With the true start of the spring season I am starting a new series here on my site called “Yoga Mama.” With the blossoming season I will share my blossoming belly (I am due in July). I have been journaling my experiences from pre-conception & will be sharing bits with you on the site. Look for holistic pregnancy tips, pre-conception, prenatal & postnatal yoga, Ayurveda & wellness features, articles & interviews as I take you along on our journey.

We had an absolutely perfect spring weekend here in New Jersey.  Saturday was our first tailgate of the season for the Phillies home game.  There was a slight chill in the air, but the sun was out & we all had a blast.  I didn’t actually attend the game, just the tailgate.  I had my first vegetarian banh mi sandwich. I’m sure I’ll be looking to pick up another one of them again soon! Yesterday Dan & I took Scrappy out to the Pine Barrens for a long hike. The weather was a bit warmer than on Saturday, perfect for an afternoon spent outdoors.

Dan & Scrappy overlooking Lake Atsion

Scrappy taking a breather on our hike

]]> http://mmayuko.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/me-and-my-love-of-yoga-trainingsworkshops/ Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:20:50 +0000 mmayuko http://mmayuko.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/me-and-my-love-of-yoga-trainingsworkshops/ From time to time, to keep inspired and motivated with my yoga practice, I like to attend workshops/teacher’s training. Practicing with the same routine can get a bit mundane. For example my weekly routine could consist of the same classes week in and week out, and there is nothing wrong with that. It’s just that most of the classes I attend are asana based and I think for me, if asana was all there was, I would not be practicing yoga for as long as I have because I would not realize that the practice of yoga goes beyond just physical poses. I am also certain that when beginners look at me now, they think I’ve accomplished it all. However, only yoga practitioners will understand that there was, there is, and will be something to explore, something to work on, something to learn. That is why I feel the need to learn from other teachers, especially from those who have had the privilege to practice from yoga gurus I can only read about in books and on the Internet. I’m lucky that I have the means and access to meet such amazing teachers. The thing that I love about attending so many different workshops and trainings is that each teacher has a different style, a different approach, a different point of view when conducting their workshops or trainings. For example some teachers take the physical route, practice doing a certain flow of asanas or certain postures over and over again until it’s ingrained inside your body, and you understand it because you can feel it. Other teachers do more theory, they help you to understand with words, stories, etc. And some teachers place more importance on philosophy, mantras and the like. The current teacher I’m learning from is Chuck Miller. When I began my yoga practice I was most drawn to the Ashtanga Vinyasa system of yoga. It is physically challenging and until today, I still find it tremendously difficult. The transitioning of poses with complete focus on the breath, alignment and concentration is difficult. What I like about this tradition of yoga however, is that we are meditating (via the drishti or gaze), breathing and performing postures consciously for the whole duration of the sequence. I think that’s what drew me in. It was also the physically difficult poses that we do in the Ashtanga practice (as a beginner, physically demanding classes were appealing to me). However I think I sort of drifted away from this tradition of yoga for a few reasons- 1. There aren’t many Ashtanga Led or Mysore style classes available at my yoga studio, 2. I do not have space nor the self-discipline to practice on my own and 3. My ego is in the way. There are still so many things in the Ashtanga Vinyasa sequence I still find challenging, that I sort of just gave up and stuck with easier Hatha yoga classes. I also love that Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga is also so rich in tradition and hearing stories of the teacher’s teacher and the teacher’s teacher’s teacher is amazing for me. I think the richness and depth of yoga is what will always keep me hooked. Like religion, I do not like to say which lineage or branch of yoga is better from others. Ultimately I reckon it’s still yoga and still comes from the same place. If I could, I’d love to explore as many ‘types’ of yoga as I could. For the past few days, Chuck Miller spoke of samasthithihi (equal standing pose) which he says is the foundation of most yoga poses. Another teacher, who teaches a different branch of Hatha yoga emphasized that tadasana (mountain pose, similar or same pose to samasthithihi, but different name, I think) the foundation of most yoga poses. This is exactly why I love yoga- even though they are different teachers from different branches (not sure if that’s the right term) of yoga, they say the same thing. If I’m missing from my blog for a bit, it’s because I’m busy with the training.:)

Our Body is always in the present moment. So is our Breath. However, it’s often our Mind that is elsewhere – absorbed in past memories, or future plans. As a result, we can sometimes move through life feeling disconnected – from our Body, and ourselves.

The practice of Hatha Yoga invites us to reconnect. To directly experience the freedom of the Present Moment – through the amazing and intuitive tool of our own Body-Mind, and the practice of embodied Asana (the physical postures of Yoga).

Over the years, we may have developed a particular, limited ‘view’ of our Body – how it appears or looks, or how it functions (or doesn’t); or, what it seemingly can or can’t do. Yoga invites us to look again. To feel into our physical sense of self, from a totally different perspective. Without judgement, without competing, Yoga asks us to begin from wherever we are.

A powerful and precious gift

From a Hatha Yoga perspective, we see the Body as a wonderful gift – a powerful and precious tool for understanding ourselves. Not to mention a powerful way to help us improve and optimise our health, increase our vitality (Prana), and discover a lasting experience of harmony and Wellbeing!

Rather than identifying with the Body (in a negative way), we learn to embrace the Body with equanimity and mindfulness – accepting all that it is. In this way, it can become one of our greatest teachers.

Embodied Asana – The perfect place to start!

Of course, the wholistic teachings of Yoga also remind us, that we are not ‘just’ this physical Body! But, it’s also made clear that this is the perfect place to begin, to understand ourselves – and all of Life, a little more.

In class over the past few months, we’ve been exploring certain Asana more deeply, and this has naturally brought up questions and insights from students. In all instances, these observations have come from feeling into the body, and developing a subtler awareness of what is aligning, lengthening, opening, contracting, supporting, releasing. Students are noticing how they’re feeling as they move, and while they are ‘still’. They’re noticing the energetic qualities that arise during and after each posture, and the flow in between. They’re noticing thought patterns. And, as each Asana is explored, this natural curiosity and Self Enquiry continues to unfold…

No matter where we are in our life’s journey, there’s always great benefit when we come to our Yoga practice, with what Zen Buddhists call a ‘Beginner’s Mind’. In this way, we can make fresh, new discoveries and insights about ourselves, and Life. It is this depth of Self Enquiry and natural curiosity – this feeling into and listening to the body – that helps to transform physical exercise into a more subtle and direct, embodied experience. This is the essence of Yoga in action!

Ultimately, embodied Asana is yet another tool for ‘Waking up’ to ‘What Is’, in the Present Moment. It’s a precious Seed of Practice that is to be planted and nurtured. Day by day.

Explore for yourself

If you practice Yoga, (or even if you don’t yet!), you can also explore some of the simple principles of embodied Asana as you move through the day:

First, and most importantly – Take a few moments to feel a sense of Gratitude for this Body, and how it continues to help you throughout each day. Try to let go of any tendency to judge yourself, or your Body. Be kind to yourself. It’s ok to start from wherever you are, as you are!

Now, take a few minutes right now, to become fully aware of your whole body. Become aware of your posture. Just noticing, not judging. How are you sitting, standing or lying down? Can you get a sense of your whole body? Or is it easier to become aware of a certain part? Your toes, hands, sitting bones? Are your shoulders relaxed or tense? Is your belly soft or tight? Is your jaw clenched or relaxed? Can you feel your heart beating? Is you breath soft? Are you frowning? Maybe you’re smiling!

It’s through the practice of Yoga, that we learn to transform these simple observations into deeper states of Wellbeing. Yoga helps us to develop a more subtle and intuitive awareness of our entire Body. We learn Asana (postures) and techniques to cultivate vital energy (Prana), and improve our physical health – from the inside, out. Over time, this clear light of awareness begins to reveal a vibrant and ever-present Aliveness – of Body, Breath and Mind!

Exploring in this way, we begin to reconnect with ourselves – to experience what it means to be truly alive – ‘embodied’ and fully present – in each and every moment…

Enjoy!
Om Shanti
Mardi

(Yoga Nature is dedicated to helping people reconnect with the essentials of Wellbeing. Through Yoga, we explore ways to embrace the fullness of Life – by bringing health to our Body, an ease to our Breath, clarity to our Mind, and more openness and harmony into our Heart.)

Image by Andrew:  In the moment ~ embodying Krounchasana (Heron Pose).

I found it quite by accident when I was looking to book the Skywalk, where you get to go round the outside of the tower! They do it on Wednesday mornings, and charge just $25, which is pretty good when you consider the views. I mean you pay nearly that much just to go up the Observation Deck itself.

Places are limited to 35 because, as you can see, there’s not a lot of room. You have to book in advance, and online, and it’s run by Yoga By The Sea Instructor Sasha (actually, I have to admit, I’m not sure it was her, but I think it was – next time I’ll ask).

Getting there was a task for me, mainly because of the early start; 6:45 for 7am. Because I was going to do the Skywalk afterwards (at 10am) I had to book out of my hostel and stick all my bags in a storage locker, as I was moving to a hotel later that day. So my alarm went off at 5:45! Which, I have to say, was a bit harsh. It was also a little harsh, when I got there, being stuck in an elevator with a bunch of jabbering 20-something Aussies first thing in the morning, but anyway…

The class was nice. Like I said, it was classed as Yin Yoga, which is basically a Hatha Yoga class concentrating on simple stretches and relaxation (as far as I could tell – I don’t know the dictionary definition). It was open to all, so the poses started off easy with more complex variations for the more experienced yogi, a situation which worked great for me as I landed on my face trying to do the Scorpion the other day and injured my neck, so I’ve been recuperating since then. I needed something to ease me back into my practice, and this class did the trick. A nice gentle start to the day (with moments of invigoration, lol.) Don’t get me wrong, just because it was simple doesn’t mean it was easy. )

There were some nice leg stretches, and a lot of twists. All good stuff for loosening the back up. Unlike a normal Hatha Yoga class the relaxation was just at the beginning and the end, I guess because of time constraints; the Tower opening up to the public and people having to get to work.

They had music playing, which as I’ve said before I’m finding I like in a yoga class, and after you’d finished there was a light breakfast provided of fruit and fruit juices; though you had to be quick to get some. I was chatting with a lovely lady named Julie afterwards, so when I went to get my fruit it had all gone. All I got was a small bottle of OJ.

All in all, with the views, the yoga, the brekkie, and the uniqueness of it all, I’d say this was a good value for money class. I had planned on doing the Skywalk right afterwards at 10am, but as you can see the weather turned nasty and it didn’t prove possible.

I’m going back later tonight though to do it, so it’s all good.

If you’re in Sydney give the Yoga In The Sky (they call it Yoga From The Sky but I like my way better ) a go. It’s worth trying at least once, if you can get up that early that is, lol.

This morning at the breakfast table I found the following article in my latest OM magazine and was easily able to categorize myself straight away. What about you and what changes are you going to implement to create balance?

Source: OmYoga & lifestyle/ Issue March 2013/p. 34

Photo source: google

That was my first ocean sunrise.  The slowness of the sunrise delivered such beauty.  I had been to sunsets often.  I knew the boldness and power of a good sunset, but I did not realize that sunrise was a process.  The light slowly crept in as I was driving to the beach.  The greys shifted with each passing mile.  The shadow’s shadows were illuminated.  The long, black arms of the trees stretched up for the heavens.  For a moment, I thought I was going to miss a sunrise on the beach. Just as suddenly as I got the urge to drive to the beach, it dawned on me that my whole drive was the experience of the sun rising.  Awakening and being immersed in the light didn’t happen in an instant.    It, too, is a process.  We have to see the shadow’s shadows to know the light is there.

I made it to the beach before the ball of fire kissed me with its embers.  I kept repeating the purification mantra again and again as the seagulls dove down and floated up.  As the wind embraced me with its saltiness, I repeated the mantra and kept the intention of being in the moment in my mind’s eye.  The sun was cloaked with a cloudy veil that morning.  It showed its power and love by sending beams through the lace.  Its embers took its veil away, and all I could do is bask in His love.

]]> http://yogalenany.com/2013/02/26/what-is-yin-yoga/ Tue, 26 Feb 2013 17:46:37 +0000 Lena Normén-Younger http://yogalenany.com/2013/02/26/what-is-yin-yoga/ Last week, I spent 50 hours with the yoga teacher Bernie Clark, learning about the wonders of yin yoga.

Maybe you don’t know what yin yoga is?  Yin yoga has the same aim as all other types of yoga, but it differs in how you get there. In regular hatha yoga, the muscles are warmed up and stretched. If you are new to yoga, some of the tension ends up in your joints. Pressure in your joints is not benefical when you apply movement to the stretch. Instead, explore yin yoga as a compliment to your regaular hatha or vinyasa yoga. Yin yoga targets the connective tissues, such as the ligaments, bones, and even the joints of the body, but you stress these type of tissue in a still pose, which controls the movement and decreases the risk of injury. 

In yin yoga you actively train mindfulness. Your body has a voice. During the 3-10 minutes you spend in each yin yoga position, you will have plenty of opportunity to start listening to it. What is it trying to tell you? Sharp, burning pain tells you to back off, and that you have got too deep into the pose. Dull ache can be acceptable, if you do not experience any type of pain after the class. Compression of bones and tension in stretched muscles cause some discomfort. By focussing on it, you can gradually feel the ache dissolve and move you deeper into the poses that otherwise would take much longer time to get comfortable in, potentially at an increased risk of injury.

Yin yoga can be worked into a regular yoga class. I prefer to do it in the beginning, when your muscles are not warm. Yesterday, I took a power vinyasa class, and was amazed by the space that one week of daly yin classes had created in my body. This week I need to balance it with more yang driven hatha classes. Everything in life has to be balanced, even yoga. 

This blog is part of my company website, Yoga Lenany. Here I share the wisdom of yoga and how it relates to your breath and mindfulness.

I mainly practice hatha yoga but also teach yin yoga and vinyasa flow. After finally having found my way on to the mat,  I have dived into the Eastern philosophies – a new love interest of mine.

With this blog I hope to inspire some thoughts when it comes to your own life and yoga practice. Because of my nutrition background, I also hope to share information and discussions on the topic that I spent so many years doing research on: bioactive substances, all the wonderful components of the plant kingdom that prevent disease and keep us healthy.

Warm regards,

Lena Normén-Younger

Take a moment to learn more about our teachers

Check out the schedule to attend a class

or contact us with any questions: 541.913.8952

Welcome to Studio 508! We can’t wait to meet you.

After researching what was available, we agreed to join a group that has regular classes at various times of day. Due to the fact that I often work late into the evenings and Sara works a Tuesday to Saturday shift, we would have to find a way to make this work. This particular group hosts beginner, intermediate, and advanced Hatha and Vinyasa classes, in addition to specialized classes for pregnant women, people with stiff bodies, and people who need gentle yoga, or help working toward restoring their bodies due to injuries.

Despite Sara sporting a naturally flexible body, we both joined the beginner Hatha class so that we could focus on the foundation of yoga prior to really challenging ourselves. This statement makes it sound as though the class is physically easy. Well it certainly is not… but the classes are as challenging as we choose to make them. This is one of the reasons that drew me to martial arts, and it is also one of the reasons I’m excited about yoga. I am the only person who determines the extent of my accomplishment. As I consider my personal goals, I’m encouraged to know that as I grow as a yoga practitioner, the sky is the limit.

I was in a motorcycle accident almost six years ago.  After I had made a left turn into a single lane, an elderly lady entered my lane from the right side, impacting the motorcycle and sending me into a somersault over the handlebars.  I didn’t break any bones, but I was left with a soft tissue injury that has resulted in constant back pain.  I have attempted several times to continue with martial arts after undergoing physiotherapy, acupuncture, as well as several alternative methods of therapy.  After six years with no resolution, I’m afraid those days might be over.  It saddens me, because I have never been truly passionate about anything, until I discovered martial arts.  At this point in my life, I have come to accept the unfortunate truth of the situation, which is that I’ve been forced by the carelessness of another to give up the one thing that was fulfilling in life.

This brings me to the story of my new journey.  I have been aware of the existence of yoga for as long as I’ve been aware of martial arts.  While it is certainly a healthy, beneficial activity for anyone, it never occurred to me that I should study yoga until many years after I realized that my days identifying as a martial artist were most likely over.  In the old days, despite mostly studying what would be considered hard martial arts (karate, muaythai, tae kwon do, MMA), I was very interested in the softer side, such as meditation, stretching, and breathing, among other things.  I am now of the opinion that I can achieve a similar, if not stronger, connection of mind, body, and spirit through the study of yoga.

“In every human heart lies a deep longing to connect with something bigger than oneself, to find a sense of belonging and meaning to life. At the core of this longing is a basic human desire for happiness that transcends culture and time. Every human being wants to find happiness.

“This quest for happiness is not so much a striving to acquire something that exists outside of us as it is an innate desire to remember something that is part of our very nature. First and foremost, yoga is about remembering ourselves, our own deepest purpose for being. The journey of yoga is an inner journey to the very essence of our existence. The message of yoga is that the nature of that inner essence is happiness or bliss (ananda in Sanskrit). The search for happiness within every human heart is the search for the true nature of who we are.”

Martin Kirk, Brooke Boon, and Daniel DiTuro, Hatha Yoga Illustrated (United States of America: Human Kinetics, 2006), 1-2.

Legs up the wall week ran from Feb. 4 – 10.

Good has been practicing yoga for 20 years. He told me he knew that he wanted to be a teacher after being inspired by a teacher of his own. Two years ago, he began teaching yoga full-time.

His preference on which class to teach/practice, he says, are tied between Hatha Flow and Restorative yoga.

Good’s passion for yoga is contagious, and I was inspired by his explanation of the benefits of yoga.

“Yoga makes you face yourself,” he said. “You hit the pause button for an hour and a bit. You get faced with your fears, your joy and you learn to withstand.”

The breath work, pranayama, he calls ‘grace under fire’.

I must admit I have been a lazy yogi for the past couple of weeks (erg… month?). But thanks to David, I made sure to practice the legs up the wall pose more than a few times that week. It is a relief, a ‘true stress buster and healer’, just as Good says.

Not only has Good reminded me to do one of my favorite (and most relaxing, and calming…) yoga poses on a more regular basis thanks to his legs up the wall week, but now he has also reminded me why it’s so important to take time out to do what I love to do.

Next stop: Hatha Flow in the morning.

As yoga is a personal passion of mine, I’m very excited for this event! Yoga allows people to focus intention on a problem and bring about positive effect, so it’s a natural link to focus our intention on eliminating slavery. My yoga teacher, Vanessa Kennedy of Be Yoga, will be conducting a 1 hour yoga session for all levels. From pro to beginner, we have you covered. Be Yoga practices Jivamukti yoga which is one of 9 internationally recognized styles of Hatha yoga. It’s an active form of yoga that uses vinyasa (sequences) to align one’s spiritual intent and movement.

Please spread the word and help us send good intentions towards this issue and raise money for the cause.

When: Wednesday, Feb 27 5:30 to 6:30

Where: Kula Yoga Studio Annex, 304 Brunswick Avenue, Toronto (above Future’s Bakery)

How much: $20.00

Please register by emailing carly@free-them.net

Hope to see you there!

Namaste.

Carly Romano

I received from Kula a guest pass for any yoga class within a week of my birthday. Since today was Family Day, my workplace was closed and I decided that today would be a good day to make use of the pass. I debated between either a hot or regular temperature Hatha yoga class. In the end, I opted for a regular class with Colin Matthews.

I’ve found over the past couple of months that Hatha yoga has been singing in my soul as a practise. That’s about the best way I can express it. It’s not to say that my other classes and various styles don’t resonate with me but it just isn’t the same. There’s just something soothing and nourishing with Hatha.

During two different poses Colin came over and adjusted my poses. One had to do with the fact that I, like many others, tend to hike up my shoulders. Colin gently reminded me to settle my shoulders back down and to open with my heart instead. Less was more. I had an “ah-ha” moment when I realized “wow, this is what it’s supposed to feel like!” The other pose (Janu Sirsasana- head-to-knee forward bend) is one where I can easily get comfortable and fall asleep due to my flexibility but the whole point is not to get comfy. Colin also reminded me of this very quickly when he came to assist in making the pose more dynamic and challenging. He held down my hip and helped me stretch my spine long and straight. What a difference it made!

There was a rational to the various poses that he guided us through; all were a lead-up to Ardha Chandrasana- half moon pose. I’ve never really learned this pose properly or rather, I’ve never owned it but in breaking it down, working up to it, and approaching it with an open and playful mind, I was able to actually hold the pose and enjoy it. Holding the pose was on my 90 Day Transformation Challenge goals so I’m thrilled to be able to mark it as successfully done!

Most would say that yoga is easy for those who are flexible. After today’s class I would say it’s actually even more difficult for us. We have to work even harder to ensure that the poses are dynamic and that we are being challenged instead of just chilling and hanging out. We need to be even more in tuned with our bodies and willing to accept corrections and assists. Most times less is better and just because we are flexible doesn’t necessarily mean that we should be touching our toes without much thought.

Lessons to take off my mat and into life… I need to think before reacting, make sure that my actions are carefully and diligently thought through, and I must remain flexible to change and accept the help of strangers. Often times, less is a lot more.

Taz

Hatha 

• Great way to wind down the evening after a long hard day at work
• Benefits – slow paced, diverse breathing techniques
• Good For - Beginers and people who want to learn the basic techniques of yoga

Vinyasa

• A beginner type of yoga for anyone who likes more movement
• Benefits – no two classes are alike, wide variety of poses
• Good for – beginners and anyone who likes to move and likes a variety of change

Ashtanga

• Often called “Power Yoga”, very physically demanding
• Benefit – sculpts your muscles while also getting your cardio in for the day
• Good for – experienced, ex-athletes who are used to moving quickly

Prenatal

• Great place to meet other mothers-to-be while easing pregnancy pain
• Benefits – helps with posture, aids pregnancy aches
• Good for – an expectant mother, or a new mother who wants to get back into shape

Bikram

• Yoga in 105 degree heat and 40% humidity! Bring your towel and water and get ready to sweat!
• Benefits – flushes out toxins, cleanses the body, speeds up recovery from an injury
• Good for – Beginners and those trying to heal physical injuries

There are many different yoga types out there so find the best one that fits your style! Whether a beginner or an expert, yoga is a great place to ease the mind after a long hard work week.

Leave a comment below and say which type of yoga you prefer!

By- Autumn Mulle

13 Savasana Lifeless Entire body Yoga Has A Rich History In The US Pose

Elementary academics have advocated implementing applications into the curriculum that aid youngsters How to Find Free Or Cheap Yoga Classes emphasis. Using time to extend, breathe deeply and emphasis not only will get the blood circulating, it also relaxes the physique and stimulates the brain.

Yoga curriculum in children’s training is essential for a single principal purpose. Numerous children around the planet, notably those influenced by attention-deficit and hyperactivity issues, have trouble concentrating in class. And given that yoga actively methods concentrate, research like the a single done in 2003 by researchers at California Point out College, Los Angeles, indicate a constructive correlation between grades, conduct and yoga follow. In other words and phrases, young children who practice yoga are a lot more likely to be greater behaved and to earn larger grades than their friends who do not practice yoga.

Most colleges that incorporate yoga into their curriculum do so soon after stripping it of any spiritual overtones for illustration, meditation time in faculties gets creativeness time. Because children generally get yoga much less significantly than grown ups do, it turns out youngsters can nevertheless reap the rewards of focused peace from a session of stretches and poses that support prepare the head to focus.

Yet another explanation that children want yoga is that it is a actual physical action where overt competitiveness or athletic skills are not essential. Even youthful children who do not like health club or sport time can value an lively yoga session they can excel in.

One more extra reward of incorporating yoga into the curriculum is that academics can employ the warm-up and stretching poses for tale or learning time. For instance, an elementary teacher could integrate a historical past lesson by going for walks the kids via stretches whilst describing a working day in the existence of a Native American tribal chief or of a youthful girl in a lined wagon on the Oregon Trail. Combining physical exercise with psychological stimulation will keep little ones engaged with the material even even though they launch strength and discover to sluggish down.

Plainly, introducing yoga to children’s education and learning can help them continue to be on job, rating larger on tests, and don’t forget data lengthier. And considering that young children need to do nicely in these regions to be successful in faculty, incorporating yoga into the curriculum is a no-brainer!

?? Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Heart – Publications Division

It is becoming a lot more and much more popular for skilled athletes to use yoga. The Los Angeles Lakers (basketball), the Miami Dolphins (soccer) and the Chicago Cubs (baseball) use yoga as a instruction resource for the whole staff roster. Individually Pete Sampras (tennis), Annika Sorenstam (golfing), Sean Burke (hockey) and Evander Holyfield (boxing) along with many other individuals practice yoga to keep at the leading of their sport. Genuinely yoga is a best cross training approach complementing and expanding every athletes talents.

Yoga extends athletic education by:

• Growing core strength
• Enhancing pulmonary effectiveness
• Lowering efficiency anxiety
• Stopping sports activities injuries
• Enhancing focus
• Rising flexibility
• Boosting selection of movement
• Developing stability and concentrate
• Increasing stamina
• Training peace
• Relieving anxiety
]]> http://thelivehealthyguide.com/2013/02/16/yoga-with-lenna/ Sat, 16 Feb 2013 07:11:34 +0000 Lennalucina http://thelivehealthyguide.com/2013/02/16/yoga-with-lenna/

Offering private and small group yoga classes specifically for your body and your fitness goals. Fun, invigorating, power flow vinyasa, with restorative healing. Open to all levels and all people interested in diving deeper into yoga or just trying to out in a private, safe setting.

]]> http://gentlehatha.com/2013/02/15/defining-hatha-yoga/ Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:42:59 +0000 jenniburkeyoga http://gentlehatha.com/2013/02/15/defining-hatha-yoga/ http://dawnrobinsonwalsh.wordpress.com/2013/02/15/doing-the-downward-dog/ Fri, 15 Feb 2013 05:49:57 +0000 Dawn Robinson-Walsh http://dawnrobinsonwalsh.wordpress.com/2013/02/15/doing-the-downward-dog/

Yesterday, I attended my first ever yoga session. Yoga is something I read of and aspired to in my youth but never really did apart from, as a teenager, buying a DIY book and attempting a few badly informed positions at a time when my (much thinner) body was far more supple and compliant to my demands than it is today.

What I didn’t realise then is that yoga is difficult, it requires teaching and it also needs the correct frame of mind. There are different types of yoga, with variations in styles and ways of practising, and I know nothing about any of them, having only attended a free taster session with yoga teacher, Fiona Waters. A few people have mentioned yoga to me over the years and I’ve turned down the idea  thinking it was largely meditative and too slow-paced for me, so I was pleasantly surprised to be worked quite hard (though not unpleasantly) throughout. The idea is not to feel pain and discomfort but to learn to breathe and stretch the body in a way which is noticeable but comfortable.

Fiona moved to Bude only a year ago from her fast-paced life in London, after pursuing a marketing career (she is now freelance). The move was more her husband’s idea but she quickly grew to love Bude’s calm pace and beautiful surroundings. Her practical focus is rooted in hatha yoga, based around the use of physical postures and breathing techniques.

It must be said that Fiona could not have chosen a better venue. I loved the sunny , welcoming and friendly vibe at the Widemouth Manor Hotel. We were in what is probably the breakfast area, swathed in sunshine, overlooking the gardens to the side and the beautiful sea and cliffs to the front. I’d already stopped twice en route to drink in the view and breathe in the air. Indeed, I rather preferred the idea of walking along the beach (luckily it was high tide so I couldn’t) listening to the roar of the waves and watching them roll in from the Atlantic. There is something incredibly relaxing about the sea, so being able to watch it from the window added a sense of calm. That said, the room in the hotel was much warmer than the beach……



Classes start with gentle relaxation into breathing, developing into sequences of statically held postures, to “develop core strength and flexibility”.  Afterwards, we are brought back to the real world via a concentration exercise (the part I probably found hardest).

Now, as Fiona said, learning yoga is like learning to swim. There is little pleasure in it at first. You basically realise that you’re not getting your arms/legs quite right and your breathing is not co-ordinating. Maybe that was just me (but I suspect not). Somehow I found myself exhaling when I should be inhaling and had to really think hard on the breathing front. Oddly enough, breathing doesn’t immediately feel natural once you start doing it to order,  though it did feel better as the session progressed. Ditto some of the postures. Standing on one leg, yes, I can do that. I can even do that wearing ice skates. But turning my hip outwards to so do made it a whole different (wobbly) ball game. I suddenly had immense respect for those ballet postures….

Fiona’s website states:

My yoga practice and teaching are a result of years of personal experience, inspiring teachers and study and I’ve come to see it as a physiological magic.  For me, the essence of this magic sits deep within and the tools of yoga allows us regulate it.  When the abdomen feels comfortable our mind is focused and balanced.

 

And certainly, my abdomen rarely feels comfortable so this may indeed be a way forward. I was surprised by how unfit I felt although I did manage to complete the moves, albeit not always in the most aesthetically pleasing way. Fortunately, there was no mirror and the small group of women were all focusing on their own postures rather than mine.

I left feeling I’d stretched parts I have never stretched before, or perhaps not in years, whilst being struck that I would actually feel much more supple and fit the more I did this. Yet, here I am the following day not aching at all…..

The appeal of yoga, to a novice like me, is probably the focus on inner being, because it is truly a chance to reflect on your own body, how it works, its physiology and indeed, what it is capable of. It was wonderful that, as Fiona was talking us through what we would feel, my physiology was playing ball, feeling how it should. I also enjoyed Fiona’s teaching style. While she obviously had a plan, she visibly adapted it as she went along, to suit the people she was working with, some experienced in yoga or other exercise and some, like me, for whom walking the dog constitutes the main exercise of the day (lifting a wine glass even better).

I also liked the fact that I didn’t have to buy or wear special equipment, do a trip to the Nike store, and could get through a whole session in leggings and loose top, without feeling cold……..so, a teacher I could relate to, no special clothing requirements, a lovely setting, the opportunity, if I plan ahead, to walk on the beach afterwards and the benefits of some stretching and breathing all conspire to make yoga something I will investigate further. Roll on the next session…..



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