Exhale & Release

"You have to drop a sandbag to get your balloon off the ground." - Love, Peace and Misunderstanding

To move forward, you have to drop the things that are holding you back.  Excess baggage can come in the form of many things such as a job that doesn't suit you or memories that won't allow you to live in the present.  Yoga teaches us that the best way to let go of the past and live in the present is to focus on the exhalation.

Exhalation helps your body relax and release tension. Each exhalation will help you discover ease in your practice and help you to go deeper and deeper into any pose. Mentally, exhalation can help unclog the clutter in your brain.  In his book, Light on Life, B.K.S Iyengar explains:

"With an exhalation and retention, you let go of resentment, anger, envy and rancor.  Exhalation is a sacred act of surrender, of self-abandonment.  At the same time, we abandon all those stored up impurities that cling to the self-our resentments, angers, regrets, desires, envies, frustrations, and feelings of superiority and inadequacy and also the negativity that causes the obstacles to adhere to consciousness...  We get so used to carrying this sack of rubbish around that we even conclude it is just part and parcel of our character."

These toxic memories that Iyengar writes about can also affect the physical body. Impurities can build up in our muscles, joints and fascia, too.  During your practice, I'm sure you have noticed that every day is different.  Yesterday you could touch your toes - but for whatever reason - today you are as stiff as a board.  For example, during your first round of sun salutations, when you swan dive into standing forward bend - you may notice that your hamstrings feel extremely tight and you need a block to assist you with the pose.  Today, instead of using the block, try a little experiment:

  

Part 1:

• Start in Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
• Inhale your arms up over head
• Exhale, Swan dive down into Utanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
• Try to place each hand flat on the floor beside each foot
• If you can't do it - don't force it
• Notice the tension you feel in your back body
• Inhale, slowly come back up to standing position

Part 2:

• Start in Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
• Inhale your arms up over head
• Exhale, Swan dive down into Utanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
• Instead of reaching for the floor, grasp each of your elbows with your hands
• Take a deep breath in
• As you exhale, feel your body relax - notice how in that moment of relaxation, your upper body surrenders with a little more ease and allows you to fold deeper (imagine that you are sending your exhalation to your hamstrings)
• After about five rounds of breath, slowly roll up to a standing position.
• Let your head be the last thing to come up.

Compare both versions.  Were you able to fold deeper when you focused on your exhalation?  

Don't assume you are the same person today as you were yesterday. Approach every practice with an accurate assessment of your current state.

Apply this experiment to everyday life.  Next time you're in a tight spot, ride the entire wave of your breath.  You're mind will gain instant clarity.

When in doubt - breathe it out!

Namaste!

Leave your ego at the door:

It's easy to unleash your competitive side during yoga class.  As you try to imitate your teacher's flawless revolved triangle pose, you find yourself nashing your teeth, you feel your shoulders tense and you may even start comparing yourself to other students in the room.  Contrary to the phenomenon known as the Yoga Asana Championship, yoga is not a competitive sport.  In fact, when you push yourself past your edge, you increase your chances of getting hurt.

Buddhism and yogic philosophy teaches us that the ego isn't actually real. Teachers often compare the ego to a lake in the middle of a barren dessert. It's a mirage. Fighting with with it is like a mime struggling to climb out of a box. How can you fight a problem that doesn't exist?

As more and more advances in neurobiology are made - theories are emerging that attibute the sense of I-ness to a couple of chemicals produced in the brain.  Ego appears to be something beyond our control - similar to the way our heart continues to beat throughout the day without us having to try.

Even though ego appears to be something that just happens, there are ways to tame it and get it under control.

Here are some ways to recognize that your ego might be influencing your practice:

1. You forget to breathe - and when you do your inhalations and exhalations feel stressed 
2. You think everyone is looking at you
3. You start to feel uncomfortable in the outfit you're in (maybe you accidentally put your see through Lululemon pants on)
4. You push yourself beyond your edge and ignore pain
5. You compare yourself to the students around you 
6. You find yourself reumenating or getting angry about a conversation you had earlier in the day.  Maybe you start thinking about how you were right and the other person was wrong

So, what should you do if you start to notice your thoughts shift?

Observe your thoughts and let them pass.  Imagine your thoughts as words playing out on a movie screen in front of you.  Whatever you do, don't press the rewind button - if anything press fast forward!

"When ego loosens its hold—even a little—the sense of freedom is exponential."

Namaste!

Release You Inner Elephant

Stand Strong Little Tree

Down Dog, Up Dog and in between – my yoga mat gets a lot of use at home.  

Whether I’m trying to challenge myself with something new like Vasisthasana  or  I’m warming up with Sun Salutations, my toddler watches my every move. Lately, his curiosity has led him to the mat trying to imitate my practice.  

This week, I wanted him to grow some roots.  

At first, we looked outside at the mighty pines swaying in the wind.  We stared as the snow melted and gracefully slid off the branches.  Winter in New England hasn’t been easy on the trees this year.  Snapped branches and toppled trunks have led many to their ultimate demise.  But the trees with the strongest roots remain steady.  Nature has so many beautiful lessons to teach.

 Next, I introduced a book that has been sitting on the shelf since my son was an infant. Babar’s Yoga for Elephants, by Laurent De Brunhoff uses colorful illustrations and step-by-step instructions to guide your little one into fifteen poses.   It’s the perfect book if you want to introduce your child to yoga.  The descriptions are a little too daunting for a two-year-old. Instead, we used the pictures as our guide as we stepped, hopped and jumped into each pose.  

The first pose we practiced together was Tree Pose (Vrksasana).  

I didn’t get my expectations up – but much to my delight, he caught on during our second session.

Babar’s Yoga for Elephants, not only teaches yoga and meditation, it also takes you on a journey around the world.  From New York to Italy and from San Francisco to Greece Babar and friends use different postures to imitate famous landmarks.

It’s cute, it’s funny and it’s a great tool for teaching your kids yoga.  I highly recommend it!

RELAX AND DRAW STRENGTH FROM YOUR INNER ELEPHANT!

Namaste! 

Bad Day Buster: Legs up the Wall Pose

 Viparita Karani AKA Legs up the Wall Pose

 Tired, Stressed, feeling blue? Put your feet up.

Viparita Karani or Legs up the Wall pose works miracles if you've had a bad day.

It alleviates nervous exhaustion, boosts confidence and strengthens the mind body connection. Perhaps the best advantage of all, is that you emerge from the posture feeling more refreshed than if you had taken a short nap.

By going upside down, we can reverse the effects of "monkey mind." In this world of mult-tasking, "monkey mind" or scattered thoughts is a state that most of us experience every day. 

Legs up the wall has several physical benefits as well:

• Encourages smooth breathing
• Soothes the nervous system
• Relieves headaches
• Relaxes the digestive system
• Reduces varicose veins and swollen feet
• Gently stretches the back of the legs
• Returns blood from the legs to the heart - improving circulation
• Supports the lymphatic system by removing waste and toxins

So what are you waiting for? All you need is a few minutes and a wall!

If will feel awkward the first couple of times you practice

• Sit with your right hip touching the wall
• Place your palms on the floor just behind your sits bones
• Bring your knees to your chest and swing your legs up onto the wall
• Make sure that your legs are making firm contact with the wall
• Keep your feet flexed – but relaxed
• Bring your arms above your head and relax them onto the floor in cactus pose
• If your forehead is lower than your chin - place a blanket underneath your head
• Breathe into this posture for 3 to 10 minutes
• If you start to feel pins and needles in your legs – simply bend your legs and press the souls of your feet together. This will help the blood circulate back into your legs
• When you are ready, hug your knees to your chest and roll over to the right side
• Using your arms - push your way up to a seated position
• Sit quietly for a few minutes.  Notice how you feel. 

WARNING:  DO NOT DO LEGS UP THE WALL POSE IF YOU HAVE SERIOUS BACK, NECK OR EYE PROBLEMS.

Keep It Simple - Less is More

“When everything else is stripped away – the essential is revealed.” BKS Iyengar.

Lynard skynard probably didn’t have yogic principles in mind when they wrote the lyrics to “Simple Man,” but if you listen closely you will learn one of the most important lessons yoga has to offer. 

The lyrics have always been intriguing, but now that I’m a mother the connection is even stronger. Shinedown covers it. Here’s my favorite rendition. Thank you Patrick Foley. 

In this materialistic world, it’s easy to desire more than you need. Some people fuel that hunger with overspending, others with alcohol, drugs or perhaps overeating. It’s this insatiable appetite that causes suffering. In the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali outlines 10 principles – The yamas and the niyamas. The yamas are moral restraints, similar to the 10 commandments. The niyamas are a set of observances. One of the yamas is Aparigraha or living without excess. In other words, having a desire for what is necessary and keeping only what you need. Yoga teaches the importance of minimizing the desire for external things and finding deeper meaning and happiness from within. Like the song says, “All you need is within your soul.” Aparigraha is also about finding the beauty in the blessings that surround you right now! 

When you desire something, it consumes your every thought creating negative energy – sending your system out of whack. Holding on to something that doesn’t suit you has the same effect. For example, last year, I was slaving away at a job that had little to offer me as far as happiness or upward mobility. Even though I took on several responsibilities that were NOT in my job description, the powers that be refused to change my title or offer me reasonable compensation. Things were so bad – that on my commute into work, I would actually pray that I would hit a deer so I wouldn’t have to feel that nauseating feeling of climbing the six flights of stairs just to sit behind my god forsaken cubicle. My boss did not make the situation any easier; finding any reason to put me down and the 2 hour commute was killing me. By the time I got home every night – I wanted to collapse on the couch with a glass of wine and a bucket of mashed potatoes. Clearly I wasn’t in the running for a mother of the year award.  I was gaining weight and I was mildly depressed. I knew something needed to be done. I frantically began my job search. 

Fast forward. I’m back into the business I love. The news. Yes, I make a lot less money. Yes, I have to work on the weekend. But I’m a lot happier. And the best part is that I get to spend more quality time with my beautiful son. My husband and I have had to make several concessions. We eat out less. I rarely buy new clothes. But all this penny pinching – to me - is worth it. 

Aparigraha is not about taking a vow of poverty. In fact, if you give up too many things in the beginning – you’re setting yourself up for failure. 

So, give it a try. Start small. Live simple. Namaste! XO

Unlock the Happiness WIthin

 

 “The land of healing lies within; radiant with the happiness that is blindly sought in a thousand outer directions.” – Swami Vivekananda

The inner smile meditation, originating from the Taoist tradition, is a way to achieve calmness and balance. It also allows you to offer a well deserved smile to yourself.

• Begin by sitting in a chair.

• Keep your feet on the floor.  Spread your toes and ground down through your feet.  Feel the energy through both your legs.

• Lengthen your spine.  Tuck your pelvis and lengthen through the sides of your waist.

• Close your eyes and place your hands in Jnana Mudra. Palms facing up.

This gesture symbolizes the union between your soul and the soul of the world.

• Start concentrating on your breath. As you inhale, feel your belly rise. As you exhale, feel your belly descend – similar to a wave crashing on the shore.

• Imagine a wave of relaxation coming over you… spreading through your entire body.

• Next, turn that feeling into a wave of happiness. This may take a while – don’t get discouraged.  Try thinking about something that made you happy as a kid.

• Let go of any holding in your jaw, let your lips part and your upper and lower teeth separate slightly.

• Without changing your facial expression, imagine the feeling of a smile.

• After a moment bring the feeling of a smile to your heart and linger there in your imagination

• Then feel a smile in both lungs and between your shoulder blades.

• From there, bring the feeling of a smile to your abdominal organs and digestive system, your lower back, your pelvis and both legs.

• Finally feel your whole body as one large open radiant smile.

• Feel yourself as the embodiment of a smile… your whole being renewed, reverberating with the presence of a smile… every cell is smiling.

Anjali Mudra

• When you’re ready – bring your hands to Anjali Mudra. Keeping your eyes closed, bow your head.

• Complete the meditation with a deep inhale and exhale and a moment of silence for reflection.

• Remember this feeling throughout your day if you feel yourself start to unravel.

Excess Baggage

Whether it's the woman behind the bakery counter who copped an attitude or the guy that flipped you the bird on your way to work today... when you hold on to negative emotions, they go straight to your hips just like brownies.  The excess baggage that you carry around can manifest itself into other problems.    This hip opener series can not only help to release such feelings as guilt, sadness and fear (we tend to hold these emotions in our pelvis) - it will also improve flexibility and may even ease back and knee pain and perhaps even improve circulation. Take your time with the next series and don't get discouraged.  Hip openers take time to master.  The ligaments in your hips are dense and hard to soften.  During this practice, stay with your breath.  On every exhalation, imagine your body softening allowing you to go deeper and deeper into the stretch. Remember not to work beyond your "edge."  These asanas (postures) should hurt but should not cause severe pain. If at anytime during this practice you feel sharp shooting pain, please stop.    

Gomukhasana or Cow Face Pose: Start by crossing your right leg over your left leg. Try to drop your knees to the ground. If you can't get your knees to the ground, don't worry! Take a block or a blanket and place it under your knee so the pose becomes accessible to you. You should feel this stretch through your sits bones.  To intensify the stretch, inhale your arms up over head. Exhale your arms forward, press your palms into the floor and and sit back on your sits bones. Hold for five breaths and repeat on the other side. Notice how each side feels a little different.  For me, the right side is tighter.

Bhujangasana - Cobra Pose: Start by laying on your stomach.  Press your palms into  the floor just in front of your shoulders. As you lift your torso, press your hips into the floor.  Roll your shoulders back and down.  Hug your elbows into your body. Press the tops of your feet into the floor.  Take five inhalations and exhalations.  Release and repeat.

Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward Facing Dog: Begin in Tadasana or Mountain Pose.  To do this, Stand with your feet together or hip distance apart.  Spread your toes wide. Ground down through your feet, tuck your tailbone and extend through the sides of your waist.  Inhale your arms up, exhale swan dive into standing forward bend.  Bring your naval to your spine so that your back releases and you are able to fold a little deeper.  On the next inhale, jump or step your feet back.  With your feet hip width apart, press your palms into the floor.  Extend through your arms.  Lift your sits bones to the ceiling. Push your top thighs back to the wall behind you and stretch your heels down toward the floor.

One Legged Downward Facing Dog: From downward facing dog, press into the floor with your palms. As you send energy up your arms inhale and lift your right foot to the sky. Try your hardest to keep both hips level. Flex the foot of your extended leg as you descend the opposite heel toward the floor.  Breath five good long breaths.

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana - Pigeon Pose: Bring your raised leg to the front of your mat. Bend your leg at the knee.  The knee can angle slightly to the right, outside the line of the hip. Take a moment and look behind you to make sure the extended leg is straight.  Press into the floor with top of your back foot.   Square off your hips.  If you are having trouble keeping your hips level, place a blanket underneath the hip that keeps popping up. 

Exhale and surrender your upper body over your bent leg.  Stretch your arms forward.  Take five breaths here.  Then slide your hands back just beneath your shoulders.  Press into the floor with your palms as you lift your torso. Roll your shoulder blades back and down. Press back into downward facing dog.  Lift the other leg and repeat Pigeon Pose on the opposite side. I like to maintain this pose for five minutes. It feels soooo good.

One Legged Chair Pose: Once again begin in Tadasana (Mountain Pose).  Bring your right foot just above your left knee.  Do not place your foot on top of your knee as crushing your knee cap is not ideal. Bend your left knee and sit back into a squatting position.  If you have trouble balancing on one leg, hold onto the wall or some nearby furniture.  Make sure your left knee does not go past your big toe.  If it does you need to sit back further into the stretch.  Take five breaths here.

"May the long time sun shine upon you and the pure light with in you guide your way on."

Namaste!

Balancing Act

Life is a balancing act. At times, it’s a breeze and at times it feels like it’s spiraling out of control. The daily practice of yoga and meditation allows practitioners to regain control of their lives and return to their true selves or their Atman. By slowing down and focusing on their breath (especially the exhalations) practitioners can calm their sympathetic nervous systems (SNS) and reactivate their parasympathetic nervous systems (PNS). A number of scientific studies have proven that bodies whose SNS’s are constantly in full gear are more likely to develop stress-related health problems such as fatigue, weight gain – especially around the abdomen, increased blood sugar and increased inflammation. 

Next time, you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed, step away from whatever it is that is stressing you out, and just breathe.

Simple Meditation:

•  Begin by closing your eyes. Take a deep breath through your nose. As you inhale, allow your abdomen to rise. This should be a subtle movement, don’t force it.

• On the exhalation, slowly allow your abdomen to compress. Allow your navel to reach back towards your spine. Repeat the same breath - inhalation and exhalation - five times, each time, allow your exhalation to last a bit longer and become a bit stronger. Let go of anything that is bothering you.

• After your fifth cycle of breath, try to start clearing your mind even more. Mute your monkey mind and push away all of the negative things and thoughts that are plaguing your conscious.

• Stop worrying about what is going to happen and start thinking about how you feel in this present moment. Be thankful to be living in this present moment - right here, right now.

•  Imagine that there is a soft white light in the middle of your belly –  take that light and send it to the person, project or flaw that is stressing you out the most.  If it’s a person who is causing your stress, envision that person, receiving the light and releasing the pressure that they have been putting on you. 

• Breathe and let go.  With your eyes still closed, continue to concentrate on the white light for five more cycles of breath.  After your fifth breath, slowly open your eyes.