjoy :)

http://artsmoothie.wordpress.com/tag/yoga-2/

http://jokesprank.com/blog/funny-videos/jai-baba-ramdev-visual-jokes.html

http://www.aliveinthefire.com/2012/02/have-laugh.html

http://imagehost.vendio.com/a/35032470/aview/yoga.jpg

Yoga Pose of the Week

Triangle pose- Trikonasana

In Sanskrit, "tri" means three and "kona" means corner.

How-to:

1. Step into a wide stance, about 3-4 feet wide. 
2. Turn your back foot out to the side- if your right foot is the back foot, point your toes to the right.
3. Stretch forward through your front hand, lengthening both sides of your waist; then let your hand drop down to rest on your leg/foot/mat- wherever it can comfortably reach without compromising the long extension of the torso. Raise the other arm overhead.
4. Peel your hips and chest open, stacking your shoulder blades with your arms in a straight line.
5. Keep your neck strong; don't let the head hang heavily. You can turn your head to look up at the top hand; or look straight in front of you; or gaze down at your foot- whatever feels best for your neck and shoulders.
6. Keep your breath smooth and steady; stay in your pose for 5 or 6 deep breaths and then lift yourself up, rooting your back heel down in the mat.  

Beginner Tips:

• Try practicing your Trikonasana with your back against a wall to get a feel for the openness of the pelvis and chest. 
• If you feel unstable, practice with your back heel braced against a wall. 
• If you are straining to reach farther down your leg, bring a block under your hand to lift yourself up enough to keep lengthening both sides of the waist equally.

Benefits:

• Used therapeutically for anxiety and infertility
• Helps relieve stress
• Improves digestion, and can help relieve constipation.
• Stimulates function of the abdominal organs
• Stretches the legs, knees, groin, chest, neck and spine.
• Strengthens the knees, abdominals & obliques, and back

Enjoy the sunshine today, yogis!

Rebecca

"Never, Ever Give Up"

This story is really amazing. Have a box of tissues handy when you watch this, it definitely brought tears to my eyes. If my teaching yoga can make half as much of a difference in just one person's life that was made in this man's life, I will count my efforts as a success.

Supermoon

This Saturday, May 5th, is the perigee Full Moon- meaning that the Moon will be at its closest point to the Earth this year. This Moon will be so large and bright in the sky that it is titled "Supermoon." The perigee Full Moon is also when the Moon, Earth, and Sun are in direct alignment.

So, what does this mean? New and Full Moons are the strongest points of the lunar cycle, when our energy is most effected. Full Moons have a huge impact on the tides of the ocean; and because the human body is made up of a majority of water, it is logical to assume that the strong pull of the Full Moon- and especially of the Supermoon- can have a significant effect on our bodies, emotions, and consciousness.

Around the time of Full Moons, people often complain of feeling confused, overwhelmed, sluggish, or just "off"- and if this has been the case for you, Saturday's Supermoon provides the perfect opportunity to refresh & replenish your energy, and gain greater clarity. The Full Moon is the time for personal transformation- decide the areas in your life that need adjusting, and let the bright, silvery light of the Moon cleanse and renew.

Solar energy is the energy of action, youth, heat, external forces, and the nervous system. Lunar energy is the energy of rest-recovery, cleansing, internal forces, grounding, emotions, cooling, and the digestive system. In traditional Hatha yoga, practitioners strive to find balance between the Sun, and solar energy- "ha"- and the Moon, and lunar energy- "tha". But often, in the interest of physical fitness, there is a much greater emphasis on solar energy; Surya Namaskar, Sun Salutations, or longer holds in asanas that create heat in the body. The Full Moon is the perfect time to remind yourself to slow down, to nurture your soul, and take gentle care of your body.

Solar energy has long been considered masculine in nature- lunar energy is considered feminine. That's why I thought that the evening of the Supermoon, filled with feminine lunar energy, would be the perfect time for a Girls Night Out. Celebrating the sacred feminine with a spirit-lifting, gentle, replenishing practice is a great way to refresh your energy- not just for this month, but for the whole year! There will be a chance after the yoga practice for socializing and enjoying wine, tea/coffee, and chocolate snacks- what better way to spend the night of the Supermoon?

Yoga in the East traditionally was men-only, but as yoga moved to the West, it shifted into a majority-female practice. Many claim that the practice of yoga has also shifted to become more fitness-based, rather than sticking to its deeper, meditation-based roots. Take advantage of the Supermoon's strong gravitational pull to get you back to YOUR roots.

Enjoy basking in the silvery glow of the Supermoon!

Rebecca

Rainy Day Musings

Today I stumbled across a story I shared with a yoga class awhile ago, and it really resonated with me.

There was a man who woke up one morning determined to paint his kitchen. So, he went to the store and got all the painting supplies he needed- paint, paintbrushes, drop cloth- and headed back home. He mixed the paint in the garage, and then carefully scooped up all of his supplies, a can of paint in each hand, drop cloth under his arm, paintbrushes and rollers stuffed in his pockets- but when he tried to get in the house, he found he was unable to open the door. How many times have you found yourself in that same situation? Too proud to ask for help or set down what he was carrying, the man struggled with the doorknob, trying in vain to get it open until he set himself off balance and ended up falling backwards, paint spilling, brushes flying every which way.

Often, the ego gets in our way and stops us from asking for help or from setting down what we are carrying. The "things we carry" is not always literal- emotional baggage and spiritual resistance can be the most difficult to let go of, but releasing them is the most vital to our mental well-being.

In life, the things we carry prevent us from crossing thresholds that we're struggling to enter. It doesn't have to be a struggle: all you have to do is let go. Set down what you carry; let go of what burdens you; ask for help from a friend- it is only when the fear, doubt, and anger that creates resistance inside you is released that you can move forward.

I find parallels in life and in yoga frequently, and this is no exception. You cannot find peace of mind with yoga if you stubbornly cling to expectations, ego, and negativity. It may be challenging at first, to allow yourself to be open and vulnerable- but that's the beauty of yoga. It's all practice. When a student has an image in their mind (or is comparing him/herself to others in class) of what their body should look like in any given pose, and stubbornly clings to that image, trying to force their body into a certain shape; that is not being respectful of the limits of their body, and sets them up for injury and defeat- the self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead, let go of your ego. Let go of your expectations. Let go of self-doubt, worry, fear, and stress, and let your body and your breath guide you into YOUR perfect expression of any given pose.

"When one door of happiness closes, another one opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us."         -Helen Keller