Shine

Thank You Shirley MacLaine

2011-10-24T05:50:00.000-04:00

Our Yoga Story Series Continues...

It was a huge, intuitive hit…..Shirley MacLaine’s new book “Dance While You Can” practically jumped off the bookstore display. I was a professional dance teacher and for 13 years I was happily running my 2 dance studios, teaching 27 classes a week, doing choreography, recitals, raising my daughter, and loving every minute of it!! I was very high energy and physically fit all of my life when I suddenly began experiencing severe and limiting cardiac issues caused by Fabry’s disease. For years, Atrial fibrillation put me in the hospital every few months and would, eventually, require heart surgery and end my dance teaching career. I joyously continued to “dance while I could”. I was surprised to read that Shirley MacLaine did Yoga every day. As a dancer, and knowing absolutely nothing about Yoga, it just didn’t make sense to me when a dancer is all about body connection through movement, stretching, strengthening, balance and rhythm.

As I got sicker, I wanted something to replace dance, so I followed Shirley’s lead and tried Yoga. I lived in rural Coudersport, Pennsylvania and the nearest Yoga studio was at Penn State - 2 hours each way! So I bought books and videos, and as a trained dance professional, I could mimic the poses but I knew that I was missing the very essence of Yoga. I made the 4 hour round trip to the Yoga studio at Penn State, and while the teacher did GREAT Yoga, she was a HORRIBLE Yoga teacher! I decided to become trained myself.

Synchronistically, I found YogaFit with trainings in Pennsylvania. After completing Level 1, I was required to teach 8 hours of community service Yoga and was totally amazed when 32 people showed up for my first free Yoga class in Coudersport! There was so much interest that I added Yoga at my dance studios, watched the program grow, and trained toward my 200 hours RYT. A short time after certification, I became an ERYT - Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher, for teaching another 1000 hours after RYT 200.

My huge work load was taking its toll…I had to make a change, so in 2005 I sold everything and moved to Frederick to begin Fabry’s treatment at Johns Hopkins. I was SO EXCITED the first day I drove up Patrick Street and saw “Yoga today” at Sol Yoga!! I took class that same day with Eva, who suggested I talk to Dorcas about teaching at Sol, and have been on staff ever since. Thank you, Dorcas!!

Teaching fewer dance classes in Frederick was still very challenging on my body, while Yoga was healing. My heart was extremely compromised, even after a cardiac catheter ablation, so I retired from dance. I now teach a few Yoga classes a week which I love and is perfect for my compromised health!!!! I am a living, breathing example of how to accept your circumstances after drastic life changes, honoring your body, living with chronic illness, the ups and downs everyday from disease, and finding health, well-being and a spiritual connection through Yoga. I love Yoga, the chakras, and the body’s subtle energy system, so I followed a second passion and became certified as an energy healer, a Healing Touch Certified Practitioner. I’m grateful to be able to give to others and touch their lives through Yoga and Healing Touch.

I hope my life story will speak to someone who may be struggling with illness or unexpected life changes. What may appear to be a tragedy has been the greatest gift in my life and it’s made me who I am today. Women with Fabry’s don’t usually survive their 50’s….I turned 60 in August. I appreciate every single moment and my life is rich, joyous, peaceful and loving. I live in gratitude every day.

Namaste’

Debra Spotts

ERYT

Healing Touch Certified Practitioner

Once You've Slept On An Island

2011-10-21T05:00:00.000-04:00

I sent out an email blast, asking Sol Yoga teachers, teacher trainees, staff and volunteers to share with me their "yoga story" or anything else that they feel inspired to have posted on this blog. Janet Krones, a yoga teacher, sent me this. I think many would agree, doing yoga feels like this:

If once you've slept on an island
You'll never be quite the same
You may look as you looked the day before
And go by the same old name.
You may bustle about in street and shop
You may sit at home and sew
But you see blue water and wheeling gulls
Wherever your feet may go.
You may chat with the neighbors of this and that
And close to your fire keep
But you'll hear ship whistle and lighthouse bell
And tides beat through your sleep.
Oh, you won't know why, and you can't say how
Such a change upon you came
But once you've slept on an island
You'll never be quite the same.

-- Rachel Field

Surya Namaskar

2011-10-20T05:27:00.001-04:00

I’m pretty confident that Surya Namaskar is the reason I practice yoga. The flow of it, the way the asanas perfectly counterbalance one another, the zen-like state that allows me to come out of my head, really tune in to my breath and just be present in my body – that’s what keeps me coming back to yoga time and time again. Sun salutations are the only thing that has even moderate success in getting me out of bed at 5 am. I’m not saying that I’m a regular early morning yoga practitioner, but on the occasions (2 so far this week!) when I am able to drag myself out of bed an hour earlier than would otherwise be necessary, it’s been to practice yoga. And, on those early mornings (and just about any time I practice at home), I start with sun salutations. For me, a yoga practice just isn’t a yoga practice without at least a few sun salutations to kick it off and build some heat. Because of the frequency of surya namaskar in my practice, the words needed to take me or anyone else through a round easily come to mind:

Start in mountain pose, inhale up, exhale and fold forward, inhale half-way lift, exhale to plank and down to chaturanga, inhale upward dog, exhale downward dog (take a few breaths), at end of next exhale jump or step forward, inhale halfway lift, exhale forward fold, inhale all the way up, exhale hands to heart. (repeat, repeat, repeat)

I also love that surya namaskar can easily be modified and poses inserted midway through to form the variations. Add in chair pose (utkatasana) in leiu of mountain (tadasana), add in crescent lunge (anjeleyasana) or Warrior 1 (virabhdrasana 1) for surya namaskar b or add in any mix of standing poses to create a full flow class.

At the risk of going overboard in my love for surya namaskar, I also appreciate that there are so many variations possible throughout the series. There’s the potential for jump back to chaturanga and jump forward from downdog, you can add in a little chaturanga push up for an extra kick along the way or make your plank, chaturanga and down-dog all three legged to keep things interesting. On the flipside, there’s the option to drop your knees in plank, do a baby cobra in lieu of up-dog, take child’s pose instead of downdog. It truly is a series that can work its magic for all levels of yogis.

By Jen Rinehart, Current Yoga Teacher Trainee

Motivation VS Inspiration

2011-10-19T08:38:00.000-04:00

I came across this blog post yesterday and it set off some light bulbs in my mind. Danielle LaPort's blog White Hot Truth was talking about the difference between Motivation and Inspiration in a way that I had never thought about before. She gives some good examples to clarify her point of view and ends with the following:

Inspiration is a completely different force of creativity.

What is motivating you?
What is inspiring you?
What is pushing you?
What is pulling you?

Follow the pull.
It's the first step toward flying.

If I'm honest, I tend to get in front of the push and allow it to move me - usually because it's the right thing to do. Floss. Go to the gym. Check email messages. Try to do crow the next time you're at yoga.

But what about the pull? If I think about the last 5 days and some of the things that I've been pulled to do it's a kaleidoscope of activities: Walking the dog. Wearing a scarf even when it's not cold. A glass of wine. Butternut Squash. Watching The Royal Tenebaums with my teenager.

This has gotten me thinking about what has possibly been pulling me only because I've tethered myself to it out of habit and not because it inspires me in anyway? Like Facebook updates, for example. Some people I gravitate towards because they're always posting a thought provoking link or a cool quote. These people that I haven't seen or heard from in over 25 years would never be on my radar if it wasn't for facebook. I feel grateful to facebook for giving me these connections and truly enjoy what they share with me. But the other 75% of the information that I receive from the medium simply enters uninvited into my subconscious. It's just chatter. Shit I could care less about and just happen to glance at, that takes up space in my brain. It makes me wonder: Does this excess information get in the way or worst yet, block whatever is trying to latch on and pull me closer to my truth?

Definitely something to ruminate on today.

Interestingly - I'm feeling pulled to collage which I haven't done in more than 5 years. To read. To meditate. To make my bed and to pour another cup of coffee. I guess I'll start there and see what happens.

What pulls you when you're on your yoga mat? Do you know the difference between being pushed versus pulled toward a pose? Toward a modification? Toward movement? Toward stillness? Toward the studio in general? Do you come because you want to or because you have to? Do you come out of guilt or because yoga is good for you? Are you pushed to the yoga studio or pulled to Sol Yoga by forces beyond your control?

Let us know when you figure it out.
Namaste,
Linda

Yoga Drama

2011-08-07T11:14:00.001-04:00

I'll admit. As much as I love yoga, I've skipped a class or two to watch a good, trashy, rerun of The Real Housewives (insert any city here). And although I can easily teach a yoga class without judgment, I have analysis paralysis from harshly judging any and all participants of Reality TV or anyone that openly chooses to "put themselves out there" and then fall for their own hype.

So when I came across some yoga drama brewing in New York City between Yoga To The People and Bikram Yoga, I clicked on the link faster than Tamra Barney can throw a drink in Jeana Keogh's face.

The controversy in a nutshell:

It started this past week when Bikram Yoga Manhattan announced their Penn Station location would close on Thursday, Aug. 11. In a letter posted to the studio's website, founder and director Raffael Pacitti specifically blamed the closing on competitor Yoga to the People, which had recently opened up three locations within walking distance of Penn Station.

Which makes this all the more dramatic is that Yoga To The People's (YTTP's) founder, Greg Gumucio, is a Bikram Choudhury trained instructor that sometimes ran Choudhury's teacher trainings in Los Angeles.

Personally, I've never taken a Bikram class. In 2002 a Bikram studio moved into Hoboken, NJ but since I was already taking a great yoga class at the YMCA that was included with my monthly membership, it never occurred to me to pay for Bikram. I had heard great things about the heat helping yogis avoid injury, detox and burn calories and apparently the poses, although challenging, weren't completely out of reach for someone brand new to the practice.

It was only after moving to Maryland that I heard more about this flamboyant, speedo/silk suit wearing, Bently driving, patent pending, I'll-sue-the-shit-out-of-you-if-you-dare-use-my-name-or-asana-sequencing, yogic Svengali. After reading similar statements such as the following found on Wikipedia, it turned me off and I wasn't interested in exploring this type of yoga:

Bikram's car collection includes over 40 Rolls Royces and Bentleys, including cars owned by the Queen Mother and the Beatles. His collection of watches numbers in the 100s, valued in the millions. 'It's huge,' he says, 'I'm making - I don't know - millions of dollars a day, $10 million a month - who knows how much?' ^[2]
“It is beyond medical science,” Bikram shrugs. He claims NASA scientists tested Bikram Yoga on osteoporosis patients for eight months, seeing a “100%” improvement, and has said: “They couldn’t write a thesis how this happened; I prove this every single day.
Whether a president [such as Nixon, whom Bikram claims to have taught in 1972 and who then gave him an open invitation to live in the United States] or a prime minister [Indira Gandhi, whom he calls his godmother], or the Pope [Paul VI].” Bikram claims to have rejuvenated them all. “I saved years and years and years and years and years.” ^[5]
Bikram's claim to have carried out research for NASA, although extensively repeated, has not been confirmed by that organization. His claims to have treated Nixon are similarly unverified and do not appear in Nixon biographies. In a BBC radio documentary he claimed to have treated the Beatles in 1959, even though the Beatles had not been formed at that time.^[6]

To be honest, Gumucio's reasons for leaving Bikram are different than what I expected and available to read in this New York Times article. I thought they would've been more personal, and perhaps privately they are, but publicly Gumucio claims it was about allowing the student to own his or her, no-frills yoga practice without the distractions of who's teaching, what folks are wearing and what dogma the studio is selling. Hence, Gumucio made the very un-Bikram like decision to go against the grain and instead of creating a low volume, high cost, it's-worth-the-money-because-our-teachers-are-rock-stars yoga studio he decided to open a high volume, donation based business via word of mouth and a web site that not only doesn't feature the founder, but also keeps you in the dark about what teachers you'll be learning from each day.

And apparently it's working. So many folks are hitting YTTP's space that Bikram's studio in the same Chelsea/Penn Station location is closing it's doors later this week. But instead of quietly transitioning all of their students to their Bikram Soho location, they posted a letter on their web site, publicly accusing YTTP and Gumucio specifically of disrespecting yogic tradition and ripping off New York Bikram yogis for financial gain.

I take no issue with someone making a great living teaching yoga in general or Bikram Yoga specifically. Although I can't imagine myself being anything but turned off by Bikram himself, I'm sure there are amazing yoga instructors that lead his 90 minute sequence with grace. My concern is: What constitutes knowledge and who, if anyone, owns it? And secondly, If your business model aligns you with someone not willing to stand by the ethical standards that he preaches, how does that affect you?

I figure my knowledge is in my head and what I do with it is my business. I'm a trained yoga teacher that paid to gain knowledge that I house in my brain. But every time I take a class from another teacher, I'm adding to this knowledge. What comes out of my mouth when I teach is the accumulation of all my yogic experiences. My twist on this 5000 year old practice is no doubt influenced by that which I've experienced by my yoga teachers - who's own practice was affected by her teacher - who was tweaked by his teacher, and so on and so forth. So again, I ask. Who if anyone, owns this knowledge? I say, no one.

And how does this quest to define, own and trademark, (i.e., the western yogic business model) jive with the yamas, yoga's sacred 8-limbed path that leads toward enlightenment? And lastly, if you're going to spend all of your money, time and energy protecting your brand, how dare you get pissy when someone beats you at your own game? Donation based yoga is no different than any other yoga brand. In fact, Gumucio was inspired to start YTTP due to the success of Bryan Kest's donation based Power Yoga studio in Santa Monica, California that has been taking donations for years. Yet Kest isn't bitching that Gumucio is stepping on "donation based toes".

Bikram is huge. So is Baron Baptiste, Shiva Rae, Shawn Corn, Rodney Yee, Patricia Waldon, Cyndi Lee, David Life, Sharon Gannon and a million other western yogis that have created a brand and make their living not only teaching yoga but also selling a yogic lifestyle. Will they each eventually own so many bits and pieces of yoga, that the rest of us have to rename, revamp, and re-brand yoga to teach it without walking into a lawsuit?

People say the free-market always works itself out. Some believe it's the answer to everything. If those involved in the free market are highly ethical, I believe it does work itself out. But when you put profits before people, ideas, and concepts and give yourself permission to bend your ethical rules to make as much money as possible, it's going to bite you eventually.

So I say, "Good for you, Yoga To The People"and good luck as you continue to buck the western yoga system as well as challenge basic western business and economic ideals.

Is anyone else unbelievably disappointed that this wasn't filmed for a new Bravo TV show entitled, The Real Yogis of New York City? I can just imagine Bikram all sweaty in his speedo talking into his headset about how he was friends with Elvis and has 72 hour erections, (click on this link, I can't make this shit up) while using dollar bills to fuel the fire that heats his yoga rooms to 105 degrees. Then they cut to the Gumucio's class where he's no where to be found and a bunch of yogis are simply sweating and doing their thing for 60 minutes, shoving dollar bills into a tissue box on the way out the door. Then Gumucio gets his own spin off reality show and makes millions while Bikram drops his latest auto-tuned pop album to coincide with his stint on Dr. Drew's Celebrity Rehab trying to detox from his addiction to Western fame and fortune. Because like all good addicts know - 15 minutes of fame and 40 Rolls Royces, will never be enough.

Namaste,
Linda

Y Do U Om?

2011-08-03T08:26:00.002-04:00

To make up for my lack of blogging lately...please go to YIOM, co-created by the fabulous Thais (Sol Yoga Teacher In Training and Volunteer). Check out their blog roll for a list of great yoga blogs to explore.

Namaste,
Linda

It's Official - I've Been Yogafied!

2011-07-16T10:37:00.001-04:00

When I went back to work in Speech Pathology, it's no surprise that I brought my yoga teacher training techniques with me. I treat voice disorders and since voice production starts with the breath and yoga is all about the breath, it's truly been a marriage made in heaven. In fact, when you major in communication disorders, you should be required to minor in yoga as they are that interconnected.

The only difference between the two environments is that at my speech job I use furniture and shoes are not only required but so is hosiery. Trust me, finding knee highs to wear with your cropped pants in the summer is much harder than any yoga poses I'm currently working to master.

But I digress. It's no surprise that I teach yoga when I'm not actually teaching yoga. And it's also no surprise that I want yogic experiences pretty much every time I am outside the yoga studio. However, it is a surprise to me when other athletic endeavors don't utilize the same techniques that are offered fully and openly in any yoga class that you attend. Let me explain.

In my quest to find more cardio options for myself, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I like to spin. This is a big deal for me. My motto always has been and always will be to...Work smart not hard. I don't work hard if I don't have to, meaning, if there's a shortcut that's legal and ethical that makes my life easier - I'm in. Like Flynn. Which is probably why I like spinning.

I'm seated.
I'm inside an air conditioned building with fans blowing on me.
They provide the music.
There's a nifty water bottle holder for my use.
I can bring an extra gel-seat cover to cushion my ass.
I can attend class on a 97 degree day or a 27 degree day. Doesn't matter if it's snowing, raining or windy the weather is just right inside the spinning room.
I can strap my feet into the peddles so that on days when my left foot isn't working at 100% capacity I can still do the work properly.
I can work out hard without losing my balance and/or risking injury.

But alas, as perfect as spinning is for me, it's not yoga. Sure there's a warm up and a working phase, but there's no centering to speak off, the cool down phase is about 60 seconds if I'm lucky, and savasana on a bike? Don't bet on it.

That's the bad news. The good news is that attending a gym is making me more understanding and empathic to the Type A people that work hard no matter what. I'm talking about the people that take yoga but truly don't understand or appreciate the "finishing" part of the practice. The people that do savasana with their eyes open or will start to fold up their blankets, roll up their straps and pack up their belongings silently from a supine position rather than just lay flat for 5 minutes.

Come to enough yoga classes and you'll hear that the most important pose is Savasana, or corpse pose.

The body wants to be balanced by default and it will naturally attempt to find equilibrium. A yoga class is specifically structured to create balance. You pose/counter pose. You expand/contract. You work/rest. The entire class is basically a circle. You start by silently getting centered and thus must finish that way. Your body needs to return to it's baseline before you rush back out into your hectic day.

The easiest way to explain savasana is by thinking of your body like a piece of meat that you've cooked on the grill (my apologies to all the vegetarians reading this).

When you cook a piece of meat, the muscle fibres that are in closest contact with the heat contract. As the fibres contract, all the juices that nestled between them get squeezed away from the source of the heat. It's just like squeezing a sponge. ~ Martin Sutherland

If you take this meat and immediately cut into it and serve it, your dinner guests will get a dry piece of meat sitting in a puddle of it's own blood and juices. Gross, right?

Instead, take the meat out of the pan, place it on a warm (but not hot) plate, and leave it to stand for a while. As the meat slowly cools down (don't stick it in the fridge for rapid cooling), the muscle fibres that were so tense before start to relax. It's the reverse of the sponge effect. As the fibres relax, they reabsorb the juices from the centre of the meat, and draw it back towards the edges. ~ Martin Sutherland

Serving meat like this results in an evenly pink, juicy (but not bloody) dinner. Allowing the energy that was created by the cooking process to pull back from the exterior of the meat and settle into the center results in a delicious diner.

Your body is the same way. After 60-75 minutes of creating heat and contracting muscle fibres, you want the energy that was being expanded outward to redistribute itself back to center. Leaving class in this balanced manner means you're less likely to wind up in a puddle of your own bloody, juices when life throws you an obstacle to overcome, later that day.

I agree it's a dramatic analogy, but trust me when I tell you, it's accurate. You need to finish where you started - in a calm, balanced space. Because the majority of my workouts for the past ten years have ended in savasana, I can feel the difference in my body when they don't. Busting my ass and then running out the door feels odd. It makes me jittery and scattered instead of energized and calmly fueled.

There's also a mental aspect to giving yourself permission to lay motionless in a neutral, relaxed position and rest. By forcing students to take this time, yoga teachers find that you're more likely to do it. I guarantee you if savasana was an "optional" pose, many folks would be out the door faster than a Catholic leaving after communion (I know this because I used to be that Catholic - on the freeway before the candles were extinguished on the altar.)

A few weeks ago I was teaching the Sunday Gentle Good Cause class at Sol. We started on our backs and when I got people moving during the warm up, I noticed a gal in the back corner that stayed on her back. I thought she needed a few extra minutes of centering. It turned out that she needed an entire 75 minutes of savasana and so she rocked corpse pose for the entire class.

I was so impressed by her commitment to the pose. She didn't snore. She didn't roll onto her side and use the pose as an excuse to catch a few Zs. She simply lay supine in a neutral position, changing her legs occasionally and allowed her body to rest, relax and rejuvenate.

After class I saw her rolling up her mat and she didn't look groggy or tired. She looked fortified and renewed. I wanted to congratulate her but she slipped out before I could pull her aside. Hopefully she'll read this post and understand my admiration. It takes a lot of guts to stay in savasana or balasana for that matter, for an extended period of time. I wish more students would try it.

Understand that you can yogafy anything by taking the principles from class and applying them to your activities of daily living. You can yogafy your marriage, friendships, work environment, diet or daily commute. It just takes some time, trial and error and voila - you can yogically make over any aspect of your life.

Just make sure to fully yogafy your yoga class experiences as well, by listening to your body, modifying the asana and most importantly using savasana to your advantage each and every time you practice with us.

Namaste,
Linda

Gotta Love How The Universe Works

2011-07-01T07:04:00.000-04:00

I got up today, lit candles, pulled out my meditation cushion and immediately got annoyed. I find that quieting my mind is easier if I'm been moving first or at least had some caffeine. So I decided to jump on my treadmill and get cracking...

Naw.

I got on the Internet. After reading a little about how the Democrats and Republicans can't agree on the right way to reduce our deficit (shocker), discovering that Melissa, a Real Housewife from New Jersey, allegedly had a lesbian affair when she was a teenager (so what?) and that Charlie Sheen is admitting to steroid use not while he was a professional baseball player, but when he played one in a movie (you call this winning, Chuck?), I remembered that I wanted to look up something about MS.

It turns out that Shemar Moore, the sexy star of one of my favorite shows, Criminal Minds, bikes not only for MS in general but specifically for his mother who unfortunately suffers from the disease. I did a quick Google search and found an article about how many of the cast members (Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson, and Paget Brewster) and crew have created a Criminal Minds team that participates in 100 mile Bike MS events to raise money each year.

Turns out Shemar's mama and I have a lot in common. Like not really dealing with the fact that we had this disease at first:

My mother’s been diagnosed for about 12 years now, and it’s been tough. It was tough on her physically and it was tough on both of us emotionally. I think both of us were in denial in the beginning, so it took some time to kind of get out of the gate and really embrace that she had it. Then we could focus on what it was and how to combat it.

I'm guilty of this as well and will be happy to discuss this in a future blog post - just as soon as I figure out which of my neurotic buttons were so heavily pushed during the time of my diagnosis. Hmm...Maybe someone from the BAU (the Behavioral Analysis Unit portrayed on the show, Criminal Minds) could analyze me?

Further along in the article it talks about how often times, folks with MS don't go to their doctors because they just assume every ache and pain is MS related (I'm definitely guilty of that as well). Moore mentioned that there was a time when they thought his mom, Marilyn, was on the verge of losing her mobility. Turns out it wasn't MS that was about to rob her of her gait, but hip degeneration that although may have been caused from the steroids she'd been taking to fight her MS, was easily remedied. A hip replacement gave her her mobility back which freed her up to discover her love of yoga.

She loves yoga and swimming and visiting with friends...My mother used to go to a retreat called Kripalu, up in Lennox, Massachusetts. I think John Travolta and Woody Harrelson have been known to go there, where you spend a week, a month doing yoga. My mother actually got her yoga teaching instructor’s license, so she’s fully committed and she loves it. But physically, there are certain things she can and can’t do. Yoga really is a life-saver for her, though. It’s her meditation. It’s her therapy. She’s got her mat at the house, and she sits with herself for an hour or two. Between that and swimming and being with her friends, that’s pretty much her routine. She’s good.

Okay universe. I got it. Hitting the mat right now.

I'm not going swimming though. One fear at a time, please.

Journey Back To Yoga

2011-06-29T19:15:00.003-04:00

In the middle of my yoga teacher training course, when I got my multiple sclerosis diagnosis, it went something like this:

No reaction - leave exam room - make follow up appointment.
Fumble with keys get into car, begin to cry.
See that someone in the parking lot is staring at me, wipe away my tears and call my husband.

Driving while talking on a cell phone is a bad idea. Driving while talking on a cell phone to tell your husband that you're fucked is worse so it did force me to keep it together until I could get home.

Get home, stand in the middle of the kitchen and think: I need to seriously consider going back to work.

Crazy, right? I should have went straight to my yoga mat. I should have been praying, or meditating or freaking myself out by reading up on the most terrifying symptoms on Web MD. But at the time of my diagnosis, health care reform was one of the biggest political topics folks were fighting about. To come to the realization that I officially had a medical bankruptcy bullseye on my back, meant that I needed to guarantee I would ALWAYS have health insurance in the event that something happened to my husband. I have kids and now that I had a progressive condition, I needed to be proactive about protecting everyone's financial future. In that moment I made a silent promise to myself that no matter what, my disease would not take down my family financially.

Then I started chain smoking and called my best girl friends to give them the news. Eventually I came up with a plan:

Tell the kids but stress that it's no big deal. I have a disease, I'll take medicine. Everything will be fine.
So as to not freak them out, tell jokes and don't cry - act like nothing is wrong.
Actually believe that nothing is wrong and simply get on with my life, focusing on getting back to work,

This major shift in my thinking threw everything into flux. My yoga teacher training took a back seat and instead of focusing on unifying my mind, body and spirit, I focused on all things monetary. Specifically I spent all of my free time earning the continuing education credits I needed to be re-certified in my field of speech-language pathology and licensed by my state.

I still went to my yoga teacher weekends and classes, but honestly, the wind had left my sails. I remember my first yoga class after my diagnosis. Luckily it was a hot one so no one realized that I crying through out most of it. In fact, every time I got on my mat the MS I was trying to ignore was brought to the front and center of my consciousness.

As I teacher I tell my students to "notice the thoughts that you have without judging them". Simply acknowledge the thought, then gently push it aside and bring your consciousness back to the breath. Unfortunately, when I got quiet it allowed all the thoughts that I was ignoring to bubble up to the surface. I found it was easier to avoid my mat as much as possible.

Eventually I graduated and the only smart thing I did as a newly certified, yoga teacher was to say "yes" every time I was asked to teach a class. I officially started teaching on January 1st, 2010 and eventually got my own Thursday lunch class to helm. Truthfully though, yoga had settled back in my head and wasn't something I was truly experiencing. It was something that I was planning, sequencing, memorizing and articulating.

Besides, I didn't have time to give myself the gift of yoga. I had to find a job. One that paid well and had benefits. So like a good teacher, I came to class prepared but as soon as the class ended, I spent all of my free time re-introducing myself to the world of speech therapy: Diagnosis, Treatment, Documentation, Billing, as well as creating test and therapy materials. Although I still took yoga classes and was always preparing for the ones that I taught, yoga yet again took the back seat to my life. If I'm going to be honest, it didn't even have the back seat. I think it had the wheel-well in the back of a beat up pick up truck if we're going to stick to the vehicle analogy. I was not only driving fast, but taking curvy back roads with lots of pot holes. I'm surprise yoga didn't fly out completely and suffer a traumatic head injury. Maybe then I would've noticed it - when it came in to see me for speech therapy.

Its been well over a year since I went back to my field. I needed this time to slowly ease back after a 12-year hiatus. But I'm grounded now and it's time to switch my focus back to my yoga practice. Not just from a teaching perspective, but from a student's perspective, albeit a sick student's perspective.

Its officially time to journey back to yoga. If you don't mind I'd like to share with you what I find along the way.

Namaste,
Linda

Yogis Interruptis

2011-06-28T19:04:00.001-04:00

For thirteen years I've been a fan of yoga. Not an addict. Not a stalker. A fan. I've enjoy the practice and fit it into my life as was appropriate, meaning, sometimes it's taken a back seat to other areas that needed my attention. In theory, I wanted to be more committed to my practice, but activities like motherhood, moving, and volunteerism got in the way. Looking back, I believe that was part of the problem. My theoretical yoga practice had a bigger hold on me than my actual one.

Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root word yuj which means "to yoke", or "unite" and many claim it's specifically about the union between mind, body and spirit. Because the word may also derive from the root "yujir samadhau," which means "contemplation", you can see how for some, yoga is more about the mind and/or spirit and less about the body. Which is fine if you need a distraction from always focusing on the physical and hating yourself, like I've done most of my life. But if your default setting is always set to "cerebral" as mine tends to be (because it's a lot easier to ignore the body that you hate if you spend the majority of your time in your head) it was easier to focus on living my yoga than performing poses on a mat.

I had hoped that yoga would eventually bring balance to the body part of the equation. I think sensing this innate need is what inspired me to sign up for yoga teacher training (YTT), but in the end it was my mind that made the decision because teacher training was also a way to make a living. Since I was already volunteering at the studio and really liked the yogis I met there, it seemed like a smart idea to make money doing something I enjoyed. Regardless I was going to FINALLY give my yoga practice the attention it deserved (while secretly hoping that yoga would give me the physical body I've always wanted).

That was the plan, until my head took center stage because besides going to numerous yoga classes, YTT meant reading books about yoga, taking notes from lectures about yoga, conversing about yoga and and thinking various thoughts about yoga. This of course was my favorite part of the training because it kept yoga between my ears where it truly liked to be.

After paying my first deposit and receiving my book list, I got cracking. Instead of going to class I read Power Yoga and Moving Into Stillness. Rather than doing asanas, I memorized their sanskrit names. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali? Something I discussed with my classmates in lieu of actually experiencing them.

Training to be a yoga teacher quenched my thirst for yogic knowledge. It meant understanding anatomy, physiology and contra-indications for poses. I learned facts about properly sequencing a class and was taught the best way to verbalize alignment cues. Because I intellectualized yoga so much, I spent most of my physical practices analyzing the teaching styles of the instructor and stealing ideas to use for future classes. Thus yoga, even when training to be a teacher, continued to be a cerebral endeavor.

But then an interesting thing happened. By the third weekend of training I was hitting the studio every couple of days attending vinyasa flow and even some hot yoga classes. Besides simply doing more yoga, I was also walking daily and eating healthy. Finally and perhaps for the first time in my life I was allowing my consciousness the luxury of settling within my body and staying present in it for more than a few seconds, here and there. Yoga was slowly (and without a lot of fanfare I might add), doing it's job.

Then, halfway through teacher training as I was FINALLY on my way to unifying my mind, body and spirit, a freak accident occurred. I hit my head. Hard. The dizziness that made practicing more difficult was no where near as problematic as the results from my MRI. It seems that yet again, my head was getting in the way of my performing the asanas. Not my mind per say, but my brain itself. The physical body that I'd become expert at ignoring must have finally had it, so to get my attention, it moved north to officially compete with my mind.

Turns out, I wasn't just a yogi with a concussion or an inability to yoke her mind to her body.

I was a yogi with 9 brain lesions.

I was a yogi with Multiple Sclerosis.

Yes, that's correct. A yogi lousy at living in her body got the disease that affects the body with an alarming level of inconsistency. The disease that constantly brings your attention back to your body due to the ever changing plethora of physical symptoms it creates.

Did you hear that?

That was the sound of my personal yoga practice crashing into a brick wall.

I know what you're thinking. A progressive neurological diagnosis? Or course she turned to her yoga practice to create health and wellness.

Naw. I didn't have time for that. I had to go get a job.

Namaste,
Linda

Disco Does Save Lives

2011-06-28T07:52:00.000-04:00

With the exception of a few face plants during crow pose, I've never witnessed any serious injuries or illnesses during a yoga class. But lets face it - since a heart attack can happen anywhere, at anytime - a hot or vinyasa flow class could certainly bring one on.

So for all you yoga teachers, volunteers, staff members and students out there here's the latest "no-frills-you-couldn't-possibly-screw-this-up" version of CPR released by the American Heart Association. No more remembering how many breathes vs how many chest compressions. No more worries about putting your mouth on a stranger or searching for a saliva barrier.

Easy to do.

Easy to remember.

Fun to dance to.

Namaste,
Linda

It's Not You Yoga, It's Me

2011-06-27T18:47:00.000-04:00

I've been with yoga for 13 years now. Like all long term relationships, we've had our highs and lows. Truth be told, if you were a fly on my wall lately, this is the conversation or should I say, "lover's quarrel" that you would overhear between me and yoga.

Yoga: No offense Linda, but for a while now you've sucked at this relationship. Don't give me the "It's not you it's me" line. I've been around long enough to know when I'm being played.

Linda: Okay fine. I'll say it. I'm just not that into you. That's why I haven't always been present and committed to this relationship for the last 2 years.

Yoga: You're afraid of commitment?

Linda: Please. Don't insult me. I've been married to the same man for almost 20 years. Commitments aren't my problem. I just had other things to do. Like laundry. Kids to cart around. Softball and lacrosse games to attend. A career to relaunch after a 12-year hiatus. Sorry. You weren't that important to me. Deal with it.

Yoga: I don't believe that. Did you lose the address? Forget where the studio was located?

Linda: I drive by the studio all the time. You have giant blue and yellow letters that spell out SOL YOGA in the window. I know where to find you. I work there, remember? Face it. I just haven't been that into you.

Yoga: But I'm perfect for you. I'm kind and patient and wont hurt you like the others have. You're just scared.

Linda: What are you talking about?

Yoga: Two words. Jane Fonda. Or leg warmers. Take your pick.

Linda: Are you serious? You're going to bring up the Jane Fonda tapes I hung out with in 80's? That was waaaaay before I met you! Before I even heard of you! Why do you gotta throw my past in my face? Geeze. For someone that claims to be all about the now that's a little below the belt, don't you think?

Yoga: I'm just saying. You get around. Truth be told, you've got a reputation. There was step aerobics (low impact AND high impact), countless gym memberships, pilates, and karate. Oh, remember that Joyce Ellis Dance Class you drug your poor mother to? You about killed her that night. And that was back during your teen and early adult years. I haven't even mentioned the flings you've had since giving birth. Mall walking. Rollerblading. Nia.

Linda: So sue me for having an experimental, bi-physical stage.

Yoga: I've got no problem with experimentation. I've told you many times that I'm all for us having an open relationship. I can handle sharing you with P90X for example, but I need a little attention. I'm not going to be ignored and then expected to be here waiting for you when you get bored with your little conquests. (P.S. I picture yoga saying the above like:)

Linda: What are you saying? That I'm some kind of exercise slut? I just didn't want to get serious with anyone. That's it. There's no law against that.

Yoga: I'm sure that's it. I'm sure it has nothing to do with a little commitment problem that you have. Hey, what about your triathlon summer when you got all cross trainer on me?

Linda: Yoga, I was very up front with you when I trained for the triathlon. What kind of control freak are you anyway? It was a goal! You're not big on goals, remember? Did you ever think maybe that's why I dated Mr. Triathlon that summer?

Yoga: He was a great guy. Until you couldn't learn how to swim, then he dropped you faster than you can say, wetsuit.

Linda: Thank you for bringing that up. Like you could ujjayi breathe under water. Whatever.

Yoga: And while we're on the subject don't insult my intelligence and pretend that you and running had anything in common. At least respect me enough to tell the truth about that.

Linda: You're right, running did suck. You got me there, yoga. But his older brother, walking? He's very nice and unlike you doesn't demand my undivided attention. I can hang out with walking AND talk on the phone. You know multitask and get some other shit done! You couldn't multitask if someone paid you AND he lets my dog tag along.

Yoga: Are you kidding me? I absolutely love dogs!

Linda: Saying downward dog over and over and inviting my dog to come inside are not the same thing. I still have to find more time in my day to walk him later. Walking realizes this and appreciates my schedule. He respects it. You on the other hand think you're so fabulous that I should work my schedule around you.

Yoga: You seriously expect me to believe that you can't find 60 minutes a few times a week to spend time with me? After all I've done for you? Come on. What's the really all about?

Linda: Fine. You want to know why I don't come around more often? You're too demanding. I've got to come see you at very specific times. I can't eat before our dates and when we're together, you're all, "Breathe. Focus. Don't judge just experience. Be open. Accept yourself. Like yourself." It's annoying. You're annoying.

The others just want my body. My mind and spirit can do their own thing. But you? You're so damn needy. You want all three! Do you know how hard it is to get my mind, body and spirit to show up at the same time? Do you even know the amount of coordination that takes?

Yoga: I do it all the time.

Linda: But you're 5,000 years old! I'm 42. Excuse me for not being as balanced as you are!

Yoga: You'd be more balanced if you came to see me more often - but you already know that. So what is it? What aren't you telling me? You can trust me.

Linda: I've been dealing with some serious shit and frankly, I just wanted to forget for a while. The problem is, I can't forget when I'm on my mat. You won't let me.

Yoga: I just ask for your presence. I'm not attached to the outcome. I don't care what happens once you're on your mat. I'll love and accept you no matter what. You just have to try.

Linda: I did try. If you remember I was the first person to sign up for the 21 Day Yoga Challenge back in January? You said, "Do More Yoga and See What Happens". You made it sound so damn easy.

Yoga: It was easy. I didn't say, "You'd better master it every pose or else". I gave you all the space you needed to see what happens and react to it.

Linda: You want to know what happened? I spent 21 days watching my body fall apart right before my eyes? What the hell am I supposed to do with that information? I didn't get better. I got worse. You didn't just kick my ass, yoga. You kicked me when I was down. You stirred up all this shit and expected me to what, just sit and meditate on it!? Are you serious? You bring every physical failing that I've buried in the back of my mind to the forefront and I'm supposed to simply sit there quietly and contemplate my naval?

It's not cool, yoga. Not cool at all. So I bolted.

Yoga: You're being too hard on yourself. You weren't supposed to master yoga in 21 days.

Linda: I wasn't trying to master it. You think this is about me not being able to do crow? Or lotus?
This is about me not being able to stand on one foot.

Yoga: Bullshit! Don't lie to my face. I've seen you stand on one foot a million times.

Linda: Yea? When's the last time you've seen me stand on my left foot without a using a wall or a block for balance?

Yoga: What are you saying?

Linda: I'm saying there are some things you don't know about me. My body has definitely changed since we met and honestly, it's affected my mind and spirit as well. So if you're serious about getting back together, serious about unifying the three - I've got some serious baggage that you're going to need to sort through first.

Yoga: I can handle it.

Linda: Okay. Then take a comfortable seat. This is going to take awhile.

Tales from a City Gardener

2011-06-09T10:28:00.000-04:00

Today, my daughter picked her first red beet out of our garden. The beet is perfect and I tell her we will fix it at lunch and share it with Daddy – the first beet of the season. In response, she promptly throws the beet down on the ground and says she doesn’t like to eat beets, only to grow them. This has now become a common occurrence since she started her gardening career at the age of 3. Each spring, she excitedly plants the seeds, tends the plants, and picks the produce. Then, when the fresh produce is prepared and on the table she quickly shuns the item and will not eat it (however she will eat the same vegetable when it is processed and purchased from the freezer section of the local grocery store – why?)

In our fast pace, convenience driven society, where grocery stores now carry practically every type of produce year round, the family vegetable garden is quickly becoming a thing of the past - just another outdated thing from our childhoods which many of my daughter’s generation will never experience, such as listening to their favorite music on vinyl records, or using a public pay phone, or typing their school papers on a manual typewriter.

Tending a vegetable garden has been part of my life since I was old enough to walk next to my father and pick up rocks. While my small city garden is an enjoyable endeavor which supplements our meals with small additions of fresh vegetables and herbs throughout the summer, my father’s gardens were large scale behemoths that provided our family with the majority of the fruit and vegetables we ate all year long. Gardening on this scale was common place, especially in the rural areas of this Country through the 1950’s. In fact, the U.S. Government encouraged patriotic Americans everywhere to establish vegetable gardens during the rationed years of World War I and World War II when local supplies of fresh foods were limited. These Victory Gardens, as they came to be known, were common fixtures in the backyards of homes nationwide. Americans quickly converted flower gardens to vegetable gardens and many towns and cities converted public lots and parks into large community gardens. I have even heard tales about residents in the D.C. Metro area raising chickens and other livestock in their backyards.

Now let us return to the realities and obstacles of what modern day residents face when it comes to growing food on their property. Many cities and housing communities have home associations which govern how residents may improve or use their property. In theory, the rules and regulations enforced by these associations are beneficial in the fact that they ensure that residents maintain their properties. However many communities have taken their regulations to extremes, dictating the color you may paint your house, whether you may have a swing set, clothesline, or outbuilding in your yard, or require that you submit plans of all proposed landscaping of your yard to the association to ensure that your garden design meets the acceptable guidelines established by the community. Combine this with the fact that our Country has a bountiful selection of foods available to the average consumer at their local grocery and megastores, and it is no wonder that most people have traded in their vegetable gardens for flower gardens. But why can’t we have both?

This year, I took my vegetables and brought them right out in the open – an unused flower bed in the center of my front yard. The bed contains both vegetables and flowers, a mix that I believe will look attractive once the plants take hold and fill in the bed. I have to confess, I am one of the lucky ones who lives in an older Frederick City community which does not have an association that governs the use of my property. Of course I must obey the city codes, which include keeping my grass mowed (no problem, dry grass makes excellent mulch around young vegetable plants) and I cannot raise farm birds in my yard (which is something I would love to try – residents in cities such as New York, Washington D.C., and San Francisco can raise limited number of chickens on their property but regrettably Frederick City has not joined the ranks of these progressive cities).

Almost every day now, my daughter asks if it is time to pick our peas. She planted the seeds back early in the spring, and has watched the plants sprout, develop tiny white flowers, and helped me make a trellis to support the three foot long vines. She daily checks the progress of the miniature pea pods and counts the number of ‘baby peas’ she sees in each pod. Last year, we had a great crop of peas, and she diligent picked the pea pods and helped me shell all of the peas. But when those same fresh peas appeared on the dinner table that evening, she would not even taste one pea (however, all winter long she has eaten the frozen peas I bought at the local grocery store – the ones most likely grown in Mexico and which have sat in the grocer’s freezer for the past 6 months – I wish I understood the logic of my 5 year old gardener!)

Tara

Attention all Sol gardeners – we want to hear from you. Please share your gardening adventures, photos, tips or recipes with us at our Sol Yoga Facebook Page or here at Shine, our Sol Yoga Blog by send your post contributions to Linda@Solyoga.org

Your Energy - Your Responsibility

2011-05-28T14:36:00.007-04:00

One of my favorite books is My Stroke Of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor, a Harvard trained neuroanatomist that chronicled the massive hemorrhage that struck the left side of her brain one morning before work. Although her book is worth your time to read, if you only have 18 minutes watch her powerful TED talk where she describes this stroke and how it gave her a level of insight that we all want but rarely achieve in this life.

If you're a student of yoga, this book should be required reading because it categorically and empirically provides the proof of what yogis have know for thousands of years.

We are energy.
We are interconnected.
We are part of the collective.

Our yoga mat is simply the place where we attempt to rediscover this truth. Through the yoking together of our mind, body and spirit via solely focusing on the breath, we become one and as such, realize the enormity of all that we are. At least that's the plan until we allow our negative inner critic and other aspects of our "monkey minds" to get in the way. The beauty of Dr. Jill's book is that she explains in anatomical and physiological detail, how and why our brain either enhances or distracts from our innate ability to connect. Or more specifically how through the quieting of our left brain we can unleash the interconnectedness we can only experience via our right brain.

In other words that quip about going to a yoga class to "be one with the universe"? Turns out that isn't a sarcastic, offhanded remark after all - It's an actual option available to you not only on your mat, but throughout your day. All you have to do is switch out from the "doing consciousness" of your left brain and focus on the "being consciousness" of your right brain.
Specifically she describes the right brain as,

Our right hemisphere is all about this present moment. It's all about right here right now. Our right hemisphere, it thinks in pictures and it learns kinesthetically through the movement of our bodies. Information in the form of energy streams in simultaneously through all of our sensory systems. And then it explodes into this enormous collage of what this present moment looks like. What this present moment smells like and tastes like, what it feels like and what it sounds like. I am an energy being connected to the energy all around me through the consciousness of my right hemisphere. We are energy beings connected to one another through the consciousness of our right hemispheres as one human family. And right here, right now, all we are brothers and sisters on this planet, here to make the world a better place. And in this moment we are perfect. We are whole. And we are beautiful.

Of course it's not that simple to tap into this your right brain because your left brain is at this very moment hard at work reading the words on this page, decoding their meaning, and assigning value to the concepts I'm writing by comparing my opinions to the opinions that you value and hold true to yourself. You're also touching a mouse and taking in tactile information through your hand and fingers, processing background noise and adjusting to the bright and contrasting colors of your computer screen while processing this information. You're also judging the validity of this information as well as my writing style. If this information is brand new to you, you're deciding what you think about it. Whereas if it's familiar then you're retrieving information you've previously stored in your brain on this very topic. Maybe you remember seeing Dr. Jill on Oprah, so a visual image of her has popped into your head. Maybe you remember the above TED talk and a video clip has been retrieved from your memory. Maybe your negative inner critic is reminding you that "You've heard this all before, you big idiot. Why the hell haven't you used this information to your advantage when you heard it the first time?"

It's a wonder that your energy sensing, all encompassing, intuitive, creative, non-verbal interpreting, only wanting to focus on the present moment, non-judgemental, allow-me-to-swim-in-this-vibrating-sea-of-conscious, connected-creativity, right brain even stands a chance against such a linear, logical left-brain powerhouse. Unless of course you attend a yoga class with the intention of giving your right brain, more free reign to explore and expand your consciousness. Simply focus on the breath and without judgement, use your practice to slowly train yourself over time to silence the chatter and enter the flow being offered to you.

That being said, your left brain is a hard worker and not going to be voluntarily silenced. It's a wonder anyone can take even one step towards Nirvana let alone reach bliss completely when you consider how much there is to process in a yoga class like:

Music;
The teacher's instructions and alignment cues;
Strange Sanksrit words;
The look and feel of your mat;
The sensation of your clothing against your body;
The smell of your neighbor's body odor;
The cool taste of water as it spills over your tongue and into your throat while you swallow.

Beside teaching that the right brain is all about energy, Dr. Jill teaches that we are also responsible for the energy we carry with us on a daily basis. We must be accountable for the energy we bring into our homes, places of employment, family dynamics and even yoga classes. In her book she talks about how immediately following her stroke, when the left, logical, linear side of her brain was at it's most damaged and vulnerable, she only had the power and insight of the right side of her brain to process her environment. In lieu of encoding and decoding the expressive language, non-verbal cues, tones of voice, and choice of words around her - she could only assess and decode the energy of those that were visiting her hospital room and it told her a lot. Since she could only communicate with the world on an energetic level, she was strongly affected both positively and negatively on the innate energetic levels exhibited by those that came into contact with her.

I mention this because when you're on your mat, sometimes in very close proximity of other yogis, it's imperative that your energy by positive and add to the collective rather than taking from or tarnishing it in some way. Leave your negative thoughts at the door of the studio and be mindful of the vibe you bring with you not only to class but everywhere you go.

This is an important and often overlooked concept that I was reminded of this week while watching The Oprah Winfrey Show finale. Twenty-five years of ideas, concepts, thoughts, and AHA moments were at her fingertips for the final broadcast and Oprah chose to feature Dr. Jill teachings as one of her greatest lessons learned over the past quarter century. Specifically she said,

"Dr. Taylor sent me a sign that I have hanging in my makeup room. It says,'Please take responsibility for the energy you bring into this space.' And I ask the same thing in my home and at my companies. Thank you, Dr. Taylor, for that simple but powerful lesson.

If it's a big enough concept to make Oprah's last show - it's a big enough concept to play around with on your yoga mat the next time you hit a class at Sol.
Namaste,
Linda

Stretch

2011-05-10T14:06:00.000-04:00

As the practice continued, my body insulted me in many different ways. I couldn't touch my toes. Bending forward over my knees, I caught the faint and unpleasant whiff of my own ass. I hopped and wobbled and stumbled with all the grace of a wounded animal charging through the brush.

And so goes the first ever yoga class Neil Pollack finally agreed to attend after suffering yet another back spasm. His yoga journey is documented in his hilarious book, Stretch: The Unlikely Making of a Yoga Dude.

Like his first yoga teacher:

She explained the simplest poses in very clear language, keeping the pace slow and gentle; she was the perfect teacher for beginners. I was kind of enjoying myself; I'd expected poses with flouncy names, like laughing daisy, or bejeweled vagina, or the infamous happy baby that I'd heard about. Instead, I got masculine ones like warrior and cobra, household objects such as chair and plank and a variety of ordinary-sounding shapes and animals. Nothing made me blush or shrink into myself with embarrassment.

On doing yoga in a gym rather than a yoga studio:

Our setup at Lance Armstrong 24-Hour Fitness didn't match any form of the yogic ideal. We practiced above the basketball court and next to the spinning center, so we often had to compete with full-volume music screaming "DO YOU BELIEVE IN LIFE AFTER LOVE? AFTER LOVE? AFTER LOVE?" This message could, technically, be interpreted as yoga-relevant, but not on repeat for fifty minutes.

There's more. Lots more. Like a serious flatulence problem; yelling "bullshit" in the middle of class after being lectured by a vegan, jivamukti-trained instructor, attending a Bikram sponsored yoga competition and his own quest to become a yoga teacher.

If you love yoga or humor books or if you've simply been interested in a masculine perspective on the practice - pick up a copy. At it's core it's a wonderful memoir of what happens when you give in to the power of yoga and how it can transform your life if you let it.

Confessions

2011-04-27T09:07:00.000-04:00

Check out this great blog post written by Erica Rodefer, a serious yoga student that doesn't always quite make it to her mat each day.

Enjoy!

Yoga Styles

2011-04-13T09:37:00.001-04:00

If you come to Sol Yoga often, you're familiar with vinyasa, gentle, hot and maybe even prenatal yoga styles. Yet, there are so many other yoga forms that are available for you to try:

Ashtanga
Anusara
Bikram
Forrest
Hatha
Hot
Integral
Iyengar
Jivamukti
Kripalu
Kundalini
Moksha
Power
Restorative
Sivananda
Viniyoga
Vinyasa
Yin Yoga

But where to start? How to start? Which ones should you try?

If you're curious as to what style will work for you, take this yoga quiz and see if there's a genre that you should consider being open to. And if you find a style that speaks to you, contact us at Sol Yoga. Besides offering many of the above styles in our weekly class schedule, we have offered workshops focused on other types of yoga in the past (restorative, yin, ashtanga, and power to name a few) and we're more than happy to do it again.

Let us know what you're interested in and we'll see what we can do!

Yoga Surprises

2011-04-08T19:42:00.000-04:00

I came to yoga, three months ago as an injured runner. That description alone, likely tells you where my head was and what kind of stereotype I might be. And so I came to yoga, willingly but reluctantly; embarking on something that might help me “return to my running”. Fortunately, it wasn’t a huge leap because I’d tried a few classes in the past and liked it, but Yoga just never seemed important enough to prioritize and so I never committed. But as an injured runner, yoga became more important than anything and became “the” thing, that carried me through the first few “non-running” months of injury.

I signed up for the 21-day challenge because I was feeling the physical benefits of yoga so far and the runner in me needed a new challenge. I also liked the slogan and the possibility it presented. While I can’t say I’ve gained anything permanent in the way of a changed outlook on life, Yoga has stretched me and relieved pain, it is teaching me to be aware of my body and to be patient, and is giving me the strength and courage to be patient, and somewhere over these 21 days, yoga has become my place to feel good, instead of my “push to recover”. It reminds me daily to accept where I am (which is still challenging) and I think one big revelation I’ve had is that I have realized that I’ve been trying too hard; every day.

While doing yoga, I can sometimes get to a place where I don’t have to try. If I just breathe, that’s good enough and my body will find what it needs. Finally, yoga has surprised me. I am surprised at the satisfaction I take from it. I am surprised that I can still do yoga when I’m physically exhausted. I am surprised that I can start tired and finish feeling awake & strong. I am surprised at the emotions that have come from a standing split or deep forward bend. Finally, yoga has presented my new challenge. Not as a challenge that I need to “conquer” but a challenge to simply be open.

The slogan for the current yoga challenge is “Do more yoga. See what happens.” And that’s basically now, what I’m trying to do every day. I am seeing what happens. On the run. Without the run. During yoga. After yoga. And in between. I am able to run small amounts now and have the best runs when I go with no expectation. Signs that something is changing for me? Multiple times now, I haven’t even wanted to run. And that may not be a bad thing…we’ll see?! For now, I am happy doing more yoga. :)

Kelly B.

Day 17 - Yoga Outside The Studio

2011-04-04T15:40:00.000-04:00

Sunday April 3rd was Day 16 for me (I started a day early, on March 19th). I didn't take a class per se...we had a little teachers' gathering that evening and we did a practice together, so that was mine for the day. ;-)

Earlier in the week I had written an email to DQ that said, "So glad to hear we are practicing on Sun. night...that will count towards my 21 day challenge, right? (I had to ask...I haven't missed a day since March 19th. You can definitely tell from the condition of my house, but I am surprisingly relaxed amid the chaos.)"

Actually, my body is telling me to do more Gentle but most of the classes I can fit in right now are Flow. So I'll just try not to get too crazy.

Monday (today) there will be no way to get to the studio so I'll do a home practice. I have a CD all mixed and ready. I do have a harder time concentrating at home...even if I am by myself (rare), there are so many distractions. So this should be an interesting test of my ability to block out all of that "stuff" and focus on my yoga.

Peace,
Caree

Yoga During The Last 10 Years

2011-04-02T07:34:00.005-04:00

Does anyone remember this issue of Time Magazine?

I do. In fact, I might still have it in a box of yoga articles that I've clipped and saved. I remember the picture. I remember buying this issue. I remember seriously considering Christy Turlington's hair cut at the time and I also remember discussing the article with some family members that wanted to know "what all this yoga shit was about".

What's interesting is that this issue hit newsstands in April of 2001, before the world changed. Before September 11th, back when yoga was in response to our excess, not a saving grace from our new post 9/11 reality.

Due to the power of the internet - you can still read the featured article. In fact, if you have a moment, take the time to put your finger on the pulse of yoga a decade ago so we can discuss what they predicted for yoga versus what actually happened.

Back then, yoga was all the rage because of the famous people doing yoga. I don't think that's changed much. US Weekly will still run a picture of someone famous with a yoga mat strapped to their back. We just aren't surprised by the image as yoga is now a established activity and not something on the fringe.

As a speech therapist, I prescribe a lot of yoga to help improve a patient's voice problem. Ten years ago most folks over 60 thought yoga was a cartoon bear or a New York Yankee. Today my elderly patients have no problem being open to yoga - it's the long drive to Middletown for Mountain Spirit Yoga's Senior Chair Yoga class that they have a problem with. When an 85 year old happily grabs a yoga pamphlet from you - you're officially mainstream.

In 2001, I remember thinking how cool it was going to be now that doctors were hip to the affects of a yoga practice. Per the article...

In 1998 Ornish published a new study, in the American Journal of Cardiology, stating that 80% of the 194 patients in the experimental group were able to avoid bypass or angioplasty by adhering to lifestyle changes, including yoga. He also argued that lifestyle interventions would save money — that the average cost per patient in the experimental group was about $18,000, whereas the cost per patient in the control group was more than $47,000. And this time, Ornish says, he is convinced that "adherence to the yoga and meditation program was as strongly correlated with the changes in the amount of blockage as was the adherence to diet."

Ornish hoped for more than the respect of his peers: he wanted action. "I used to think good science was enough to change medical practice," he says, "but I was naive. Most doctors still aren't prescribing yoga and meditation. We've shown that heart disease can be reversed. Yet doctors are still performing surgery; insurance companies are paying for medication — and they're not paying for diet and lifestyle-change education." (Medicare, however, recently agreed to pay for 1,800 patients taking Ornish's program for reversing heart disease.)

The reality? Only one doctor has told me, on purpose, to practice yoga over the past 10 years. Certainly no one's told me not to practice yoga, but they haven't prescribed it, so to speak, the way they prescribe medicines, further testing or therapy regimens. To be fair, the article predicted this as well...

Why have so few studies tested the efficacy of yoga? For lots of reasons. Those sympathetic to yoga think the benefits are proved by millenniums of empirical evidence in India; those who are suspicious think it can't be proved. (Says Coble: "There seem to be no data to substantiate the argument that yoga can heal.") Further, its effects on the body and mind are so complex and pervasive that it would be nearly impossible to certify any specific changes in the body to yoga. The double-blind test, beloved of traditional researchers, is impossible when one group in a study is practicing healthy yoga; what is the control group to practice — bad yoga? Finally, the traditional funders of studies, the pharmaceutical giants, see no financial payoff in validating yoga: no patentable therapies, no pills. (Ornish's prostate-cancer study was funded by private organizations, including the Michael Milken Foundation.)

I've been associated with Sol Yoga since it's inception either as a volunteer, teacher or staff member. I've had the pleasure of watching numerous people come through the door stressed out only to exit, grounded. Ten years ago I thought for sure the yoga vibe I felt inside the studio was going to find it's way into the minds, hearts and adrenal glands of the average American.

This ritual of relaxation is cresting at a cultural moment when noise and agitation are everywhere. We work longer hours, with TVs and portable radios blaring as the sound track for frantic wage slaves. If a teen isn't trussed to his headphones or plugged into a chat room, it's because his cell phone has just beeped. America is running in place, in the spa or at work. And after Letterman and Clinton, nobody takes the world seriously; everything is up for laughs.

Yet here we are ten years later and we're still a nation of stressed-out crazy people trying to make it through the day. As much as yoga helps the collective, I don't think we've quite evolved to the point where we're living it 24/7 outside of the studio. I think many of us leave it in the studio. Some of us take it to the parking lot with us. Others are fortunate enough to drive yoga home and seat it at the dinner table. A small percentage take it to the work the next day and a few, elite Zen Masters live their yoga day in and day out.

In this modern maelstrom, yoga's tendency to stasis and silence seems at first insane, then inspired. The notion of bodies at rest becoming souls at peace is reactionary, radical and liberating. If it cures nagging backache, swell. But isn't it bliss just to sit this one out, to freeze-frame the frenzy, to say no to all that and om to what may be beyond it, or within ourselves?

During the last decade, I don't think it was yoga that got us out from behind our gas guzzling SUVs - it was gas prices. Yoga didn't get us to downsize our houses, our items, our stuff - the recession did that. Yoga didn't entice us to carve out time to become one with the universe - losing our jobs and having 12 extra hours in our day was the catalyst. Yoga didn't convince us to use it as part of our health and fitness regimen - Madonna's ass did.

Yoga was little known in the U.S. — perhaps only as an enthusiasm of Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and other icons of the Beat Generation — when the Beatles and Mia Farrow journeyed to India to sit at the feet of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1968. Since then, yoga has endured more evolutions of popular consciousness than a morphing movie monster. First it signaled spiritual cleansing and rebirth, a nontoxic way to get high. Then it was seen as a kind of preventive medicine that helped manage and reduce stress. "The third wave was the fitness wave," says Richard Faulds, president of the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, Mass. "And that's about strength and flexibility and endurance."

Perhaps this has been the biggest change of all for yoga these past 10 years. It's not a wave. It's not alternative. It's not even all that cool anymore. It's downright ordinary. It's become a part of the collective, easily accessible to anyone that wants to experience it and morphed to fit our western lifestyles. Finding a yoga studio is as easy as finding a Denny's and because of that we say yes to yoga more often.

Because so many Americans have said yes we now find ourselves unrolling our mats next to a myriad of people with opposing lifestyles, beliefs, politics, and spiritual paths. It has given us the unique opportunity to be a surrounded on all sides by the type of people we'd normally judge and discount. Suddenly people I would have ignored or written off completely are a mere 2 inches from me! Farting near me! His sweat, dripping on MY MAT!! Her manicured nails touching MY THIGH! Her perfume accosting MY NOSE! And there's nothing I can do about it.

Yoga has successfully and slyly, I might add, stripped away the pretense, taken us out of our comfort zone and forced us all to breathe. It has brought a melting pot of people together in studios all over this nation to center themselves, inhale, get grounded and exhale. Yoga doesn't want our obedience, she simply wants our silence. It doesn't occur to her to tell us what to do, how to live, how to be in this world. She trusts that we'll know what to do with whatever comes up on our mats.

Did yoga morph into the first responder for all things medical, spiritual, physical and psychological as predicted? Absolutely not. Have more Americans have been freed up to consider her than ever before? Absolutely. Wonder what she'll be up to ten years from now?

Namaste,
Linda

Surrender

2011-03-29T05:00:00.002-04:00

But the process isn't automatic. Especially in their first sessions, yoga students may have trouble suppressing those competitive beta waves. We want to better ourselves, but also to do better than others; we force ourselves into the gym-rat race. "Genuine Hatha yoga is a balance of trying and relaxing," says Dr. Timothy McCall, an internist and the author of Examining Your Doctor: A Patient's Guide to Avoiding Harmful Medical Care. "But a lot of gym yoga is about who can do this really difficult contortion to display to everyone else in the class." The workout warriors have to realize that yoga is more an Athenian endeavor than a Spartan one. You don't win by punishing your body. You convince it, seduce it, talk it down from the ledge of ambition and anxiety. Yoga is not a struggle but a surrender.

From the article, The Power Of Yoga.

We like to think that yoga at a yoga studio is better than yoga at a gym. Certainly it's different as the focus and overall vibe is different but more people in general are getting trained as yoga instructors rather than simply watching a few tapes and incorporating yoga into their teaching repertoire. I'm guessing that there are lots of great yoga teachers working in gyms across the US.

What is different is the type of student that comes to a yoga studio, but I've noticed over the years that that is changing as well. It used to be that yoga intimidated a full-blooded gym rat from entering the Om Zone: The chanting; The sanskrit; The need for a pedicure; The not knowing what to wear or the proper etiquette of a class. So folks unsure of what to do that were uncomfortable asking would hang mainly at the gym, buy some yoga tapes and piece together their yoga experience. Where as traditional yoga studios were mainly filled with granola crunching, alternative medicine using, meditators that unrolled their mats without an attachment to the outcome.

But now, more and more people of various ages and genders proudly walk into a studio for the first time, unroll their mat and figure it out on the fly. They email us questions. They call to enquire about beginner classes. They buy our Just For You Package for 1:1 instruction or our 2 Week Unlimited Package and try out lots of different teachers and classes. The tough part for today's new yogi isn't choosing to enter the Om Zone - it's leaving the competitive nature of the gym mentality outside the studio when then do. Some do it gloriously and a yoga studio is like coming home to their authentic nature. Others struggle with this crazy idea of listening to their bodies and releasing expectations.

It would be easy to blame the gym for this but if we're really being honest here, this competitive nature isn't a gym thing - it's an American thing. It's an "I only want the best" thing combined with an "I want the most for my money" thing added to an "I want the quickest results possible" thing which doesn't leave a lot of room for any amount of surrender.

And if were really, really, really being honest here - granola crunching, alternative medicine using yogis can be JUST as competitive as any gym rat that's new to the studio. They begin to advance their practice and become so excited about their newfound abilities that they forget to listen to their bodies and adjust the practice as needed. They only go to the "hard classes" and only take class from the "really tough teachers" and suddenly they're the most competitive folks in the room. So consider this a friendly reminder. Whether you've been doing yoga since BEFORE Madonna or if you did your first down dog last week...Yoga is a not a struggle but a surrender.

Give in. Relax. Roll with it. Remember the words of the great T.K.V. Desikachar, We begin were we are and how we are and whatever happens, happens. This quote is on Sol Yoga's home page for a reason. It probably should be painted on the walls of our studios as well.

Whatever happens, happens. It's a gift that you give yourself. Surrender to the process and see what happens. Be open to what happens. Be grateful for what happens. Be non-judgemental about what happens. Enjoy what happens. Accept what happens. Do that and you're a true yogi no matter your skill level or years of experience.

Namaste,
Linda

Yoga For Infertility

2011-03-27T16:41:00.000-04:00

I started my 21-Day Yoga Challenge early due to the fact that my husband and I are currently going through an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle and my egg retrieval will occur during the first week of April. I started Monday, March 7 and my 21st day is today - March 27. I attended 21 classes (all but 3 at Sol). The other three were Yoga for Fertility classes held in Rockville, MD at Pulling Down the Moon (PDtM). My husband and I have also been meditating as we lay in bed at night. We bought a package of meditations from Circle+Bloom that are for those going through IVF and each day of the stimulation medications that you have to inject daily and continue through the two-week waiting period to determine whether the pregnancy test is positive.

The first week of the 21-Day Yoga Challenge I attended higher level classes and by the end of the week I was exhausted. I was also battling a head cold and really had a tough time putting my head down in Child's Pose, which is supposed to be our home base and where we go when we need a rest. I could not even do that fully or my head would pound. I started to attend some gentle classes and what I found is sometimes they are even harder than the higher level classes because we really focus on holding certain poses and to get the alignment right.

Although Day 21 has come and gone, I am planning on continuing my daily practice, as who knows what the next day will bring. I may not be able to attend class during some of my upcoming days of our IVF cycle but I can still continue with the IVF meditation that we have been doing since our cycle began. This 21-Day Yoga Challenge has really kept my mind steady and ready for the long road ahead of us. It also has provided me with a schedule - I now leave work early enough to ensure I make it to yoga in time. In the past, I would just say - I guess I cannot make it today when I did not leave on time. I have now made it a priority. Again, I know that I may not be able to keep this up especially when our dream of having a family becomes reality, but I am going to try and take it one day at a time and see what happens. It is what it is and I am not going to focus on what may be. It will be realized as the days carry on.

Finally, I am very excited at the prospect of a new calling for me. I obviously cannot give up my day job but I have found something I am passionate about - Yoga and Fertility. I will be starting Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) in June and I realize that one of the areas I would like to focus is Yoga for Fertility/Prenatal Yoga. In fact, during my first Yoga for Fertility class, the teacher had us go around the room and tell our stories and why we were there as well as our yoga experience. I indicated that I was doing the challenge and would be doing YTT with Sol in the Summer. After the class and at my next acupuncture appointment (also for fertility), she asked if I would like to be her apprentice at PDtM, as she was looking for someone to help her with the Yoga for Fertility and Prenatal classes. I have a new found energy in me and really see this Spring as new beginnings for me and my family.

Thank you Sol for providing this opportunity to your students.

Namaste,

Keri

Yoga Challenge Update

2011-03-26T20:00:00.000-04:00

Today I did my best crow EVER! And more than once. My arms are a little sore right now but I
think it's from all the down dogs, not from crow. :-) Annie filled in for Linda and it was great.

I am on Day 5 of the challenge...kicked it off with Dorcas and Kristina's 3 hour flow class on Sunday. Planning to hit Marge's New Market class Fri night. Maybe family yoga on Sat. for a change of pace. [My son and I went to family yoga last Sat. and he loved it.]

Peace...
Caree

Chaturanga Dandasana

2011-03-23T14:14:00.000-04:00

Did you know that Yoga Journal has lots of great information on how to properly perform a pose? For example, Chatarunga Dandasana is illustrated here. If you expand all of the notes at the bottom you can learn tips, modifications, and most importantly contraindications.

Notice how the elbow and shoulder are level and the pelvis is up, not sagging down towards the mat? This is a proper Chatarunga that you can easily achieve once you have enough arm and core strength.

Sadly, I see a lot of improper Chatarungas when I teach. I think students feel like they're "cheating" if they put their knees down. NONSENSE! You're simply being kind to your low back and shoulders and avoiding injury until you're strong enough to do it properly. As a person currently rehabing a rotator cuff injury - trust me when I tell you that it's okay to lower your knees.

Remember every day on the mat is different. You might have great form on Monday only to need a modification on Tuesday. Or perhaps the first half of the class your Chatarunga is precise only to become misaligned later in the practice. Relax - that's what modifications are for. Speaking of which, here's a great video of the way to modify your chatarunga.

Keep this in mind and use it when you need it. Your shoulders and back will love you for it!

Namaste,
Linda

Join Our 21 Day Challenge

2011-03-20T09:32:00.001-04:00

Today we begin another 21 Day Challenge at Sol Yoga. Our staff challenge in January went so well, we decided to offer it again, this time for our students. To make it cost effective we're offering a special $99 monthly package which allows you 1 class per day in which to find 21 days in a row to "Do More Yoga and See What Happens".

If you take on this challenge, we want to hear from you. Tell us about your experience and give us insight into your journey by add to our blog or talking to us on Facebook or Twitter.

Enjoy the journey!
Namaste,
The Sol Yoga Crew

Don’t Quit

2011-02-25T15:41:00.000-05:00

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit ---

Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many fellow turns about

When he might have won had he stuck it out

Don’t give up though the pace seems slow ---

You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than

It seems to a faint and faltering man;

Often the struggler has given up

When he might have captured the victor’s cup;

And he learned too late when the night came down

How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out ---

The silver tine of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems afar;

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit ---

It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit.

J. Rellena

Acceptance

2011-02-22T13:49:00.000-05:00

Quitting my job last summer seems to have been a great decision that sent my life out of balance. Ever since then, it feels like each day is an internal struggle-- no money but lots of freedom, babysitting gigs but no Saturday night, loads of freedom to do or be whatever I want but no idea how to fund what I want to do or be, discovering that we didn't need as much money as we thought but not having as much money as I want to buy a house and start a family. I could go on and on. And I recognize that that's pretty much what life will always be -- so I've been trying to accept where I am and just live in my present life.

Our world makes that pretty difficult but I think I would be in a worse place if it wasn't for the practice that yoga allows. It teaches to stay in the pose you're in and not think about where you're going next, to know if I really should be in child's pose or if I'm just being lazy, to discover that the leg that is usually the strongest, is suddenly weaker than the other. And to accept that your right leg is so incredibly wobbly that you can't stand on just it, let alone raise your hand in the air and open your hip into Half Moon.

Despite that difficulty, last Friday night I DID accept a newly-found wobbliness in my right leg. And I was not getting frustrated, even though I couldn't hold a modified version of the pose for even one breath. Truly, I was OK with it. I figured there was a good reason my right leg needed a break and I wasn't going to get mad at it. I set both legs, steady on the ground, took a deep breath and just as I was about to give it another go, Dorcas appeared beside me, lifted up my left leg, leaned against my right hip and held me in Half Moon. For several moments my friend and teacher supported me with her body while I breathed. It was wonderful. I relaxed into my body until she set me down gently. Just when I was able to accept where I was and not get angry or frustrated, a friend came along and lent me her strength and balance.

I hope that I can remember that feeling for my life. I'm pretty sure I won't be that patient and balanced all the time but each time I am, I will add to the percentage of my life when I am present and breathing, rather than forcing myself to do things I shouldn't or planning for my next move.

Once again I am thankful for yoga and the teachers and friends at Sol.

Amanda Mizeur

Recipe of the Month: Easy Beans and Greens

2011-02-18T12:15:00.002-05:00

Recipe of the Month: Easy Beans and Greens
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2-3 servings

Ingredients:
1 can black beans (or pinto, red, kidney—your choice)
1 bunch collard greens (or kale, spinach—your choice)
your favorite toppings, such as salsa, avocado or guacamole and sour cream

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, heat drained beans. Add your favorite seasonings, if desired.
2. Fill a separate medium saucepan with 1-2 inches of water and bring to a boil.
3. Wash and chop greens (you can use the stems, too) and add to boiling water.
4. Cook for 2-3 minutes until greens are bright green and tender. Drain off water.
5. On a plate, arrange a portion of the greens, top with a portion of the beans and finish with toppings of your choice.

Yoga Shows Up

2011-02-14T06:00:00.002-05:00

This challenge turned out to be very different from what I anticipated. My office manager went out on maternity leave and my work schedule increased by leaps and bounds leaving little opportunity to break away for a class at Sol. But as it turned out - I found that I actually do practice every day - whether it's at home or during a mid-day break at work, even if I can't get to Sol. So that was the good news, but I am anxious to get back to class at Sol when my schedule changes.

And just in case there was someone else out there who disliked the journaling as much as me - let me share that that part of the challenge wasn't very successful for me. I never could bring myself to blog about my experience and think I'm probably not alone in that, but when I read all the pretty words others shared I didn't think so.

Donna Grim

The Lesson Of The Challenge

2011-02-13T06:00:00.001-05:00

Thanks Dorcas for creating another opportunity for folks to support each other on the path & to remember we need each other & are not alone. Thanks for creating the challenge to develop daily practices that will help us stay on the path and recognize sooner when we have fallen off. And it's not so much how much we practice but what we learn from the practices. That the asanas teach us how to stay grounded and flexible when things get rough. To breathe and stay, ride the wave til the difficulty subsides or passes. And how to not be so attached to things and reactive, to practice being silent & still so we can do it off the mat.

Thanks everyone, for walking with me.

Blissings

Julie

Honoring Our Intuition When Teaching

2011-02-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

Back to when I was a novice Yoga teacher in my own studio, I wanted everyone to like Yoga, and I felt very pushed to modify the format of my class to accommodate a few very vocal students about what they wanted. Even though I risked losing these students, I held my ground and maintained the level and format which is why everyone else had come to the class in the first place.

Some left, most didn't and the class was as I wanted it to be. At one time I asked a student to leave a Gentle class that I taught at a gym because she was flipping around with her own advanced asanas that were unsafe and wouldn't follow my class directions. So when a 20 something took Gentle a few weeks ago and said it was good, calming and spiritual..... EXCEPT I needed to throw in some Vinyasa to make it great, I just smiled and suggested she take a flow class from the many classes offered at SY.

Debra

Acceptance With Effort

2011-02-11T06:00:00.001-05:00

I will be honest,I did not get to yoga every day, but I really tried and did asanas almost every day which is more than usual. I practiced breathing when driving so I wouldn't flip the bird at the idiot in front of me, I tried using the mantra "acceptance with effort" with my 16 year-old twins. My twins, (one boy, one girl) both lovely, but for so many reasons that I won't go into here, fill me up with a love and anxiety that is overwhelming. The idea that I need to try when effort will make a difference and accept when there is nothing within my control has been huge.

I listened to music that calmed me instead of pumping me up. I thought about the practice of yoga and what it has taught me over the last few years. I know I came up short because I am still impatient and annoyed and worried at times, but I am glad I made yoga more of a daily presence in my life and not just something I do when I volunteer at the studio.

~ Patty

Thoughts About The Challenge

2011-02-10T07:26:00.000-05:00

My fellow yoginis.

On my mat.

With my eyes closed....
My eyes are open

I'm sad that it's ending
So glad that I started

Completely grounded
Yet my heart has wings

I love the way I feel today
I miss the person I was yesterday

Tomorrow isn't here
A gift waiting to be unwrapped

Moving forward
Yet still looking back

Sukha, Sthira
Finding the balance

Embracing the challenge
And letting it go

Words are not enough
To express how I feel

But I think you know.....

~S

10 Great Ways To Use Pesto

2011-02-09T16:24:00.000-05:00

What is pesto and how do I use it? Pesto is generally made with bits of basil, garlic, salt, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts and olive oil. Pesto is actually very easy to make, but you can buy it in any grocery store too. If you do make it on your own the great news is that pesto freezes exceptionally well, so you can make a big batch and store it for future use. A quick word of caution: Don't overuse pesto — it can be quite overpowering. If you’re unfamiliar with where to use it, here’s a slew of ideas to get you going:

1. Pesto Bread: Just a smear of pesto and you’ve got a great variation on garlic bread. These take just 25 minutes to make from top to bottom and would make a great dinner appetizer, too.

2. Green Pizza: Pesto on pizza is just a natural. Don't even worry about making the pizza at home, you can just as easily jazz-up your take-out pizza with a spritz of pesto for added flavor and cool color.

3. Pesto Pasta Salad: Hot or cold pasta will gather some great flavor with the addition of some pesto.

4. Grilled Shrimp: Fire up your indoor grill or BBQ if you’ve got one, and brush on a bit of pesto for a pretty and healthy dish. Just a few minutes of work yields an inventive twist on ordinary shrimp.

5. Pesto Steak: A little of the green stuff goes a long way on a steak.

6. Potatoes: Whether baked or mashed, pesto is a delightful twist on the ordinary

7. White Bean Pesto Dip: Puree some canned white beans with a dallop of pesto for a creamy dip for crudités.

8. Marinade: Pesto rocks as a marinade on either chicken or fish. This same recipe can be used for either one.

9. Scrambled Eggs: Add some punch to tiresome eggs with a touch of pesto and you’re on your way to an appealing variation that will add some energy to breakfast.

10. Soup: Don’t think I’m kidding you for one minute. If you haven’t heard of pesto soup, then you’re certainly missing out.

Final Thoughts: Pesto can be made in lots of different ways (and comes in plenty of variations as well), so you don’t have to stick to the basil recipe above by any means. You’ll see versions with parsley, sundried tomatoes (often called red pesto), red peppers, spinach and on and on. Let your imagination run wild.

Written By Samantha Neier

Beyond The 21 Day Challenge

2011-02-08T13:50:00.000-05:00

The 21 Day Challenge is slowly coming to an end this week. Staff members were giving a month and asked to pick a 21 day time span to "do more yoga and see what happens". Most have completed their journey, myself included, which leaves me to ask, "What's next?"

Before, I look toward the future, perhaps a recap is in order.

Do More Yoga. Check. I did more yoga. 21 days of yoga.

See What Happens. Check. A lot happened.

Physically, I'm sore but I can reach things that I couldn't reach before, like having fingers that touch now when I attempt certain binds and I got further along in my quest to get into Bakasana than ever before. My core strength improved as well.

I stole a lot of great teaching ideas from all the teachers I've been taking class from. I'm not going to lie. I did it. But hey, imitation is the biggest form of flattery, right? Consider it a compliment if you notice something strangely familiar when you come to my classes.

But mostly, a lot of what happened, happened in my head and frankly, it's all jumbled up. Here's a small sampling of the random thoughts that popped up over the course of 3 weeks?
What the hell is up with my left leg today?
Is she serious? Jump from down dog into crow?
I wish we could speed this up.
Hello? Can we slow this down a tad?
Cool song.
Nice flow from Crescent Lunge into Eagle.
Sweet adjustment.
Maybe I should give more time for my students to explore their down dog?
One more chatarunga and I might just collapse.
Lets try knees down.
Lets try just heading straight to down dog.
Child's pose is probably best at this point.
That taco before class was a bad idea.
Yes...half pigeon..give me 10 breaths, mama.
Is that smell me? Naw, it's her. Nope, it's me. Maybe it's him. Oh hell, I don't know?
Trikonasana - nice.
I wonder where she got those yoga pants?
What the hell was I thinking picking this pair of underwear?
Eagle crunches - are you shitting me?
I survived Eagle crunches, I ROCK!
Is that shooting pain coming from my deltoid or lateral tricep?
Ice or heat?
I'd kill for a hair tie right now.
This savasana is wild - I wonder if this is what a drug trip feels like?
How can that lady be 20 years older than me, but have the body of someone 20 years younger?
I think farts should be like sneezes and coughs - no harm, no foul (except the odor) - get back to the practice, genius.
I'm not mad that someone's phone keeps vibrating, but now I'm concerned. The caller must be in some serious trouble to call every 30 seconds.
Nice "OM" - was someone harmonizing?

Keep in mind, that was a SAMPLING!

So what's next?

Clearly, heading to the studio daily isn't an option right now. My kids were annoyed. Dinner time suffered. Yet when I do yoga at home, it never feels close to how it feels when I take class at the studio. The great part of going daily was that I was forced to take what worked with my schedule which forced me by default to get a variety. No matter what class, style, type or teacher, I found that by simply being open to the experience, I got exactly what I needed, often times not realizing that I needed it until later.

When I pick and choose my yoga, based on preference, I think I miss out. My ego gets involved and I hit a flow class when I truly need gentle. Or my fear gets involved and I avoid an advanced class when that's exactly what's missing.

I did more yoga only to realize that I need more yoga. I also realized that it might be next to impossible for my practice to truly be a moving meditation instead of a freak show of constant mental commentary. Maybe a quiet mind will never be in the cards for me and honestly, I'm okay with that. Who knows, maybe the mental chatter that occurs during the practice is the outlet I need for my mind to be quiet and focus during the rest of my day?

So I guess, that's what's next. Keep doing more yoga and keep seeing what happens!

Who's with me?

Dream A Little Dream

2011-02-02T17:07:00.001-05:00

Dorcas and Erin S. were my teachers at my last class. But this class felt different for some reason. Students were from my running club at work and other colleagues from the Baltimore area, that I know don’t practice yoga. Throughout the practice, I was busily being instructed by DQ & ES and I wondered what was going on. They both replied “you’re going to teach a class later tonight”.

To my amazement I found myself at the evening class with a room full of students, I didn’t feel nervous, but only a calm energy ready to flow. I thought to myself, no past, no present, no problems, just in the moment. We started our breath and into our first sun salutation we went …

I looked at the clock and it was 2:48AM.

“Wow!” I said to myself, I haven’t remembered a dream in such a long time and this one was clear as day.

I’m not sure what the dream meant, but it might hint that someday I might be teaching yoga or it may just be a result of the 21 day challenge because I had the dream on the 21st evening of doing yoga. I was fortunate to be at the January 10, 2011 flow 2-3 class to hear about the challenge. I thought the challenge would be interesting since I typically practice two to three times a week between the studio and my home. I thought, “What’s the harm in doing 21 days straight?” The first five days were great, but I was concerned that I would not be able to continually practice during the 1st weekend. I had taken my family for a long weekend to Massanutten for some indoor water park and snowboarding fun.

Day 6: Saturday was a full day at the water park with Max and our friend’s three kids. I found some time to go on the Flowrider – an indoor controlled wave where you can body surf. This would be my second time in my life on this thing with the first try a couple years ago. The line was long and after watching all the riders in front of me wipe out or almost lose their bathing suits, it was my turn. The life guard asked me "Have you done this before?" as I responded "yes" I gently took hold of the board. It all came back to me and off I went. I was able to do several rolls, board throws, knee jumps. I was in the moment. The whistle blew and my run came to an end. Wow! What a ride. After a full day at the water park, I was physically and mentally tired but able to mediate for 30 minutes (yoga & the mind).

Sunday was dedicated to 8-hours of learning to snowboard. Max gave up after two hours of lessons and decided he wanted to go back to the condo. I decided to stay on the bunny slopes to practice my “J” and “S” –turns. The third hour I was ready as was my group to head to the bigger hills. The next several hours were fun, exhilarating and at times painful. The snow feels pretty hard when you fall down at speed. At the end of the evening I felt like I had been in a really tough brawl. My body was sore from head to toe with bumps and bruises. I made myself do a ½ hour flow practice with my new yoga toes I got in my stocking this year and Baron Baptiste. He’s on my phone and ready at a moment’s notice. I was expecting to stay sore, but after I was done, my soreness had dissipated (yoga & the body).

When I watch my dog wake up, I see him do his downward and up dogs perfectly. And I always tell him “Good down or up dog”. No one had to teach him this, it just comes naturally. I have been practicing yoga a few times a week for the past 21 months and now after doing the 21 day challenge; I continue to practice every day. I now feel that yoga comes naturally to me as if I’ve been doing it for much longer.

Yoga has transformed my mind and the way I look at things, my body in it’s abilities and most importantly my spirit to be at peace.

Thank you Dorcas and the Sol community for this challenge, it’s no longer a challenge, it is yoga, it is life.

Namaste ~
Glenn E

Day 21!

2011-02-01T13:57:00.002-05:00

Yesterday's class was a great way to achieve my 21-day benchmark. It was a packed class and I felt very connected to the Sol Yoga community. I had help from the multiple, smiley, chatty volunteers and staff members who were there. I was deeply moved by the music the teacher chose, and shared a lovely moment with a friend and teacher on the mat by my side. The level of flow was just a tad sweaty and left me feeling warm and strong. Yesterday, yoga DID work for me.

I connected to a physical, spiritual and communal energy and hope that the 25 other people in class shared some of that positive feeling. It was a joyous experience for me and continues to have a residual calming effect today, a day later. And that is a great thing for me, while I struggle to find a paycheck, a job, a career to support my life and future. It isn't easy and I feel frustrated and down at least once a week. This daily practice of yoga provides an outlet and balance for this tough time.

I am grateful, once again, for Sol Yoga, its teachers, its students and its affect on my life.

Namaste,
Amanda Mizeur

Day 21 Of The Challenge

2011-01-31T08:29:00.001-05:00

I always struggle with good byes or maybe it's transitions. I like the comfort of being where I am. Actually, I think it's more like my mind likes the comfort of the status quo. What I have noticed is that when I move my body and my breath my mind tends to become less bossy. The 21 day challenge has reinforced how yoga, for me, is about befriending my whole being and experiencing the integration of body, mind, breath. It's about bringing more balance to my whole being and giving my brain a rest!! I love how yoga works. It just works. With much gratitude to the Sol Yoga community for creating this opportunity and for sharing this experience.
Donna B

Desire

2011-01-29T21:47:00.004-05:00

Yoga is always more than meets the eye. and more than meets the mind. Its a deep practice that reveals itself in proportion to ones willingness to look inward. it occured to me last night that the 21 day yoga challenge is simply and exercise in authenticity, mindfulness and dedication. and none of those things are easy all the time.

for me, i WANT to practice physical yoga everyday. if i could do yoga twice per day, everyday, that would be a dream come true. i desire to have that space. to feel the endorphins run around in my body. to feel vital and alive and fantastic. BUT, i can't have it right now. this is reality and it creates a great inner struggle. i wrestle with letting go of desire. letting go of attachment to what used to be. adjusting my expectations to be more realistic to what is presently available to me. accepting that as a householder, in this phase of my life, that i can not be so selfish.

what CAN i do? what is my yoga today? how can i be genuine, mindful and dedicated to life today? mat or no mat, this practice serves me everywhere.

21 days of yoga. simple yes. easy, no. not today.

My 21 Day Yoga Challenge Breakthrough

2011-01-29T06:00:00.001-05:00

Last Friday I stopped doing yoga for the weekend and I let go of my ego about not doing it (it is not the end of the world). I let what was going to happen, happen.

My breakthrough moment was on Sunday. I went for a massage with a good friend and she was concerned as to how tight I was. I was a physical mess. Everything was tight. I’m talking about my shoulders, back, quads, hamstrings and even my jaw. Every time the massage therapist touched me it hurt. Yet I got off the table and felt as though I was made of rubber. I feel like I relaxed for the first time in weeks. I felt like I could fall asleep right then and there. I was exhausted.

I realized that my body had been telling me it was having issues but I wasn't listening. I was so focused on trying to do yoga for 21 days along with everything else that needed to get done, that I wasn’t being very yogic at all. When I was in a yoga class, I thought all was good. In retrospect I now realize I wasn't relaxing my shoulders down my back. Instead I was physically putting my shoulders there using muscles, thus, creating more tension. I realized that the pitta in me was so high that my eczema had come back to haunt me. Sadly, I knew it was there but chose to ignore it because I was so busy.

Everything has seemed so much more manageable since that hour on Sunday, and I booked another hour for Wednesday. Also, I decided that I could push through with doing yoga for 21 days consecutively but I had to be aware of what I wanted to achieve by doing it to insure that where I end up is a good yogic place to be.

This morning I did some gentle asana practice for 15 minutes. I chose to focus on gentle yoga because I’ve discovered that I need more gentle yoga in my life to counteract the pitta in me.

So I’m happy to report there has been a little break through in my life during this 21 Day Yoga Challenge. Hope it’s going well for you too.

Namaste,

Anonymous

Just Breathe

2011-01-28T06:00:00.001-05:00

Life can throw us a curve ball and how we respond to that curve ball is what matters.

Historically, I react, I shut down and I use life's difficulties as an excuse not to practice yoga, exercise or have a quiet time. I have been practicing not to react, shut down, etc. and instead take a breath, trust and move forward.

Last week, life through me a curve ball and I promised myself I would take one day at a time. I practiced yoga (with Baron Baptiste) with my 80 year old father practically on my mat watching me (also - I look behind me and he's attempting to do airplane pose, thankfully using two chairs!) and had a wonderful walking meditation around a lake. I felt energized and calm and it helped me through a difficult week.

All we can do is breathe, be present and trust God. This is my mantra for 2011!

Submitted by 21 Day Yoga Challenger, Alice MacWha

Food Journaling Insights

2011-01-27T06:00:00.002-05:00

Taking the time to stop and record my daily food intake has not only made me more mindful of what I am eating, but has also curbed my tendency to eat quickly between daily tasks. Sometimes I get so busy in my day that eating has felt like almost an inconvenience. What an irrational and backwards way of looking at food! How different would we feel physically and emotionally if we planned our day around one of the most vital aspects of our ability to thrive, instead of squeezing it in between everything else?

In my food journaling I have also noticed that my hurried relationship with food results in my hunger level always skyrocketing toward a 5 out of 5 just one or two hours after I've eaten. If I calm the excessive fire of my "go! go! go!" Pitta ways I won't burn through my fuel as quickly. Slowing down to eat and planning to sit calmly while I consume, allows me to fully absorb my food, leaving me better nourished, satiated, and satisfied.

L. H.
Submitted on day 14 of Yoga Challenge

Yoga At The Crossroads

2011-01-26T06:00:00.002-05:00

I am at a crossroads in my life. Maybe it's not really a crossroads. Maybe it's a junction. Maybe it's neither. It's just a journey that veered from the expected path.

We all start out in this life with no expectations of what's to come. It's a process, a continued path to whatever it may lead. Yoga can help us get to whatever that place is. It grounds us. It provides balance and strength and solidifies in my mind that the journey is progressing in the direction that provides peace and joy and happiness.

Namaste,
Janet

Falling Down

2011-01-25T15:30:00.002-05:00

Last week's 21 Day Yoga Challenge update was all about the anger. If you remember, the heat flowing through me was bubbling up all sorts of negativity. On the mat with every failed attempt at doing crow pose and off the the mat as well.

This week, however, it's all about compassion.

I'd like to tell you that I intuitively knew that I needed a gentle class for the start of week two. Truth is, I was afraid to go to the Flow 2-3 class. By choosing gentle I got exactly what I needed: A reading by Donna during savasana that put my yoga practice and myself into perspective. I was specifically inspired by the following lines:

Don’t think that one day the whole world will be enlightened. It is not possible. There will always be people who are still learning. When you understand the world, and realize your own true nature, you get the diploma.

Interesting idea. I thought the people of planet Earth would continue to become more and more enlightened, evolving centuries from now into compassionate beings who calmly solve their problems and openly communicate with one another. It never occurred to me that the unenlightened always needed to be there to balance out the enlightened inhabitants of a future universe.

"Hmm..." I thought as I rolled up to end the class in sukasana, "If the world will always be like this, then it only makes sense that I will always be like this as well."

The next day I hit another gentle class, this one a little more physical than the night before. Jan guided me through a series of slow, flowing poses that allowed me to truly inhabit my body. I could literally feel the activation and strength of my muscles. By giving us the opportunity to repeat poses 2-3 times each, I could feel the space being created within my frame.

By the time we reached the apex of the practice, a sense of calm come over me. I felt very present. The anger was gone and replaced with a little bit of compassion mixed with a splash of non-judgment.

Compassion: Sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it.
Nonjudgmental: Avoiding judgments based on one's personal and especially moral standards.

This occurred because I was open to utilizing modifications (having a desire to alleviate my body's distress) without judging myself for needing to modify in the first place. Because a gentle class by nature is slower, the modifications allowed me the luxury of occupying the poses and exploring them fully. These two days of exploration gave me the confidence to hit another 2-3 class.

I unrolled my mat to find that Erin Edwards was teaching. I'm not going to lie. My first thought was, "She's going kick my ass." But oddly, I was okay with it. I knew that balasana was at my disposal and since I lived in a world and a body that was never going to be fully enlightened, my job was to merely try. If my ass got kicked around a little in the process, so be it.

An amazing thing happened that evening. Sure the postures were advanced and yes, it was suggested on more than one occasion that I try poses I haven't yet mastered, but it was done so in a wonderfully, easy going, manner. Erin's focus was on joy and happiness. She played music that had a bit of a pep and because she uses a calm voice when she teaches, there wasn't a feeling of being rushed. Just like the gentle classes of the previous evenings, I was able to inhabit, explore and experience the more advanced poses.

For me, the entire second week of the challenge was about exploration. In seven days I had 6 different teachers and took 5 distinct styles of yoga (Flow-n-Go, Flow 1-2, Flow 2-3, Gentle and Hot). The only common thread was that all 6 of these teachers, chose to lead their students in a slow and deliberate manner. This was the gift yoga gave me last week. The gift to go inward.

I postulated in my last post that if I kept peeling back the layers, underneath the anger I would find sadness. I'll admit, I had a few tears during savasana on Tuesday evening but after a quick release they were gone and replaced with an overwhelming feeling of serenity.

Which means that now I'm really nervous. Is this feeling simply the calm of week two before the storm of week three? I ask because I'm writing this on day 16 of the challenge. The day after Dorcas pushed me to my edge at last night's 2-3 class. The day after I was put through the paces of so many vinyasa flows I feared I might turn into Michael Douglas' character in the movie, Falling Down, where he plays a stressed out Defense Department worker that psychologically snaps.

Up, down, up, down. I thought it would never end. Up for a pose, then down for the vinyasa, then back up for a pose, sink in to it - hold it - hold it - sink deeper - hold it - sink a littler more - keep breathing - then back down through the vinyasa. As the heat began to flow through me and the room, I feared my anger would once again rear it's ugly head.

Instead, an interesting thing happened. The anger of week one, mixed with the compassion of week two, transformed into humor.

The class although exhausting, was fun. Instead of allowing the heaviness of anger to inhabit my body, the lightness of invigoration took hold instead. Rather than hating a pose that challenged me, I chose to play and explore it.

Which leads us to crow.

I knew it was coming. Rarely does bakasana not show up in a 2-3 class. And thanks to Jaime jokingly announcing that I didn't want to do crow at the start of the practice, I knew DQ was going to throw it in - often. She had that look in her eye.

The first time she announced it, I started to laugh and gave it a shot. Lifting the left toe is easy. It's keeping the right toe off the ground that gives me trouble. Then she told us to jump back into chatarunga (which I didn't) before she asked us to jump from chatarunga back into crow (yeah, right). I didn't jump but I tried crow for a second time and once again, I lifted my right toe only to have it quickly touch down yet again, but this time, I was breathing while I did it.

Then our third opportunity to do crow arose. I took a breath, planted my hands, pressed my knees firmly against the outside of my elbows, tilted forward, set my gaze, exhaled, and then....

My left arm gave out.

I fell down. Hard. Right smack dab on the top of my left knee. It could've been worse. I could've fallen on my face.

Last night was tough. But it was also fun. Jaime and I shared quite a few giggles in the back of the room. It was sweaty. Parts of it were insane. It was yoga. Maybe not a complete union of my mind, body and spirit, but one that yoked my compassion with my anger, allowing the humor to shine through.

Crow still sucks. But it sucks less and after last night, I've officially changed my crow goal. I don't just want to keep my toe up. I want to laugh while keeping my toe up.

Who knows? Maybe that's what's been missing all along?

Until next time,

Linda

Quinoa

2011-01-25T14:05:00.003-05:00

Pressed for time? Need a quick and easy meal? Cook once, and eat twice. Make dinner tonight and feast on leftovers for days, with quinoa.

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) has the highest nutritional profile and cooks the fastest of all grains. It is an extremely high-energy grain and has been grown and consumed for about 8,000 years on the high plains of the Andes Mountains in South America. The Incas were able to run such long distances at such a high altitude because of this powerful grain.

Characteristics

Contains all eight amino acids to make it a complete protein
Has a protein content equal to milk
High in B vitamins, iron, zinc, potassium, calcium & vitamin E
Gluten-free; easy to digest
Ideal food for endurance
Strengthens the kidneys, heart, and lungs

Uses

When quinoa is cooked, the outer germ surrounding the seed breaks open to form a crunchy coil while the inner grain becomes soft and translucent. This double texture makes it delicious, versatile and fun to eat. To save time, cook a lot of quinoa at once and eat it many times. Quinoa can be reheated with a splash of soy or nut milk for breakfast porridge; you can add dried fruit, nuts and cinnamon for a sweet treat. Add finely chopped raw vegetables and dressing for a cooling salad or add chopped cooked root vegetables for a warming side dish. Store dry, uncooked quinoa in a cool, dry, dark place in a tightly closed glass jar for up to one year.

Preparation
Before cooking, quinoa must be rinsed to remove the toxic (but naturally occurring) bitter coating, called saponin. Saponin, when removed from quinoa, produces a soapy solution in water. Quinoa is normally rinsed before it is packaged and sold, but it is best to rinse again at home before use. Place quinoa in a grain strainer and rinse thoroughly with water.

Recipe
Quinoa and Mushroom Skillet

Quinoa might be considered a “superfood” for its superb protein content, but it’s the unique nutty flavor of the tiny grain that wins cooks over. Try serving this accompanied by a salad of green and white cabbage with sliced apples, tossed in a ranch-style dressing.

Ingredient List

Serves 6

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium-sized red onion, quartered and thinly sliced

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

2 cups vegetable or mushroom stock

10 to 12 oz. cremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced

Directions

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 5 minutes.

Stir in quinoa, and cook, stirring often, 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Pour in stock.

Stir in mushrooms, cover and cook 15 minutes, or until stock is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper; serve hot.

For more info on healthy eating, contact Holistic Health Counselor, Samantha Neier.

Yoga Outside The Studio

2011-01-25T06:48:00.001-05:00

Last weekend I traveled to the Quad Cities (you get a prize if you know where that is) for my Uncle's funeral. Though the circumstances were sad, it was nice to see my extended family and travel to my father's home town. I was worried, when I left because I very much wanted to continue the challenge by taking yoga classes in a studio and wasn't sure how my practice would be, especially if it was self-led!

The first day I was gone, I looked and looked for studios with a good class time but nothing worked out. It was Sunday (fewer classes on the schedule), and I was at the funeral home while over 400 people came to pay their respects to my Uncle's family. Although it turned out to be 5 hours of watching these people file by, it was also an amazing experience -- one that was bursting with yoga, for me.

When the first 100 visitors & my family sat down to pray the rosary (my Uncle's family is Catholic), I heard a rhythm and practice that cleared the mind and calmed the body. I had the desire to go to the back and practice some flow for the half an hour it took them to recite the 5 mysteries (forgive me if that's not the right title, I'm not Catholic!). I did not give in to that desire but shut my eyes and pictured my yoga practice, taking deep breaths and making my intention relate to my Uncle's peace and his family's comfort. Religion, Christ and God are a touchy subject for me but yoga provided an outlet for my prayer and process.

After an extremely long and emotional day, we didn't get home until after 10pm. I had asked my parents for help in fulfilling my yoga challenge and my mom asked to do some yoga with me. She does pilates at her home (Denver) but isn't a yogi. I provided a disclaimer that I had never led anyone (not even myself) through a yoga practice but it turns out I had nothing to worry about. Yoga just came out of me and my teachers at Sol have provided me with the language to share that with my mother (which reminded me of the language that everyone in the funeral home was using during the recitation of the rosary). She was ready for bed after about 10 minutes, so I took my practice into the room where I was staying. From 11:30pm-midnight, I had a great practice. It was easy! I just did what came to mind and it worked perfectly. I was surprised by how inherent yoga had become.

Despite how good my self-led practice was, I still wanted to visit a local studio. The next evening I took a class at Davenport School of Yoga. The studio felt similar to Sol, with wood floors, high ceilings and on the top floor of a historic building in downtown Davenport... but the class felt completely different. The teacher was kind and attempted to explain what the differences would be (after I told her how we normally practiced and the Challenge that I was in the midst of) but I didn't fully understand until class. There was no flow! We oriented our mats horizontally to the front of the room. Other things were different, too, including sun salutations. We did lunges and no chaturanga. We did Warrior One on the right and then just switch to the left. It felt disjointed but I tried to just experience it and let go of any awkwardness I felt. After a few minutes, I decided to add my own flow... And I didn't feel judged! I did end up facing a different direction than others and never got as warm as I would have liked but it ended up being a combination of their practice and my own.

Finally, on the third morning, just a couple hours before my flight home, I visited Red Root Hot Yoga. This experience was intense and fascinating. The studio was brand new and outfitted perfectly-- special floors, essential oil humidifiers, fancy locker rooms, etc. The practice was more similar to Sol's flow classes but was incredibly HOT and HUMID. The teacher said the room was around 100 degrees and I'm guessing 90% humidity. There were mirrors across the front of the room and only 2 other people in the class-- one of them ended up leaving because he thought he would throw up. Needless to say, I managed to make it all the way through but felt uncomfortable and exhausted most of the time. I found the teacher's adjustments distressing and he seemed to comment negatively on hearing my breath or modifying a pose. I was happy with the physical exhaustion that came from the class but he plugged his facebook page and email list at the beginning of savasana and left the room after that. It seems that the most expensive set up was not a replacement for some deeper sense of yoga and peace.

These experiences were valuable to me and I don't regret visiting other studios but each one reinforced my love of Sol Yoga and it's teachers and environments. Before I found Sol (thanks Beccah!), I tried other studios during college and in our area but could never take yoga seriously. Because of Sol, it is now a big part of my life. Going back to my first class on Wednesday felt like coming home. I'm beginning to think that I should continue to do yoga every single day, regardless of any sort of challenge, studio or teacher!

Namste,

Amanda Mizeur

On The Road During The 21 Day Challenge

2011-01-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

I miss breathing with my Sol mates while I am on the road but I am loving my travel mat I got from Sol!
I find about a 3 x 7 foot space and all is right with the world on my mat. People say "You are so busy - how do you make the time to practice?" And I think "How can I not?"

It's because I practice that I am able to do everything I do. Since the challenge began, there has been one day where I was not able to practice. The next day I felt like I had pulled a muscle in both my right side and neck. Plus the joints in my wrist and elbows hurt. After getting back on the mat, the pain started to dissolve and I felt so much better.

Really made me realize how much a difference Yoga makes in my life!

Namaste,
Marge Ely

Revelations From Keeping a Food Journal

2011-01-23T06:16:00.002-05:00

What I have learned so far from keeping a food journal is that for me it's not what I do eat, but what I don't eat. It has brought mindfulness to my tendency to forgo feeding my Self. It's intriguing for me to explore the correlation between my physical intake of food and how I nurture, or forgo nurturing, my Self in other ways. The practice of yoga, and especially the 21 day challenge has brought new awareness to how I may change this childhood samskara (past impression recorded in mind and body).

I seem to be able to handle challenges, hardship, deprivation, with more ease than I handle softness, nurturing, vulnerability. I'm sure the hard core outer shell is related to my upbringing by parents who themselves were born and raised during the Great Depression. I remember food in my parent's house not so much as being nurturing as being something we put in our bodies for fuel. Very pragmatic.

I read something somewhere recently that said we wound others where we have been wounded. Very thought-provoking for me and caused me to pause and reflect on how I "fed" and continue to feed my own children (including my own inner child).

I also heard somewhere that we teach what we need to learn. That makes sense to me and why I believe I feel called to teach gentle yoga. Beginning where I am; with this new awareness, peeling back the layers one life-enhancing breath, one bite, one swallow, at a time; and gazing in awe at how the practice of yoga continues to open my mind, body and heart.

Namaste,
Donna

Finding Zen with a Five Year Old (Or, why I practice yoga at Sol)

2011-01-22T05:27:00.001-05:00

Today, I rolled out my mat in front of my computer for a blissful 45 minute stretch complements of Yoga Journal online (what a novelty – yoga instruction on the computer- I guess this means I am getting old when basic technology amazes me!)

I press the play button and prepare for my practice. As I move into my first asana, a little voice comes from the hall. “Mommy, what are you doing?” Yoga I tell my five year old daughter (who is today dressed as a princess). “Oh I love yoga, can I do it too?” I hit the pause button and selected a mat from my vast collection of mats (I have spent years looking for the perfect mat and have a nice collection of cast aways), and set my daughter’s mat next to mine on what remains of the postage stamp size piece of bare floor I have cleared in my office (surrounding us is a mountain of stray boxes, bags of Christmas decorations, discarded toys, and those inevitable stacks of mystery papers I never quite get around to filing).

Being a princess yogi now (not to be confused with Cinderella, which she was just 30 seconds ago), I go in search of a pillow for her to sit on (a princess yogi demands comfort in her seated postures). Ok, now back to the practice. I press play and work my way back into Warrior 1. “Mommy, I don’t like this pose. Mommy, I want this yoga show on the TV in the living room, not on the computer. Pleassssse can you move the yoga show to the living room?” With much patience and while holding Triangle, I explain to her the logistics of why we can’t watch the yoga show on the TV. Thirty seconds of quiet fill the room and I move on to a Sun Salutation. “Mommy, I want to take my mat to the living room.” No problem I say (I now have my makeshift yoga studio to myself and everything is quiet).

Moments later (I’m really starting to think this child can sense the exact moment to interrupt an exceptionally wonderful feeling stretch) “Mommy, my mat won’t lay flat on the living room rug – my mat is too bumpy!” After several minutes of fussing and complaining, my daughter eventually arranges her mat in the living room, then goes in search for her tiara (no princess yogi every attempts a practice without one). Finally, the house is quiet once again (except of course for the sounds of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch having a conversation from the TV in the living room). Only a few more minutes, then I can enjoy a nice long savasana. Hey, practicing at home really isn’t that bad.

As I settle into a relaxing savasana, I close my eyes, take a deep breath and …”Mommy, I’m really thirsty, can I have a drink? Mommy did you know that tree frogs have red eyes? Mommy I really want a drink, and something to eat. Mommy, did you know Big Bird’s teddy bear’s name is Radar? Mommy, Oscar has an elephant in his trashcan! Mommy, are you listening to me?... but by that time I am relaxed enough to ignore the never ending barrage of my five year old and search for a couple of minutes in my happy place (which I have decide from now on is best found san five year old at the Sol studio downtown.)

Namaste,
Tara Fager-Morcock

Finding Balance

2011-01-21T05:28:00.000-05:00

Some art work to inspire you from Sol Yoga Teacher, Sue Greene. Feel free to use it a starting off point in your yoga journal today. Enjoy!

**All rights reserved. Artwork can not be used or reproduced without the permission of artist, Susan Greene.

The World Will Always Be Like This

2011-01-20T06:00:00.001-05:00

Donna Bialozor read this during Savasana on Monday evening.

From: The Golden Present; Daily Inspirational Readings By Sri Swami Satchidananda

Don’t expect the whole world to be enlightened one day. It would be like walking into a Detroit automobile factory and seeing only finished cars. If the factory were full of finished cars, it would no longer be a factory; it would become a showroom. Likewise, you wouldn’t go to a university and say, “When will the only people here be degree holders?”

The universe itself is a university. People come as students; they study and learn. A few people get their diplomas and walk out. The world will always be like this. Don’t think that one day the whole world will be enlightened. It is not possible. There will always be people who are still learning. When you understand the world, and realize your own true nature, you get the diploma. When others see you enjoying the peace and joy of having acquired that diploma, they will be inspired by you and will also work hard to get one.

That is the world.

Food Focus: Sweet Vegetables

2011-01-19T06:00:00.004-05:00

From our fearless food warrior and nutrition counselor, Samantha:

Cravings for sweets can be greatly reduced by adding sweet vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, yams, parsnips, beets, squash, turnips and rutabagas to your daily diet. Root vegetables elevate blood sugar gently rather than with the jolt delivered by simple refined carbohydrates, so there’s no energy crash after you eat them. At the same time, heartier vegetables, such as deeply rooted carrots and squashes, grow more abundantly in the wintertime, and are going to add to the warmth of the body. It’s good to maintain a balance of eating seasonally as well as locally, as much as possible, to stay in harmony with the natural order of things. When you eat seasonal, locally grown produce, the body is more able to maintain balance from the inside out.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredient List
Serves 6
Sweet Potato Topping

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced (1/4 lb.)
1/4 cup fat-free milk or plain soymilk
1 Tbs. nonhydrogenated margarine or butter
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Filling

1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 leek, white part thinly sliced (1 cup)
2 turnips, diced (1 cup)
1 carrot, diced (1/2 cup)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped (2 tsp.)
1/4 cup white wine or water
1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
3 Tbs. shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions
To make Sweet Potato Topping:
1. Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add sweet potato, cover, and boil 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain, and return to pot. Mash with milk, margarine, cinnamon, and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper, if desired. Set aside.
To make Filling:
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and leek, and sauté 5 to 6 minutes, or until leek is soft. Add turnips, carrot, thyme, and rosemary; cook 2 to 3 minutes more, or until carrot begins to soften.
3. Add wine, and cook 30 seconds to deglaze pan. Stir in beans and broth. Cover, and simmer 10 minutes, or until carrots and turnips are soft. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
4. Remove thyme sprigs from Filling, and discard. Pour Filling into 2- or 3-qt. casserole dish. Spread Sweet Potato Topping over Filling. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if using.
5. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place casserole on baking pan. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes, or until filling is bubbly and cheese has melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
6. Frozen cooking instructions: Preheat oven to 375°F. Cover casserole, and place on baking sheet. Bake 60 to 75 minutes, or until filling bubbles and top is golden. Remove foil during last 10 minutes of baking. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Information
Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 129, Protein: 4g, Total fat: 3g, Saturated fat: <1g, Carbs: 20g, Cholesterol: <1mg, Sodium: 176mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugars: 5g

Life Is Good

2011-01-18T06:00:00.003-05:00

Hello everyone. I have missed you all as I have been suspended with the flu. It has given me double pleasure to eat right - every orange or apple or strawberry has sustained me. My sickness has been interesting as I crave for a bowl of tomatoes. I have made great soups, cream of mushroom and chicken noodle (not from the can...but from scratch). I have been coughing my nights away...very sad...but when daylight comes, with the songs of the birds, the chattering of the squirrels and oh my, when I see the sun rising...I am renewed. For this new day, another renewal, I drop to my knees in thanks.

I am so blessed, in the midst of a bad time...it's not a big deal...not life threatening...but a kink for sure. One neat thing is I have my full breath. I can work through a lot of stuff, when I have my full breath. From bottom to top, it is so soothing...so wonderful...so supportive. Life is good amidst my coughs. I am over the hump...7 days. I expect to share at least one class, with you, Debra's on Thursday morning then alas I am off to St Thomas for a week. The sun will cap my return to health. But I will be thinking of all of you then too. It's an exciting time.

Kandi Austin

Feeling The Anger Rise

2011-01-17T05:17:00.012-05:00

My journaling changed a lot once I became a blogger. Having an audience will do that to you. Blogging forces you to spell check and use a thesaurus and if you're smart, cite your sources while gathering facts. As much as blogging allows you to simply put your thoughts "out there" you don't want to influence people without backing up your opinions, so a little time spent researching goes a long way when you blog. This type of commitment takes time and because of that my daily journal entries all but stopped about 5 years ago when I birthed my blog.

Because of this I was excited to have a reason to pull out a leather bound journal and my favorite pen to explore my yoga practice more fully on paper. I thought the sentences would flow out of me, vinyasa style.

They haven't.

Instead my journal looks like this:

Day 1 / Jan 10th / Sol Yoga / 2-3 Class / 75 min / Hard. I'm sore.
Day 2 / Jan 11th / Sol Yoga / 1-2 Class / 75 min / Hard. I'm sore.
Day 3 / Jan 12th / Sol Yoga / 2-3 Class / 75 min / Damn. She kicked my ass.
Day 4 / Jan 13th / Sol Yoga / Gentle / 75 min / My body needed this. Why is my mind racing?
Day 4 / Jan 14th / Home / Meditation & Pranayma / 15 min / Did better than I expected.
Day 5 / Jan 15th / Hotel Room / Yoga & Meditation / 20 min / Crow Sucks. Fuck you crow.
Day 6 / Jan 16th / Sol Yoga / Flow n Go / 60 min / My balance sucks.

And no, my food journal isn't any better. Honestly it has pushed so many buttons, I'm actually afraid to keep one. But more about that in a future post.

It's as if there's a huge struggle right now between being in my head and being in my body. All this yoga is forcing me to be in my body, where as the journaling asks me to exit the body and return to my head to comment about my body and how the practice is affecting it. I'm feeling schizophrenic to say the least.

If I'm honest, it's making me angry. Or perhaps, I'm more in touch with an anger that's always there somewhere below the surface? Maybe that's a more accurate description. I can actually feel it rising and bubbling up with every heat building practice I attend. I'm not sure what this anger is or what it represents. Thus, it seems easier to simply document the yoga particulars of my day rather than spend too much time describing them.

Wait, that's not it. It seems safer. Or maybe smarter? Yes...smarter. Smarter to simply experience it, rather than talk about it because I'm not sure what "it" involves.

Because of this, for week two, I'm going to take my journal to class with me and experiment with jotting down words, ideas and thoughts during the practice, while I'm in my body. See if that makes a difference. See if that makes it easier to skim some of the emotions that are rising off the top. Maybe the studio is a safer space to explore these emotions?

The thing is - I know me too well. Anger is my "on ramp" to sadness. I need to be pissed off before I can weep. I tend to swear before I sob and bitch before I bawl. I think I know what's coming and that's what's keeping my pen from the page.

So if you see me at the back of class in balasana, weeping uncontrollably, just step over me. I'll be fine. It's all part of the process. This I know for sure.

My favorite quote comes from an intuitive I once met, named Joseph Aldo. He said, You'll know what you need to know when you need to know it. I literally live my life by this quote. I'll know what I need to know, when I need to know it - and not a moment before. Apparently I don't need to know right now. But if yoga has taught me anything it's that if I'm patient and I stay in the moment and take it one breath at a time - the big picture will reveal itself eventually.

Namaste,
Linda
**Ironically, picture taken from an article entitled, Diffusing Anger With Yoga.

On Bent Knees

2011-01-16T05:00:00.000-05:00

"Lying Down on Bent Knees" (reclined hero pose)
By Leza Lowitz
Read during Savasana by Kristina on 1/12/11

Down on my knees
I peel back the layers of the world.
Nothing left to do
but embrace everything
as it is.
I want to live,
but when I die
I want my funeral to be
like this
and for everyone to bring a sunflower,
bright yellow face
to offer up above.
I want them to shower
my path with light
and send the tall sky
a flower worthy of beholding
and if I gave them anything at all
approaching the gifts they gave me
I want my friends to wash away the sadness
and my enemies to know
I thank them for helping me
never break the promise
of being true to myself.
I want my funeral
to start right now
with a celebration of my life,
proof that everything
in this world-
no matter how broken-
can be transformed.

2011-01-15T06:41:00.000-05:00

So I had to get up a lot earlier today than I have in a long time. I'll refrain from telling you exactly what time that was, but suffice it to say that being unemployed for several months and genetically predisposed to sleeping late means that it felt early to me. Because of that unemployment, my nights have been a bit restless -- I think my body and mind aren't challenged enough during the day.

Today, though, I got up early to babysit, then drove my friends to the train station in Harrisburg, walked a total of 3 dogs and went to the chiropractor. All of that added up to being quite tired and thinking that it only took until day three for me to question my ability to get through 21 days of yoga!

I did manage to get myself to the Flow 2/3 class, with Kristina, and discovered (for the 2nd time in my entire yoga life) that I practice my best yoga when exhausted! Crazy, huh? The one other time that I felt like I had a particularly amazing practice was after running several miles with a fellow yogi (not something I do on a daily basis). I didn't think my body had anything left and figured I'd be doing a lot of child's pose and breathing, but it was one of the strongest and inspiring classes I've ever taken.

The same thing was true tonight, as well. I felt incredibly connected and rejuvenated, almost like participating in a choreographed dance. Turns out day three wasn't all that hard. And a tired body = a more rewarding yoga practice. Once again, thank you Sol (for what is hopefully a good night's sleep)!

Amanda Mizeur

**Photo taken from the web site The Positive Side

So Fitting...

2011-01-14T06:35:00.002-05:00

Om gam ganapataye namaha.

I heard it over and over again in class tonight compliments of a purposeful musical selection by our teacher, Donna. It made me smile as a I silently mouthed the chant from time to time.

Om gam ganapataye namaha. So fitting for my official first day of the 21 Day Yoga Challenge (I, of course, chose to push my start day back because I have a subconscious issue with following the rules).

So fitting for the next 48 hours of my life. So fitting for a day a friend brought a baby in to the world. So fitting for the start of my 2011.

Om gam ganapataye namaha. I offer my love and devotion; please grant me success in my noble endeavor.

e.

Yoga at Club Med

2011-01-13T13:29:00.011-05:00

I spent the first nine days of 2011 as the guest yoga teacher at the Club Med in Sandpiper Bay, Florida. It was a unique experience that afforded me the opportunity to do the work I love (teaching yoga) while enjoying world class accommodations. Beyond the obvious pleasantries of being in 70 degree weather at an amazing all-inclusive resort in the middle of winter, I got to meet people from all over the world, fly on a trapeze, go sailing and do yoga daily. It was a pretty sweet gig.

I taught every day, morning and at sunset. Classes were an eclectic delight. Most days, I would have the elders from France who couldn’t speak any English at all (and didn’t have any yoga experience), a crew of teenagers with iPods, ear buds, cell phones and lots of questions, serious tennis pros with sculpted bodies and intense focus, worn out moms with baby brain (including myself), and lots of professionals enjoying a few minutes away from the hustle and bustle of their lives.

I had to think for a minute, how do I teach this class? We are outside on bumpy ground, no yoga mats, windy weather with so many ages, phases of life, languages and needs and just 60 minutes. In that moment, I was so grateful for my many years of students that have taught me all the possible ways to do yoga, grateful for gentle and vinyasa flow yoga styles, grateful for hundreds of hours at Kripalu Center and grateful for the beauty of a yoga practice and its endless possibilities.

I’m not sure what I taught or how it landed in each person, but as the week wore on, I noticed something interesting. Yoga was working. These people were having profound shifts, big revelations and wondering how to take this experience home. They were coming daily, sometimes 2x a day for practice. It occurred to me that people are in a very receptive space while vacationing. A healthy space free of the mundane tasks that consume our lives (dishes, laundry, caring for the children, errands). Free from work, ridged schedules and normal stressors and free to just relax, reflect and listen to themselves. Add yoga to the mix and watch out! Transformation potential skyrockets. This also applied to me, as a teacher. Because I too was on vacation, I was receptive, open, and more present than usual. I was available to stay after class, to listen, to enjoy the moment and available to be considerate and sensitive.

So I’ve been inspired by my students. It’s not the first time. I got home and unpacked my sandy yoga mat, laid it right out on the floor in the midst of my mess-of-a-pile of unpacked luggage and stepped onto it. I ignored the mundane and chose myself for a few minutes. It’s the beginning of a new year, the start of our 21 day yoga challenge at the studio and an opportunity to commit to something. Transformation is just a yoga practice a day away. Life is living with or without me and i don’t need to be on vacation to enjoy it.

Lets see how far this wind carries me…

Yoga Birth

2011-01-13T12:09:00.001-05:00

The sounds of a laboring woman during natural childbirth stopped me in my tracks. I held my breath and felt my body start to perspire, my hands shook and my heart raced. The heavy hospital door and the dark curtain could not stop the power of the moans from inside the room. I stood there, frozen, selfishly eavesdropping on the most powerful moment in life, birth.

I have been spoiled to have two home births plus having the pleasure of attending another of my very close friends labor and delivery. Some may not like all the moaning and groaning and blood and tension and the unknown. But I love it. For me, its like touching God and its becoming an addiction. So it was torture to wait in the waiting room for my sister in law to labor.

And while I so desperately wanted to be inside the room, I want nothing to do with distracting the mamma. So twice, I snuck back to my post right outside the room and waited. Waited for a clue, a nugget, a little sound, a feeling in my bones.

And there it was. It knocked me over. Out of nowhere, a powerful, guttural, animalistic groan rumbled from inside the room. Tangible energy pulsed. A little wee one was about to born and there was no mistaking it.

What does this have to do with 21 days of yoga? Everything. This was my practice today. Being in the presence of birth and wallowing in the awe of it.

Now, that would be a cop-out, being that my intention is to do some physical yoga these 21 days. So, after I went home and put my niece (who just got a sister) and my babies to bed, I rolled out my mat. I did a little practice for the new baby. I checked into all my parts as though they were her’s – some yoga for my hands, my feet, my arms & legs, digestion and my spine, a little inversion as a reminder of how the baby has lived for many months, some grounding poses to welcome the baby to the solid earth. And then I sang the healing mantra for the mamma and climbed into bed for a mini meditation. Welcome wee one.

Thoughts on Food

2011-01-13T06:33:00.000-05:00

There is an art to preparing food. It includes a deep sense of joy as we nourish our families and as we share and celebrate with friends. I love finding different recipes and trying them out on friends. Of course, I'll have something tried and true too.

My husband was a chef years ago, and he has taught me not to skimp on ingredients or time. Treat yourself, your friends and family to the best you can offer. Eating doesn't have to be indulging...but should be an experience. I like what Sam said, when you take time to eat...it's more than bodily nourishment...no reading, no tv...mindfulness eating.

Maybe thinking of where this food started from...an orange tree from a seed...who grew it...who picked it, who delivered it to us...who stacked the shelves...etc. What an amazing process to have so much variety at our fingertips. A lot of people are a part of our lives, and we don't even know them. So I'd say, make eye contact, tell the grocer you appreciate them, make some good comment to any clerk...they all make our lives easier. Heck only 300 years ago...people had to do all this for themselves....there were no grocery stores...you grow it, or kill it, skin it and cook it

Love to all
I'm excited to read your notes
Kandi Austin

Yoga Thoughts On A Snowy Morning

2011-01-12T14:51:00.000-05:00

So far the daily yoga does not feel like so much of a challenge. I welcome it. We'll see as time goes on if I still feel that way. My more interesting thoughts came around the food journal. I have noticed after just a few days that keeping track of what I eat is making me be more present, accountable & mindful of what I eat & more emotionally connected. It is very easy to eat mindlessly. So as in my yoga practice I am just observing, no judgment. And after all present moments are holy moments.

Blessings

Julie

Shine by Sue Greene

2011-01-12T13:55:00.003-05:00

Another 21 Day Yoga Challenger is expressing her participation in the form of her art work below:

I Practiced Today!

2011-01-12T10:40:00.000-05:00

What a day. What a day. What a day. There is always a reason not to practice. But nothing was going to stop me tonight. My 2 wheel drive legs got me thru the snow to Jan’s Flow 1-2 tonight. The smell of incense, the sound of Jan telling a story and Steve’s smiling face welcomed me to a nice small practice. I’m not sure if the 10 minute space between home and class cleared the way for the yoga to work, but it worked. I feel grounded and inspired, hopeful yet realistic.

The reality is, its been too long since I’ve practiced physical asana with the necessarily duration or frequency. Being a new mom is an excuse, but one that is now grown old. My spirit is holding on pretty good, my mind is starting to come back, but my body has been devoted to pregnancy and breastfeeding for 17 months and it’s a little tired, knotted up and cranky. It needs gentle restoration and a little kickstart. This 21 day challenge is just what I need. Thanks Jan!

Finding Spiritual Wellness Through Physical Health

2011-01-11T15:14:00.008-05:00

For Christmas my husband, Jeff, bought me a mostly-just-for-fun gift of a natal chart and astrological transit reading. I spent two hours talking with a woman about how things were when I was born and how things are now and how all of that interacts, in terms of stars and planets and energies and stuff. It was a lot of fun. Apparently my chart is a little (or actually a lot) crazy right now and supposedly, in two years, I'll be an entirely different person.

One of the things she stressed to me the most was that I needed to find a daily spiritual practice that contains a physical element. She said that, and pretty much that alone, will get me through the transitions of the next couple years. A week later I conveniently started the Sol Yoga 21-Day Challenge. Pretty amazing how these things work themselves out.

On the first day of the challenge, a clear intention came to me for the purpose of the next 21 days -- to find spiritual wellness through physical health. To get my body in better shape than it has ever been and to find mental, emotional and spiritual stability along the way. And, based on class last night, it works! All I need is for Dorcas (Sol Yoga's owner) to provide a thorough ass-whooping (or quad-whooping) and I am good to go. Shaky, out-of-control leg muscles = calm, centered mind. I am a fire sign (Aries, through and through) and building that heat allows me to be clearheaded.

We were also offered the assistance of nutrition counselor, Samantha Neier, which rounds out the entire process for me. I lost quite a bit of weight before our wedding two years ago and have struggled to make healthy eating a habit and a lifestyle. I believe I have finally accomplished this (it only took two and a half years!) but it will be something I maintain for the rest of my life, every minute of every day. I love to eat and drink, so this struggle is a compromise and negotiation with myself. It will be interesting to journal about my feelings concerning food because I think I worked to detach most of my food feelings (at least when I'm not cheating!) and feel a bit scared to add those back in. But I'm interested in growing and working, so we'll see how it goes.

So, thank you Sol Yoga! If anyone wants to join me on this journey, I would welcome the company!

Namaste,

Amanda Mizeur,

Sol Yoga Volunteer

Just Practice

2011-01-07T05:00:00.004-05:00

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as a mom is that my yoga practice is not always my own and definitely not always 60-75 minutes long. With two little ones only 20 months apart, let’s face it, my TIME is not my own, and for a long time, my body was not even my own!

After having both girls, practicing yoga at the studio was a welcome break from motherhood if even for just an hour, and I would return feeling much more “me”, much more able to return to my role and feel much more happy about it. And while this was a welcome reprieve, I felt that I was still missing out, because my home practice, MY practice, had taken the biggest hit.

Sometimes it was great, like when Piper was in preschool and Talia was taking morning naps. I was guaranteed three blissful mornings per week that were all about me and my yoga. But as with all things kids, that didn’t last long! I am a morning person, but so are my kids, so I waking up “early” to do yoga does not work here. I swear they have motion detectors built into their brains; as soon as I even pull the covers back, one or both starts calling for me! And because I am a morning person, practicing yoga (the kind of yoga I love, power vinyasa yoga) at night is hard for me. By the time 7 pm hits all I want to do is sit down, often times for the first time all day.

Over the past year or so, I have really made a conscious shift in my attitude towards yoga practice. Yoga can happen anywhere, any time. As much as I love the sweat and physical exhaustion that comes from a Flow 2/3, there are times when it simply isn’t possible to get to a class or carve out the time for a full practice at home. So, I modify!

It has taken me a long time to actually feel agreeable about this, but now I LOVE being able to practice 10 minutes of challenging asanas to build some internal heat before dancing around the house with my girls before their bedtime. Or, I grab a hold of them and incorporate them into 20 minutes of asana either holding them to increase the intensity or encouraging them to mimic me, run around me or crawl under me.

Forget yoga music; we sing kids songs and try to weave the movements into the songs (think “Old MacDonald” where we act out animal poses, “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” for sun salutations or “London Bridge” where the girls go for a ride on my belly as I practice a flowing bridge). And yoga isn’t all about the asana, after all. Practicing pranayama in the midst of tantrums is literally a sanity saver. Finding just ten minutes at the end of each day to meditate makes me a kinder, gentler, more open, honest and connected mother, wife, daughter, friend, yoga teacher, etc.

So, in short, yoga has taught me once again that you just need to respect where you are and how you are in each moment. Modify the practice to suit your body, your emotional state, your environment, your energy levels, your companions, etc. And above all else, let go of expectations about what your practice should be, and just practice.

Namaste,
Melissa
**Photo taken by Crissie Traugott Photography

Three Days In A Row

2011-01-06T06:24:00.018-05:00

I've been yoga-ing for 3 days now and damn, I'm sore. But the good kind of sore where I realize that there are actually scapular muscles in my back and perhaps I should use them more often. Instead of spending hours hunched over a computer, closing off my chest...

I should perhaps press them together, forcing my heart center forward so as to greet the world with better posture (and lets face it, better looking boobs).

My body is making the realization that without yoga, my muscle's memory only remembers all of it's bad habits from being held in bad yoga poses throughout the day:

Driving the car, pose. Sitting at the computer, pose. Pushing a giant cart of giant items around Costco, pose. Lifting 40 pounds of dog food into the trunk of my car, pose. You know what I'm talking about. You've done these and many other bad poses yourself.

If you're younger than me there's the ever so popular, holding the toddler on the hip, pose and my personal favorite from when my kids were infants, carrying a 20 lb kid that's resting in a car seat in the crook of my elbow, pose.

Hmm? Wonder what these are called in Sanskrit? Costco-hernianama pose? Mamashan-pain-in-the-assana pose?

The good news is that my muscles are remembering they they like to move in a more yogalicious manner. They enjoy arching into camel, holding my arms in space during Virabhadrasana or lowering me down to the mat in chatarunga. In the end, I think they appreciate the effort I'm finally putting forth.

And believe me - I appreciate that they still give it their all, even after being ignored and mistreated for so long.

Namaste,
Linda

** Images taken from "Gold Coast Heath and Fitness" and "Shannon Miller Lifestyle"

21 Day Challenge

2011-01-04T05:21:00.004-05:00

All Sol Yoga Teachers and Volunteers have been invited to participate in a 21 Day Yoga Challenge that is slated to start this Monday, Jan 10th.

Since I teach and practice at Sol it's no surprise that I absolutely love it there. But frankly, it seems inappropriate and self-serving to gush about Sol Yoga at the Sol Yoga blog. That's like buying this button for yourself:

instead of waiting for your kids to give it to you on Mother's Day.

So just for today, I'm going to redirect you to my personal blog, Enter The Circle to read my latest post so cleverly entitled, 21 Day Challenge.

Namaste,
Linda

New Year - More Yoga

2011-01-02T06:34:00.011-05:00

Happy New Year!

One of my resolutions this year is to Do More Yoga so you might find it ironic that it's officially day 2 of 2011 and I've yet to do a single asana. I'm 3 and 1/2 hours from my home in Frederick, visiting family in Pennsylvania and I'll be honest - I didn't even pack my yoga mat. I knew I wouldn't do any yoga. I knew there wouldn't be enough room in the room where I've been sleeping. I knew I wasn't going to venture out into the living room and do yoga while my in-laws had coffee and read their morning paper. I knew I wouldn't feel comfortable invading my father-in-law's work space in the game room.

Now, I could lie to you and tell you it's due to my accommodations, but truth be told, if I were staying with my parents that have a fully finished basement, I'd have plenty of room to do yoga. And I still wouldn't have unrolled my mat.

I know this because for the past 10 years, I've packed a yoga mat, traipsed it across various states to my and my husband's childhood homes for holidays and maybe I've unrolled the darn thing twice. TWICE! So this year, as I was packing to come to PA for New Years I grabbed my yoga mat, stared at it for a while and thought, Am I really going to use this? In less than 72 hours I'm slated to visit with 31 different family members and 6 good girl friends. I have work to do for the yoga studio and my speech therapy job as well as some blogging posts to take care of. My kids have plans and need to be carted around and family dinners need to be organized, prepped, cooked for, cleaned up after and most importantly, enjoyed. What are the odds this mat is going to make it out of my car?

I know me. I'm not going to blow off coffee and conversation with people that I love for Asana. And frankly that's the way it should be. My parents and in-laws are getting older. My visits home are fewer and farther in between and friends that I used to see every few months, I'm lucky to see yearly. I need these moments. They're important. They matter. Instead of doing yoga on a mat this morning, I'm going to do yoga at a Panera Bread in McMurray, PA.

I'm going to be present. I'll ask questions and truly listen to the answers. I'll make sure that my mind, body and spirit are on hand for the conversation and not just my mouth. I'll let my intuition guide the exchange and promise to talk less and listen more. Most importantly, I wont get caught up with comparing myself to my friends, (She has less wrinkles; That one is so thin; This one always has such a nice manicure, I should parent more like her; Her ass looks fantastic - I really should lift weights like she does; If only I dressed like her; Why don't I ever think to wear a scarf in that manner; WOW - Check out the rock on her finger... ) Instead I will, without judgment, enjoy their company and allow it to nourish me.

Yoga is about so many things. It's the union between mind, body and spirit. It's an amazing way to bring balance and consciousness along with health into your life. It's a gift that I when I'm smart enough to give myself, gives back to me - in spades. But Friday morning I needed to see, hug and talk to my old college roommate. This morning I need to hear the voices of the moms that I absolutely adore and still keep in touch with even though our kids haven't been in class together since preschool. I need this more than pigeon or down dog today. And that's okay. This year I vowed to Do More Yoga. I will. I just wont always be on a mat when I do it.

Namaste,
Linda

Family of Many Faiths

2010-12-23T13:46:00.000-05:00

It can be a touchy and unpopular subject during such a season of ‘joy,’ but faith and religion are at the heart of the holidays. I’ve been privileged to come from a family of many faiths. It allows me to see things from varied perspectives and continues to open my eyes and heart. Religion is powerful. It creates great division and great unity. I’ve seen it drive families apart and pull strangers together. It has the capacity to elevate a person to profound places or enslave them to guilt. But what I see most, beneath the veil of religion, is beautiful expressions of faith, passion and love. As we gather with family and friends, with Christians, Jews, Yogis, Muslims or Agnostics, it is these common threads that deserve center stage.

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
~Mother Teresa~

Spreading Peace, Joy and Yoga

2010-12-23T05:23:00.000-05:00

After teaching last Sunday (the Sunday before Christmas, mind you) I decided to take my deep breathing and Zen-like mindset and head straight into Costco.

Crazy, right?

The store had only been open an hour and already the parking lot was filled. My minivan was closer to the Econo Lodge than to the front doors of the Costco Warehouse which I must admit, made me a little nervous. How many people were inside? How long would the check out lines be?

Sitting in my car, pulling out my Costco card, I began to reconsider. Did I really want to waste my post-yoga buzz on grocery shopping? Shouldn't I go straight home and be nice to my children? But then I figured, what better time to enter into the epicenter of insanity than after 75 minutes of deep breathing, centering and intention setting?

Honestly, it was surreal. I felt like I was in slow motion. Everyone was zipping by me, yet I didn't feel the need to increase my cart pushing speed. Rather than keeping up with the traffic, I simply moved at fair clip and allowed those in a bigger hurry to pass my by. I carefully moved my cart off to the side to better navigate around people in the meat department. Then I headed toward the cheese display and with laser like focus, found the exact cheese I needed for my recipe then with deft-like grace, maneuvered back around the fruit and vegetable displays before venturing over towards the book and DVD area. Patrons on obvious time crunches, would pick and grab and breathe heavy signs of annoyance while I just stood there steady with my own, deep diaphragmatic breathes.

After only 30 minutes or so (and due to the fact that I had written out a list before arriving) I was in the check-out line. No drama. No cart crashes. No annoyances. Just a regular day of shopping.

I walked the 2 miles (or so it seemed) back to my car. Astonishingly, I was even able to bend deep into my cart and lift the heavy box of items out (thank you yoga for my strong arms and flexible spine). Before I knew it, I was pulling into my driveway, un-frazzeled, calm and relaxed.

It's a crazy week, I know. But if you can find the time to squeeze in a yoga class - it can truly make all the difference. And if you can take your yoga with you when you leave, it can truly make all the difference to others that you come in contact with.

Happy Holidays from the Sol Yoga Family to yours.

Addicted to Productivity

2010-12-14T22:14:00.000-05:00

I'm surprised there is not a prescription drug I can get for this problem. Or maybe it just falls into the OCD category? Is there anyone else out there that can't seem to DO nothing? I'm so bad at being idle. Even right now, while I consider writing high on the desirable end of the DO-ing spectrum, if i'm being honest with myself, I will be satisfied in a check-it-off-the-list-way, once i'm finished.

So i'll check it off, and go practice DO-ing nothing, or rather just BE-ing for 5 full minutes before bed.

Legs up wall pose here i come.

The Red Guitar

2010-12-12T21:14:00.000-05:00

There are really only two things happening in my house at the moment: sleep training and a red guitar. As you can imagine, they do not really get along. Jonah eats fast to get back to his guitar. He goes to sleep so he can wake up and play his guitar. He happily goes potty with the promise of more guitar playing. He says he's a 'musician.' He pretends to put the strap (there is no strap) over his head and he explains HOW he plays the guitar, then he proceeds to sing 'Down in the Valley... valley so LOW..." Meanwhile, my sweet Ivy just wants to play, she does not want to sleep, EVER. Hence the sleep training :-)

I maintain, that this is the harderst yoga i've ever done. Finding my peace in the midst of sleepless nights and steady chaos is a new level of focus (that i have yet to master!). Kids or no kids, i'm sure most people can relate to busyness and some level of chaos this time of year.

For me, it sure makes coming to the studio a real TREAT! To see happy faces and practice yoga is a warm, friendly, fun atmostphere is delightful.

Found It!

2010-12-09T21:25:00.001-05:00

whew! this ol blog was so dusty that it took me 3 days to find it in cyberspace and crack the code to get behind the scenes and post this message!

welcome back. lets see if we can rev her up and keep her running this winter. new matra - perfection smurfection, just write something.

A Simple Prayer

2008-11-14T23:38:00.001-05:00

Our dear friend Anthony Ferro passed away nearly a week ago. A sudden accident took him all to soon. Or so we tend to feel - those left here on Earth. But what do we know? People get called back home everyday. Some before birth, some mid life and many in old age.

In all honesty, I've strayed from 'religion' as I've aged, but hardly from spirituality. An event like a sudden death of a young person, or the birth of a child reminds me of the reality of the life cycle. The reality that death is a part of our existence just as birth is. It is normal and ordinary, but hardly easy.

We miss Anthony. His loss has been hard. Its hard to see so many sad faces, to hear tears and to feel heartbreak. Its hard to grasp what has happened and why. And in times like these, we need help. We need our friends, our community, our family, kind words, and above all, a helping hand from God.

Dear God, please carry us during this time and give us the grace to accept the things we don’t yet understand. Give us the strength to support our friends and Anthony’s family. And above all, thank you God for giving us Anthony. May we celebrate his life and may he rest in peace.

Amen.

OPEN THE FLOODGATES

2008-10-21T22:11:00.000-04:00

Do you ever have one of those moments where the enormity of your world hits you?? Sometimes its at a joyous moment like at a wedding. Sometimes its when you find out terrible news that you can't quite comprehend. Sometimes you are just driving in the car listening to a country song (written to make you cry) and suddenly you are overwhelmed with the beauty and love of your life.

I cry a lot. For better or worse, its not really something I try to hide. I cry when I am sad, when I get my feelings hurt, when I have to leave someone I love or when I love someone so much it feels like my heart is going to explode.

I had one of those moments today - the in the car one. It was dusk, I was in the car, the radio was playing a song about stopping and appreciating where you are b/c you will miss it one day and I burst into tears. Tears of joy, sorrow, regret, expectation, happiness, love, longing, hope and thankfulness. It was a cry for my whole life. A cry that continued when I got into the house b/c it was so big and as equally happy as sad that it all had to come out.

I know I am living a time now that I will look back on and smile about one day. Even with struggles and dramas, I know I am in a good moment in my life. I have a hunch that the struggles and dramas will softly fade into the background and I will remember things in wispy colors and smiles.

Yoga taught me how to look around and cry sometimes. It slowed me down, opened me up and brought out emotion I didn't want to feel. Now I am thankful when that emotion over takes me. It wakes me out of my sleeply autopilot mode that takes the richness of my life for granted. It sticks me straight in front of the depth of my human experience and it overwhelms me. But I am glad that it does.

A SIMPLE FORMULA

2008-10-18T13:23:00.001-04:00

I went to yoga this morning and if I'm being honest, I have to confess that its been a while. I've done a tree or a triangle here or there and lots of deep breathing to get thru the day, but an honest to goodness class has not been in my life for a solid 3 weeks. My husband thought for sure i must be pregnant (i'm NOT) because I've been so grumpy and crabby, my body hurts so badly that i feel like i need xrays to make sure my bones aren't cracked and my mind has been about as dull and round and stuck in the mud as an old buried tire.

But alas, my brain feels like an open fire hydrant bursting with original thoughts, creative ideas and my god, INSPIRATION! As easy as turning on a switch, I feel ALIVE!

Could it be the yoga? Why yes, of course. I laugh at myself because I learn this lesson over and over and over again. It goes something like this: be disciplined (do yoga) and feel balanced. Then, get a little cocky about how balanced I am naturally, and fall into a lazy streak (or in this case, spend 12 months growing, having and tending to a baby). Finally, get so frustrated and out of whack that I am forced to put life on hold and get back on my mat. Its a simple formula: regular yoga = stable mood, healthy inspiration, supple body.

But since i'm being honest (isn't that what blogging is about anyway?), I must also confess that I wrote the previous three paragraphs hours ago and my post yoga buzz has all but worn off. Life called me back in the midst of my high. And while the inspiration isn't flowing at manic levels as it was back then (this morning), the lesson is learned: get your ass on your mat everyday!

(sometimes we need a little nudge, a little push out the door to get us back on the right track. and herein lies the beauty of having a community of comrades. thanks is in order for kristina and laura for inspiring me to make it happen this morning. god knows nothing is easy with a newborn dictating your schedule)

Dorcstock '08!

2008-10-14T16:23:00.001-04:00

I'm all about traditions lately. I didn't know this about myself until recently though. I thought I was a commitment-phobe who avoided routine at all costs. While on a micro level this may be true, I have come to realize that on a macro level I am deeply wedded to tradition.

I had the chance to revel in a blossoming Frederick tradition this past weekend: DORCSTOCK - an evening of fire, food and fun hosted by the fabulous DQ McWilliams and her family. Candlelight, campfire, pumpkins, fall brew, mulled wine, friends, babies, moms, dads, soup, pumpkin bread and a sprinkling of tents pitched by the brave overnighters set the scene for Dorcstock this year. With a big sweater and some gloves on, I got to mingle with new and familiar faces. As the sun set and the night got colder, we all gathered around the campfire in a big circle on logs and borrowed chairs. To me gathering around a fire feels like the oldest and most natural tradition. Whether for warmth, roasting, song, dance or chat, fires naturally create a meeting place that mimics the circular nature of our dinner tables, our planet and our lives.

Dorcstock is a delight. Something to think about and look forward to throughout the year. Even though we gather with friends and family constantly, there is something fun about making it official; something exciting about picking a date, deeming it significant and seeing what happens.

Mark October 10th, 2009 on your calendars for next year's DorcStock!

Operation Fear

2008-10-14T00:43:00.000-04:00

1) the feeling of fear is one of our primal, natural responses to a threat. It is not something that is easily controlled and it's easy to incite a fear reaction in most human beings.

2) once the 'fear' switch is turned on, our responses are rash, and without conscious thought. This is by brilliant design - when there is a real threat, there is only time for automatic reaction, not thought.

To my point: this years election seens to be a division of those who have been successfully threatened and are operating from a base of fear (and are starting to panic and threaten even more), and those that are still conscious (and have a propensity for hope).

We are quickly becoming a short sighted, reactive, fear filled society,which will get us nowhere but angry and filled with hate. My mantra until Nov 4th: Conscious, critical contemplation is crucial. Open your eyes and see fear for what it is. Open your heart and hear the cries of the world. Open your mind and seek solutions. Wake up and participate before our utopic country takes a nose dive into a term governed by fear.

Absorbing Autumn

2008-10-08T15:11:00.000-04:00

I'm currently wearing a mis-matching assortment of vests, shoes and hats that are keeping me warm until I have time to pull out my proper cold weather clothes. My boyfriend who has been bugging me all summer long to slow down and take more time to stop and smell the roses, suddenly has a bonified home body on his hands. While my summer diet consisted of berries, salads, tomatoes and watermelon, I find myself excitedly searching for squash, pumpkin and soup recipes in my free time at work.

Maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but I can feel the whole shift in my body. I'm craving warmth, heaviness, rest and soothing. The end of summer is sticky and oppressive, by the middle of winter my whole body feel harsh and tired, but FALL...fall is another story entirely. For me, the smells, tastes and colors of fall speak to something I long for throughout the entire year.

My fall dreams include bonfires, my family, warm food, traditions, orange, red & brown, outdoor work, flannel shirts, snowboard shopping, crocheting, pumpkin patches, searching for the perfect sweater, warm blankets and hot tea.

Next weekend I will visit my nephew who will be experiencing the first fall of his 8 months of life. I can't wait to see him in overalls, talk about his halloween costume with my sister and watch his little cheeks get rosy when he plays outside. He doesn't know enough to dread the winter that is to come. All he is concerned with is the colors on the trees around his house and the fact that he gets to go outside as much as he likes. For all he knows, fall could be eternal. What a thought:)