Yoga, Health, and Wellness Articles + Recipes

 

By Ashley Josephine

I started practicing yoga to stay in shape and release stress. What I learned was how to love my life. How to have faith. How to find your community of people who support you and love you unconditionally. How to get back control. Today, it is my mission to help busy Type-A overachiever women like me gain back control of their lives, live pain-free, and love the life they want to live through yoga lifestyle practices. Visit www.ashleyjosephine.com to get free yoga lifestyle tips to help live healthier, happier, and pain-free.

 

I had spent much of my life in a constant fear of abandonment. A childhood perception that gave away my power with each person I blamed for not having been there for me when I needed them the most. I even created situations to fulfill the prophecy that I was unworthy of anyone sticking around. However, the moment that everything changed was when I realized the only person who had abandoned me was myself, everything shifted.

I began a process of what the yogi’s call svādhyāya, or self-study. Why did I do this? What was it serving? What was the payoff? At first, this process seemed fruitless as the ego tried to shift the blame externally. Staying in presence with the awareness that the abandonment was mine alone and truly facing it with a curiosity akin to childlike wonder, I was able to go a little deeper into the needs that resided within the actions.

Being willing to be courageously honest with myself, what I discovered was that I replicated the first time I felt like I was not safe to be fully me. If I showed up in my full brilliance, people I relied on to love and protect me shut down. I thought it was my fault. It felt horrible. My mind mad a little map in my head so I could try to avoid feeling like that again. The problem with that is my soul needed to be free in order for me to be fully me. 

I needed to feel safe, accepted, and loved. Yet, I was searching outside of myself, rather than loving and accepting myself, believing in my deepest wisdom, and trusting myself and my intuition. Realizing this, my svādhyāya deepened. What would it take for me to love myself? Trust myself? Accept myself?

First, I had to be aware of what I was feeling. Good or bad, right or wrong, I simply had to acknowledge it and observe it. What was beneath the surface of that feeling? Was there a need not being met? Was I projecting or deflecting for other needs and emotions?

Next, I had to take my power back. I was responsible for my feelings and how long I wanted to stay emotionally attached to whatever I was feeling in the moment. If a situation or person triggered me, I’d take a moment to explore it and decide if I wanted to stay angry, frustrated, or sad. If I did, I knew there was something more to explore. If I did not want to stay attached, I had to decide what I did want to feel and take some inspired action to get there.

Finally, I started focusing on what I thought was “right” rather than “wrong” about me, building on successes rather than focusing on failures, and seeking ways to iterate on anything that wasn’t working. That included relationships. I taught people who to treat me. That meant re-training some people and letting others go. It meant teaching me how to treat myself, too. I could no longer make poor choices or have negative self talk and unrealistic expectations and expect to feel anything other than poor.

I still practice svādhyāya on a regular basis. These changes take time and are layered. there’s always more to explore and uncover. I find the process is easier and faster now, almost second nature. I am far more balanced and happy, accepting and loving of myself. The fear of abandonment is gone because I was willing to get to the root and lovingly dig it up and remove it. 

By Wendy Reese

Wendy Reese is a lifestyle strategist who specializes in whole being, author, and RYT-500 with 13 years of teaching experience. You can find more and do the free 7 day lifestyle detox at www.wholebeinginc.com/detox Visit www.wholebeinginc.com/detox

Try one of following YogaDownload Classes: 

Foundations of Yoga - Jackie Casal Mahrou

Quicky Stretch & De-stress - Celest Pereira

 

Among grassroots yoga professionals, the prevalent trope on the proliferation of yoga teacher training amounts to predictions of end times. That acquiescence to the fallacy of a 200-hour standard has resulted in cookie-cutter certificate factories that are quickly destroying any remnant of authentic yoga. Hordes of unqualified teachers with dubious credentials are being unleashed upon an unknowing public, causing injury and sullying the name of an ancient and sacred tradition.

Or if you read any number of mainstream media outlets, you might think that yoga teacher training is a plausible way out of your terrible office job. A way to become your own boss and make a living off the healthy lifestyle that we all crave. All you need to do is complete your yoga teacher training, nail some impressive poses on Instagram, and you’re good to go.

Important to note that only sixty years or so ago, there were no group yoga classes.

An overwhelming majority of people who currently practice yoga have come to it by way of a drop-in group yoga class. But what many don't realize is that this is an entirely modern format for yoga. In the not so distant past, there was no such thing. And if you wanted to learn yoga then you had to seek out a teacher and convince them that you were a worthy student. Not everyone was welcomed in. You had to prove that you were serious about wanting to learn.

As the mountain has come to the marketplace, so the teacher/student dynamic and context for yoga practice has greatly changed. Folks don't consider going to yoga class as a learning experience necessarily. They go to "get their yoga on." Not any different from going to the gym to exercise or a dance club to get your groove on, except sometimes there is like some meditation stuff thrown in. But you can find classes without that if you're not into it.

Nowadays, yoga teacher training is where people are going when they want to actually learn yoga.

When I first came to yoga in the early 90's, the people who became yoga teachers were the ones who showed up to class more than anyone else. After about two years, your teacher would turn to you and say: "You are ready to teach. Next week, you will cover my classes." And you were a yoga teacher. And you were ready because you had invested your time and energy with consistency and shown yourself to have a grasp of the practice that you were passing on.

Things have changed since the requisites for being a yoga teacher were diligence and commitment over time. That is why so many old-school practitioners scoff at the idea of 200 hours. But I wonder if it's really possible to learn yoga in the same way when the groups are so much larger, the music is so much louder, and the practice caters so much more to market forces.

Fact is, people are more inclined to throw down thousands of dollars for a yoga teacher training course than they are to simply show up to class on a regular basis.

There is no doubt that the advent of a 200-hour standard for yoga teacher training has diminished the process by which someone comes to assume the role of being a yoga teacher. No longer does one have to demonstrate the same sort of self-determination and fortitude to make it happen over time, while meeting the demands of daily life and without any clear hoops to jump through. Consequently, the title of yoga teacher does not carry the same weight or mean the same thing.

At the same time, for those earnest students who wish for a more in-depth understanding of yoga than those drop-in group yoga classes are providing, yoga teacher training is where the real learning about yoga is happening. Where people decide to take it more seriously. And, for better or worse, the time and money investment is often what makes it seem real for people. Of course, there are any number of ways that 200 hours can play out. Some programs are more credible than others. But I don't think there is any way we can roll back the clock. Accountability rests entirely with those whose signatures are on the certificates.

There is a larger question about what is happening in all these group yoga classes. If you run the numbers, two years of unlimited yoga classes costs less than most yoga teacher training programs. This assumes that attending classes will actually facilitate someone learning the skills of practice and coming to understand their purpose. It is not uncommon for someone to attend classes regularly for years, or complete yoga teacher training for that matter, and still feel ill equipped. For all the money and effort people spend on yoga, we ought to expect more.

By J. Brown

J. Brown is a yoga teacher, writer and founder of Abhyasa Yoga Center in Brooklyn, NY.  His writing has been featured in Yoga Therapy Today, the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, and across the yoga blogosphere.  Visit his website at jbrownyoga.com

 

“Nice move, dude,” was my first thought. Followed immediately with “where did you pick that beauty up from?”

To my surprise he had actually made it himself!

Now I know better than to question his baking skills, as he was raised by the queen of baking. Every year on Thanksgiving, he participates in a pie baking contest between him and his two younger brothers. They each have their special pies – apple, pecan and pumpkin. Yes, all three boys are impressive bakers and quite the catch.

Recently I put Adam’s pastry skills to good use and asked him to make a fruit tart for my sister’s baby shower.

True to form, Adam went back to his roots and made a gorgeous fruit tart. When I saw this work of art I just knew we had to share it with our 80:20 community. It is truly to die for!!

Now some of you are looking at the ingredients wondering how is this a splurge for the 80:20–it’s so healthy! To start, it does have eggs. But the other more subtle differentiator is explained by Jules’ favorite mantra about fruit, “eat it alone or leave it alone”. With this tasty dessert that mantra gets tossed aside in the name of 20%. Also, It’s dessert so you might enjoy it after a big meal (and just deal with some gas and bloating!) or get really clever and have dessert as an appetizer. Yum!

Please let me know what else you’d like my handy dandy husband to make over in the dessert department. I know he’d love the challenge.

With fruit and tart love,

 

Vanilla Custard Fruit Tart

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

Crust

¾ cup walnuts
1.5 cups almond flour
3 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla
Custard

3 cups berries of choice
½ tablespoon gelatin, unflavored
1 tablespoon water
1 cup almond milk
¼ cup maple syrup
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and bean reserved
3 egg yolks
1 cup coconut cream (from a cold can of coconut milk)

Instructions:
In a small bowl, combine gelatin and 1 tablespoon of water to soften.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the almond milk, vanilla bean seeds and shell for 2-3 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk the maple syrup egg yolks. Pour the heated milk/bean mixture into the bowl while whisking.

Return the mixture to the saucepan for 2-3 minutes. Whisk mixture in saucepan. Pour in the soft gelatin. Whisk until gelatin is dissolved. Continue to heat for 5 minutes until custard has thickened. Pour custard into a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the bowl so that skin does not form. Chill in refrigerator for 5 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor with a s-blade, grind pecans until it becomes a coarse flour. Add almond flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, coconut oil, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla and pulse until a ball of dough forms.

Press the dough into a tart pan with removable base. Using the palms of your hands press the dough to the bottom and sides pan. Cut a circle of parchment paper. Press it onto the bottom of the crust. Fill bottom with pie weights*. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment paper. Bake for another 5 minutes. Cool the crust while you make the custard.

Remove custard from the fridge. Pour the cup of thick coconut cream from top of 1 can of coconut milk. Using an electric mixer, whip the custard until thick and creamy.

Spread the custard into the cooled pie crust. Chill the tart for an hour to let the custard set up.

Arrange your berries in a circular pattern. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they've lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They've been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show. 

To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit their website. 

 

Anyone ready for a little detox retox?

Giving up alcohol for two weeks is a big deal for many, especially if it’s something that’s habitually been a part of your lifestyle.

So how do you incorporate alcohol back into your diet and 80:20 lifestyle in the healthiest way possible?

This is where the Conscious Cocktail comes in!

A conscious cocktail is one that upgrades your usual alcoholic beverage to one that is allergen-free, spiked with a healthy dose of non-artificial sugar-free ingredients.

Today we’re featuring a twist on a recipe from our book. If you’re cleansing or simply don’t indulge in alcohol, try the cleanse-friendly version of this cocktail by simply omitting the vodka.

Need help finding a gluten-free vodka?

Try Blue Ice Potato Vodka or Ciroc Plain Vodka.

Happy Friday! We hope you have a glorious weekend.

Bottoms up,

Kiwi-Tini

Yield: 1 cocktail

Ingredients:

1 cup seeded and chopped watermelon
1 kiwi, peeled
1 pitted date
½ cup ice
1 kiwi slice or lime wedge, for garnish
2 oz. gluten-free vodka

Directions:
In a high-speed blender, blend watermelon, kiwi, date, and ice on high until smooth. Add in vodka and blend on low briefly. Pour into your favorite martini or cocktail glass and garnish with either a kiwi slice or lime wedge.

Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they've lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They've been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show. 

To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit their website. 

 

I could really use a new Mercedes. POSITIVE, POSITIVE, POSITIVE. I have a Mercedes. I own a Mercedes. I AM a Mercedes.

 The concept is simple…want a new car, a new job, a new husband? All you have to do is think about it!  

At the age of 17, I was pretty intrigued by this notion, as well. But then I discovered that the Law of Attraction and manifestation is a little more complicated.

Positive thinking wasn’t exactly a new concept to me when I read The Secret. My mother taught me about the power of positive affirmations way before there were best selling books about it. We’d “positively affirm” our way out of head colds and tough exams and bad days. What was new to me was this concept of manifesting physical things that were outside of myself simply by just telling myself that I had them.  So I figured it was worth a shot, and went to work visualizing, thinking, and feeling a brand new white convertible. Unless you count a 2-day rental in Los Angeles three years later, this particular manifestation didn’t go very far.

Since then, I’ve learned a thing or two about manifesting for reals. And it’s worked more times than I count. Here’s how you can do it too. Step 1: Put The Secret down. Step 2: Continue reading this post.

Keep yourself healthy — physically and emotionally 

Like everything in the Universe, we are all operating at a certain vibration. And so are our thoughts, our attitudes, and our emotions. The higher our vibration, the more open we are, and the easier it is to attract what we desire. Like a beacon of light in a dark sea.

Everything we “consume” on a daily basis affects our vibration for better or worse. And our bodies tell us that. Junk food makes us feel like shit. An all-day Orange Is The New Black binge, while totally worth it, will likely lead to some level of lethargy and a sudden lack of motivation.  As physical beings in a 3D world, we’re operating  at a pretty low vibration by default.  The key is to find a good balance between high(er) vibes and our daily lives in order to manifest what we desire.

Eating fresh food as much as possible, practicing gratitude and compassion, staying in the moment, rolling out the yoga mat now and again, and surrounding ourselves with people who genuinely make us feel like an awesome human being, are just a handful  of the easiest ways to keep the vibes high.

Manifest out of love, not fear

On a scale from low to high vibrations, fear (the fabric of all suffering) would be the lowest and love (the fabric of all being) would be the highest. Fear is the foundation of narcissism, jealousy and feelings of inadequacy. Love is the foundation for passion and compassion, contentment, gratitude, and so on. Manifestation is not just about thinking or saying something with affirmative words, it’s about having a positive, love-based intention.

The Law of Attraction says like attracts like, right?  So if you want a Mercedes because Fred has one, and you can’t possibly let him have a nicer car than you, because otherwise Susie might start sleeping with Fred instead, then you’re manifesting out of fear. You’re not open nor are you ready to receive. If anything, you’ll get your car, but you’ll also get more fear along with it.  And Susie will continue to do whatever she damn well pleases.

To me, the Law of Attraction is simply two or more entities operating at a similar vibration.  Your vibes attract your tribe, yo. So if there’s a particular person or circumstance you want to manifest, you not only have to raise your own vibration, but they also have to be on that vibration. So here’s something to chew on: as you begin to raise your vibration with all that daily yoga and kale, what you thought you wanted to manifest might not be what you want anymore.  Because that object or person of your previous desire is now operating at a lower vibration than you. It’s like when you start exercising five days a week and are suddenly less interested in Doritos.

And that brings me to my next point….

Look at the deeper meaning of your desires

In my last year of college, I wanted to write for Cosmopolitan Magazine. And if I couldn’t do that I wanted to go to Uganda to report on rebel conflicts in Sub-Saharan Africa. Two completely different life paths and interests. And also both quite difficult (although, I did get a meeting with Cosmo! *pats self on back*). But if you zoom out a bit, you can assess what it is I really wanted out of life. I wanted glamour, but I also wanted to get my hands dirty. I wanted stability, but I also wanted adventure. I wanted to do something fun, but I also wanted to do something impactful.

If you told me five years ago that I’d end up doing PR for an Indian music app,  I would have been very depressed. (This was before Silicon Valley was cool.) But right here in the now, I couldn’t be happier with my current work situation. Sure, I’ve evolved to have dreams and goals beyond this job, but it certainly offers me everything I wanted five years ago, and most of what I still want now. The evolution of dreams is part of the growing process.

The point is that often times it isn’t the specific things you want, it’s a feeling or a lifestyle. So look at it from a broader perspective. Figure out what excites you on a deeper level, and work on manifesting that instead.

Or what if…

Ok, here’s a mind fuck: what if “manifesting” is nothing more than our intuition telling us what’s already on the way?

Mind blown? Yeah, mine too.

From my iPhone with love…and stardust.

xoT

I’m Teresa. I’ve moved more than 15 times in 8 years. I’m the publicity siren for an Indian music app, among other things. I like cities — namely New York and Mumbai.  I like to say that my childhood dreams of being a professional dancer have manifested as an ability to dance between two worlds — the conventional and the magical. I can move with the shakers, but I wander with the dreamers. From high rises to sunrises, from shareholders to shamans, from five stars to shooting stars — I see it all, and I love it all.  My mission in life is to merge these two worlds. This blog is just the beginning.

Send nice words to tb@teresabigelow.com. Or you can find me on Twitter and Instagram.  

Erich Schiffmann teaches that “yoga is a way of moving into stillness in order to experience the truth of who you are. It is also a way of learning to be centred in action so that you always have the clearest perspective on what’s happening and are therefore able to respond most appropriately.” He continues,”when you experience yourself in stillness – that is, when you give your undivided attention to experiencing the truth about you – you will experience the conflict-free, calm, dynamic peace of perfectly centered abundant life energy.”

The use of yoga in this way for me is very simple and specific. I practice vinyasa flow yoga, moving at a moderate pace so each movement is conscious and therefore not powered by mindless momentum. I breathe in rhythm. I match repetitive movement to breath. I hold static shapes while maintaining an internal energetic movement and rhythm. When I hold to the discipline of this practice for a period of time, I begin to break through the layers of mental noise and physical tension and touch into what Chogyam Trungpa refers to as ‘basic ground.’  This is the “fundamental state of mind, before the creation of ego…[where] there is basic openness, basic freedom, a spacious quality; and we have now and have always had this openness.”  I do not create space, I do not make myself more flexible in body or mind, I work through barriers that prevent me from experiencing the natural state of openness.

And to be fair, this is quite hard to stick with. Particularly with some tough postures thrown in that require more than just an attitude of ‘letting go.’Of course, there is value and need to rest, but before I get to that point, I need some fire and heat. Perhaps I lived in New York too long, but a practice for me that only focuses on softness, letting go, and embracing love and joy is gonna leave us pretty ill equipped when life throws shit in our faces. We also need to up our ability to meet challenge.

So, I practice and teach poses that make me sweat, that are complex, that require discipline and endurance.  I challenge myself to find the breath, the focus, and ultimately the softness within often strong challenge.  As Pema Chodron instructs, “to stay with that shakiness- to stay with a broken heart, with a rumbling stomach, with the feeling of hopelessness and wanting to get revenge – that is the path of true awakening. Sticking with that uncertainty, getting the knack of relaxing in the midst of chaos, learning not to panic – this is the spiritual path.”

My yoga practice is tough and demanding because that’s a major component of the experience of life and we need processes to work with and through it. And as Ani Pema teaches, it is often in the darkest places where ‘things fall apart’ that we have the opportunity to ” let the energy of the emotion, the quality of what we’re feeling pierce us to the heart” and awaken compassion and kindness.

Chogyam Trungpa continues that “when you don’t punish or condemn yourself, when you relax more and appreciate your body and mind, you begin to contact the fundamental notion of basic goodness in yourself.”

All of this is not going to happen in a single downward-facing dog pose. However, it is the cumulative effect of this type of practice that for me helps me deepen my meditation practice, enrich my experience of life, and prepare me to manage and reduce my suffering through life’s inevitable pains and griefs.

As I lie down in savasana and my experience of body begins to dissipate into the mat and the space and people around me, I have a taste of the basic ground of openness, the basic goodness of myself and others, and I can meet my day and whatever it may bring.

By Adam Hocke

Adam has been practicing vinyasa flow yoga since 1999 and has trained extensively with Jason Crandell. He offers precise, strong, and accessible classes to physically awaken the body and develop mindfulness both on and off the mat. His teaching is down-to-earth and direct, exploring traditional practices from a modern perspective. A native of South Florida, Adam spent ten years in New York City before becoming a Londoner. He teaches studio classes, workshops and courses throughout London, and retreats across the globe. As a writer, Adam contributes regularly to magazines and web publications on yoga. Visit Adam at adamhocke.com

 

Chakra means wheel and symbolizes the swirling energy located in each of these centers. 

Each chakra has an associated location, color, and quality. 

Here you will learn the basics on how we can use asanas (postures), meditation, pranayama (breathing), mudras (gestures), chants, and affirmations to help balance the first three chakras.

Working with our subtle energy can have profound impacts on the health of our mind and body. It can help us recognize and find freedom from unhealthy belief patterns and habits as well as provide us with more energy and awareness in how we think and act. 

And honestly this is just scratching the surface! Give it a try and see what is revealed to you.

 

1. Muladhara Chakra/ Root Chakra

Muladhara means base of support. This is our center for security, stability, and connection to the earth. When out of balance we can feel insecure and out of touch with life. 

Location - Base of the pelvis and spine

Meditation - Sit or lie comfortably; visualize a swirling ball of red energy glowing stronger and brighter as you breath. Evoke feelings of stability, groundedness, security and connection to the earth. If you like imagery, you can also imagine you are growing roots down into the ground.

Chant - Lam (like the ‘a’ sound in llama). Take time to pronounce all three letters fully and repeat at a comfortable pace for a minimum of 2 minutes. Feel the vibration resonate down into the base of your pelvis.

Chinmaya Mudra (Embodiment of Knowledge)

This gesture directs breath, awareness, and energy to the base of the body allowing us to slow down our exhales and feel more fully embodied and stable. 

1. Make a fist with the thumbs on the outside.
2. Join the tip of the index finger to the tip of the thumb.
3. Place the hands face down on your knees or thighs.

Affirmation - Kindly repeat to yourself “I am grounded, stable, and connected”.

Asana 

Tadasana - Mountain 

Utkata Konasana - Goddess

2. Svadisthana Chakra/ Sacral Chakra

Svadisthana means one's own dwelling place. This is our center for creativity, embodiment, pleasure and ease. When out of balance we have difficulty going with the flow, our creativity is diminished, and we will likely have repressed deep seated emotions.

Location - Hips, sacrum, and sexual organs below navel

Meditation - Sit or lie comfortably; visualize a swirling ball of orange energy glowing stronger and brighter as you breath. Evoke feelings of creativity, sensuality, wonder, openness, and ease. Welcome pleasure, passion, and the ability to go with the flow.

Chant - Vam; take time to pronounce all three letters fully and repeat at a comfortable pace for a minimum of 2 minutes. Feel the vibration resonate into your low belly and sacrum. 

Svadisthana Mudra (Inner Dwelling Place)

Energy & nourishment from the universe flows in the left hand and is directed into the right hand. Receive a warm flow of nourishment and a feeling of deep satisfaction and contentment.

1. Slightly cup both hands
2. Place right hand against belly just below navel, place left cupped hand facing up and out to the left parallel to the floor. 

Affirmation - Kindly repeat to yourself “I am a creative and passionate being and I welcome pleasure into my life”.

Asana 

Jathara Parivartanasana - Revolved Abdomen

Salamba Baddha Konasana - Supported Bound Angle

3. Manipura Chakra/Solar Plexus Chakra

Manipura means city of jewels and is considered to be our power center and the seat of our digestive fire. This is also where we develop a healthy relationship to ourself and others. When out of balance we may distrust ourself and others and develop an unhealthy ego. When balanced we are able to remain calm even in times of distress and display a healthy amount of self-esteem and self-respect.

Location - Solar plexus between navel and rib cage

Meditation - Sit or lie comfortably; visualize a swirling ball of golden yellow energy glowing stronger and brighter as you breath. Evoke feelings of will power, trust, healthy relationships with people and the world, self esteem, and self respect. 

Chant - Ram; take time to pronounce all three letters fully and repeat at a comfortable pace for a minimum of 2 minutes. Feel the vibration resonate in the space between the navel and rib cage. 

Vajra Mudra (Diamond)

This gesture directs breath, energy, and awareness to solar plexus and enhances feelings of empowerment, determination, and vitality.

1. Bring the index fingers to touch the thumbs, then touch both hands together
2. Extend the middle fingers and join them together
3. Curl the ring and pinky fingers toward the palm
4. Hold the mudra at the solar plexus with the middle finger pointing away from your body

Affirmation - Kindly repeat to yourself, “I am courageous and confident standing in my power”.

Asana

Ardha Matseyendrasana - Half Lord of the Fishes 

Phalakasana - Plank

 

By Jennifer Meek

Jennifer Meek is a Certified Yoga Teacher (RYT 500) specializing in Yoga Therapy for common conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and back pain. Utilizing her 25 years of movement experience as a dancer in combination with the tools of yoga and mindfulness she teaches people how to tap into their innate potential for health and happiness. Read More from Jennifer at jennifermeek.com

Healthy mac and cheese is here!

We’re so lucky to live in Boulder, where our choices for healthy and nourishing food is readily available. When we met Christine Ruch, owner and chef extraordinaire behind Fresh Thymes Eatery, we felt an instant connection. Not to mention that Jo and I have both been obsessing over the food from Fresh Thymes for some time now.

Inspired by her own experiences living with celiac disease and multiple sclerosis, Christine knows all about how real, nourishing food can make all the difference in your health. For years, she has effectively managed both of her conditions with clean eating and a cheerful outlook (seriously, this lady knows how to laugh), so now she proudly credits her improved wellbeing to the power of good nutrition.

Christine was nice enough to share with us Fresh Thymes’ recipe for vegan mac and cheese with cashew cream sauce so you can enjoy the down-home deliciousness of healthy homemade mac and cheese too.

This dish is a perfect replacement for the traditional dairy-based mac and cheese out there. Not to mention it’s very kid-friendly. They’ll never miss the boxed stuff again.

When I make this for my family, I make the kiddos and hubbie brown rice penne pasta from Tinkyåda and make myself kelp or raw zucchini noodles. Add to that some sautéd mushrooms and greens and you’ve got one healthy family-friendly dish.

While this recipe definitely falls into the 80:20 category, it can be modified pretty easily to be cleanse-friendly by simply omitting the nutritional yeast in exchange for a few simple tweaks (see below for details). When you’re not cleansing, the nutritional yeast gives it that “cheesy” flavor and an extra hit of B vitamins and protein.

Check out this easy and delicious vegan mac and cheese dish and be sure to leave me a comment below. Does this satisfy your mac attack cravings?

With love and creamy goodness,

Fresh Thymes’ Mac and Cheese with Cashew Cream Sauce

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 small white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 TB. olive oil
1 cup cashews, soaked for at least 1 hour
2 cups water
2 cups coconut milk
½ cup nutritional yeast*
1 lemon, juiced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder

Directions:
To make the sauce, warm a sauté pan over medium heat adding the olive oil, onion and garlic. Sauté until translucent. Remove from heat and allow it to cool.

Meanwhile, in a Vita-Mix or other high-speed blender, add cashews, water, coconut milk, nutritional yeast*, lemon, salt and garlic powder. Then add the cooled onion and garlic.

Turn blender on, gradually increasing speed to high. Blend on high for 3 minutes, or until the sauce is creamy and no bits of nuts remain. Taste for seasoning.

Prepare your noodles by following the directions on the back of the package. Options are brown rice noodles (for 80:20), kelp noodles or make zucchini noodles using a spiralizer.

Place the amount of sauce you would like in a saucepan and warm, adding noodles as desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.

The sauce makes more than you need for 4-6 servings and will keep for up to a week refrigerated.

Option to serve with sautéd spinach and mushrooms.

*To keep this 100% cleanse-friendly, omit the nutritional yeast and add extra 1/2 onion, 1 garlic clove and 1/2 lemon juiced to recipe. Serve with either kelp or zucchini noodles.

Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they've lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They've been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show. 

To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit their website. 

 

Men benefit just as much from a regular yoga routine as women. Here's how:

Yoga alleviates pain and injury.

Most men come to yoga with injuries and pain, particularly in the back, knees and joints. Yoga uses controlled movements, expert alignment, biomechanics and breath to open your body efficiently while minimizing the risk of injury.

Safety and alignment are the absolute first priorities in yoga. Yoga demands that you do not push beyond what you are capable of doing safely. Clear physical landmarks and attention to the breath prevent you from pushing past your limits. There's always a variation or modification to keep you safe while still progressing and challenging yourself. Within the first month of a regular yoga routine, you will alleviate your pain and injuries – beyond that, yoga will help take your health to a whole new level.

Yoga keeps your body fit, flexible and strong.

Many men say, “I'm not flexible enough to do yoga.” That is like saying, “I'm not strong enough to lift weights.” The poses are powerful and specifically designed to open and strengthen your body efficiently. Yoga will make you more flexible, light and in many ways stronger than any other exercise – without wrecking your body! With patience and steady practice, you will become more open than you've ever imagined.

The right combination of strength and mobility is key, whether you're a professional athlete or just trying to age gracefully. You will tone and strengthen muscles that you didn't know you had. The small muscles in your back that have been deteriorating from that desk job will be getting a long-awaited wake-up call. With a commitment to yoga, you will be a lean, mobile, strong and physically fit yoga machine.

Yoga will provide the fun challenge you crave.

Yoga is more than just sitting around, humming and talking about your feelings. As a former collegiate wrestler, I can honestly say that some yoga classes are more challenging than any workout I've ever done. It will be humbling at times, but worth it. You will learn how to challenge yourself without being competitive. Competition will result in injury. Most men come from a strong athletic or business-minded background, where competition is fierce. Yoga teaches you to challenge yourself intelligently and completely without being overly aggressive. Learning new poses and noticing real progress is addicting! The light-hearted, compassionate attitude in yoga will help you to not take yourself too seriously, even while you're sweating it out.

Yoga will help improve diet, sleep and overall health.

Once you're feeling the physical benefits of your yoga regimen, you naturally begin to shift your diet and sleeping patterns. You will no longer want to eat a pint of ice cream or stay out late on a weeknight knowing you're doing these healthy things for yourself. During yoga, you will notice your mind is so focused on what you're doing that it is impossible to think about your job, bills or anything else. You find yourself fully in the moment, and that complete focus puts your mind at ease. Afterward, you will feel grounded and relaxed. The combination of your body and mind feeling fantastic is a recipe for practical, healthy lifestyle changes.

The whole point of yoga is to live your life to the fullest. Whether you love to run, fish, golf, play basketball, travel or play with your kids without hurting yourself – yoga will help you do the things you love better and longer. While the yoga poses are fun and a strong tool, they're not the point. What matters is that when you feel great, you are able to truly savor life.

Yoga improves your performance and relieves stress.

In the trenches of the workplace, sports arena, family reunions and even the grocery store, you will face many challenges. Yoga trains your mind to be grounded and calm, especially while in the fire of stress. Why would anyone want to put themselves in a challenging yoga pose, hold it and be asked to stay calm and breathe deeply? Because on the battlefield of life, you will be challenged far more than you will on your yoga mat. However, by practicing to stay grounded in very uncomfortable situations, physically and otherwise, you train yourself to be at your best when it matters most.

Yoga is the fountain of youth.

Between all the physical, mental and overall health benefits, yoga will make you feel better and younger than you could have ever imagined. This only happens after you commit to a regular yoga routine. Anything worth doing will take patience and time. Yoga communities consist of the young and old alike who want to better themselves and live more vibrantly. You become the company you keep. When you surround yourself with people who willfully open their bodies and minds, you become more youthful and open to trying new things.

By Jake Panasevich

ERYT-200

Drawing from over seven intensive trainings, Jake Panasevich threads the most beneficial practices from different modalities into a unique yoga experience for inflexible, stressed, over-worked regular Americans. Jake is a yoga and wellness mentor and teacher to a large, committed group of beginners and advanced students alike. With a strong wrestling, coaching and writing background, Jake inspires students to get committed, get stronger and learn to love life and flourish in it.

Jake works with:

Guys who want to live healthy and pain-free
Former athletes who are tight and injured
Those who want to avoid surgery and expensive alternatives to yoga
Those who love to be challenged in a way that supports them

Visit www.yogawithjake.com to get motivated, feel great and get committed!

Even so, it’s vitally important for our hips to stay happy day in and day out. I also don’t know anyone who genuinely loves hobbling around with tight hips.

Why do we have such tight hips?

Well, for a variety of reasons. If you work at a desk and you sit all day long, this contracts your hip flexors, which tightens everything up around your hips.

On the other side of the coin, if you’re an athlete who runs or engages in any type of high intensity workouts, then you’re also tightening up the hip flexors and the rest of your hip muscles.

Since the beginning of time, it’s been hard to fit in significant stretching to counterbalance all the strengthening and so the hips (and many other muscle groups – hi shoulders and hamstrings) – lose out.

Pain vs Sensation

If you ever take my yoga classes, you’ll hear me talk about sensation a lot. Because the hips are so tight, it’s likely you’ll feel a lot of “sensation.” I use the word sensation because it’s neutral, and there’s a reason for that.

In yoga, it’s important that we lean into sensation regardless of whether or not we label it as “good” or “bad” in our minds. With that said, there is a very real difference between sensation and pain.

If you ever feel sharp, shooting sensations that truly hurt, back off of your stretch. That’s no bueno.

However, if you’re feeling extreme discomfort but you can still comfortably breathe, stick with it! This is where true transformation happens.

Emotional Release

The energetic and physical body converge around emotions. When we are unable to express emotions and we “keep them in” or “stuff them inside,” they have to go somewhere. While that emotional storage shed is different for every body, the hips seem to have a lot of vacant room for stuffed emotions and so this emotional baggage settles in our tissues. You may have heard the phrase before “the issue is in our tissues.”

When you’re stretching the hips, like really getting in there deep, you’re opening up the locked doors to these emotional storage sheds and allowing everything that’s been stuck inside (perhaps for decades) to finally be gone. During this process, it’s natural to experience all those emotions as they’re on their way out of your body. These emotions aren’t going to go peacefully, that’s for sure, just as you wouldn’t appreciate someone knocking on your door and telling you it’s time to leave.

This is why many people will experience sudden anger, sadness, jealousy, etc. when doing deep stretching in the hips (same goes for shoulders & chest). Allow this to happen rather then trying to stuff it back inside! It’s time to let the squatters go.

Be patient

You’re unlikely to have significant emotional release from today’s video as it’s short and semi-sweet, but I put it out there as a milestone to be aware of. The truth of the matter is, it will take a long time to get your hips all stretched out if you’ve been working through tightness for years and years and years. Our bodies don’t change overnight.

While today’s short practice is a fabulous start, I encourage you to come back to it daily, or at least a couple times a week. (Ok, I know it’s 10 minutes and not 5, but your hips deserve it.)

Practice moving around every now and then if you find yourself sitting for long hours at a time.

If you’re practicing high intensity workouts, take the time to stretch when you’re done.

Preventative measures can go a long way in helping you avoid the super tight hips you’re now trying to unwind.

Let’s make a pact together right now to not make it worse and commit instead to making our hips happy!

Click HERE to watch the "Happy Hip Stretches" video

By Ashley Josephine

I started practicing yoga to stay in shape and release stress. What I learned was how to love my life. How to have faith. How to find your community of people who support you and love you unconditionally. How to get back control. Today, it is my mission to help busy Type-A overachiever women like me gain back control of their lives, live pain-free, and love the life they want to live through yoga lifestyle practices. Visit www.ashleyjosephine.com to get free yoga lifestyle tips to help live healthier, happier, and pain-free.

 

 

 

Many people get dragged down by the weight of negativity, scarcity, anxiousness, fear, and jealousy. When we focus on what we do not have, when we fixate on the past, or continuously yearn for the future we miss the multitude of gifts that are bestowed on us in the present moment. 

Lakshmi’s prosperous energy is within each of us. To actualize this energy is to connect with your power of love, confidence, and gratitude. This energy manifest as those times you feel rooted on your path, confident, and strong. You smile at strangers and selflessly assist those around you.  When you connect with your Lakshmi energy you intuitively recognize when you give fully, you receive fully. Although we all carry this Lakshmi energy within us, one of the easiest ways to cut off the prosperous energy is to take things personally. When we take things personally we give our energy to a metaphoric black hole. As a result we are left feeling empty, lost, unloved, and not good enough. 

Taking things personally begins in childhood. Whether it was when a friend didn’t play with you, you weren’t chosen first, or you weren’t invited to a party. As kids our feelings were always getting hurt. And as adults, nothing has changed. Most adults, on some level, still care what people think, how they are perceived, and how fair life treats them.  Many of us take it personally when we get passed over for a promotion, a facebook post doesn’t receive many likes, or a friend doesn’t reach out.  Yet to take things personally is to snuff your inner spark. 

To take things personally is an energy waste…and a great opportunity to step back and look at how you ultimately view yourself.  How we internalize the actions or words of another person to heart is a reflection of how we feel about ourselves: scrape the surface to discover where you feel a sense of lack. Sometimes these feeling are deep rooted in childhood events and sometimes they come from a failure to commit to a project, an idea, or a person. 

Lakshmi asks us to be mindful of every experience. In the present moment we learn what triggers our sense of lack, our fears, and feelings of not belonging. We identify the mental fluctuations and bodily sensations that occur by giving power away. When we are aware of our triggers, how our body responds to feelings of lack, and what it does to our mind frame we can begin to cultivate the power to remain steady, rooted, and unaffected by world around us. To continuously connect with the Lakshmi energy within, is to continuously strengthen your inner grace, sense of self, and an abundant life.  

By Kimi Marin

Kimi has a master’s degree in literature and loves to combine the power of stories with yoga. Her Yogic Lore workshops are a fun combination of stories, asana, meditation, and mantra. Kimi was featured in Origin Magazine’s Inspire Series and was the featured ambassador for Ahnu Footwear June 2013. Visit www.kimimarinyoga.com

 

 

 

As always, I looked up power and one definition was: the capacity or ability to influence the behavior of others or direct the course of events.

This definition resonated big time. And it got me thinking a lot about the way we humans use our power. Because the truth is that we all hold such great, great power…

But the question is how do we use it?

I’ve seen it used so many ways: Empowerment of others. Advancement of an idea. Transformation of a situation. Influencing the growth of an individual as well as a community. I’ve also seen power used to instill fear and create guilt. I’ve witnessed people using their power to get what they want without any regard for anyone else. And I’ve seen power being abused in many inequitable relationships.

And this type of behavior isn’t just employed in big corporations or political offices; no this type of behavior is exemplified in yoga communities, small companies, school yards, on the Internet, in relationships, and behind closed doors.

The truth is, the reason behind every single disagreement in every single relationship, is an imbalance of power. Power over another can ruin and rule a lot of our relationships.

I mean, we are very powerful beings, flinging our power all over the place, in any one given moment. Are we conscious when we use this God given power? Are we using it for the benefit of all individuals involved?

Best to know what you want and then discern if that desire for power is coming from a conscious place or an egotistical need. Making the wrong decision could mean cleaning up lots of karma later.

Are we consciously utilizing our power in a way that is compassionate, admirable, and yet beneficial? And is it in balance with just how much power we are allowing others to express?

Power over money, power over decisions, power over sex, power of earning capability, power over the community, power to make the final choice.

On the flip side of expressing our power is examining how often and how easily we give our power away. Because that is such an easy thing to do, without even knowing we’re doing it.

Saying yes when you mean no. Avoiding confrontation to keep the peace. Allowing someone to speak on your behalf. Not standing up for what you believe in just because you’re afraid; of something that is probably irrational anyway.

I hear people say, “he/she took my power away” or “he/she wouldn’t let me be myself” or “he/she made me feel this way”. And now, this whole bullying thing that has become an epidemic in our schools, at work, and on the Internet has gotten me thinking about power.

The truth is this:

You were born with power and you are in charge. Period.
You are the one who has to learn how to use it in a kind, beneficial way.
And no one, I mean no one, can take it away. Ever.

We willingly give our power away and we manage just how we use it. Period.

I know some of you out there are saying, “Oh really? What about war? What about rape? What about divorce? What about adultery? What about terrorism? What about sex trafficking? What about these horrific things that go on every day that some of us in our bubble don’t even pay attention to?”

I get it. It hurts my heart, some of these things that are happening around the globe that we have absolutely no control over. And we sometimes feel powerless to do anything.

I get it.

But here’s the deal…We can manage ourselves and only ourselves. We can choose how we use our internal power to make things right, to ignore, or to pray. We can stand up for what we believe is true and right and just, and we can pray that our efforts create something different.

I tell my girls, all the time – no one can make you do anything, ever. Not even me. I can only suggest, challenge and redirect. At some point they have to make their own decisions on how best to use their power.

And that of course, led me to the idea that if this were indeed true, well than, you can never be a victim. And that in actuality, every single time that you have felt powerless, you have given it away. Unconsciously or consciously.

When you sit in that … potentially uncomfortable-ness for a little bit, you realize that in and of itself is such a powerful place to be. When you recognize that you have complete responsibility and jurisdiction over your power, life takes on a whole new meaning.

Why?

Because if you gave it away, you can get it back. Anytime you want.
You can get it back.

And that is power.

By Dana Damara

“My passion on the mat is proper alignment, powerful breath and effortless flow so you feel that off your mat. Your practice becomes sacred space where you arrive to find more meaning, depth, authenticity and integrity in your life."

- Dana Damara: mother, author, yoga instructor, speaker and yogini.

Visit DanaDamara.com for more inspiration from Dana.

Click here to download or stream one of Dana's YogaDownload classes!

I’m often saying to people in my class that it doesn’t matter where you end up. Certainly true when it comes to a yoga asana. And on some level, I feel the same way about my broader life situation too. If I really step back for a moment then I can see that, on a macro level, there is much to life that is passing and I have no way of knowing what is going to happen. Attempting to overly control outcomes tends to bring disappointment more than the desired results.

But with some things, it does kind of matter where you end up, doesn’t it? Like if I end up not being able to pay my rent, that is going to matter. A lot. And if I neglect myself to a point of ill health, well that’s definitely going to matter too. So, it’s not enough to just suggest that it doesn’t matter. Or that there is some sort of easy way to solve the problems that arise when you are trying to enjoy your life while facing unreasonable circumstances. And let there be no mistake about it, the conditions we are living under are entirely unreasonable. Even within our privileged status, where we are not starving or in want of a roof over our head, we carry overwhelming burdens that are not inherent to life, but forged in a consumer economy.

Work is no longer tied to time and place.

In some ways, I am living the American dream. I am my own boss. I make my own hours. I do work that I find personally fulfilling. And a lot of what I am able to do is because of the new technology that has developed in the last ten years. I can run the daily operations of my business, order all necessary supplies, launch marketing campaigns and do my accounting all remotely from the phone in my pocket. You’d think that these technologies might give me more free time. But along with these digital advancements has also come the expectation of quicker action. There are a lot of pertinent communications that affect my business that are time-sensitive. If I shut my phone off and a teacher on staff has a last minute emergency then I end up with annoyed people standing out on the street thinking they need to find a new yoga center.

Now that everything is moving into a 24/7 information cloud, it is becoming more difficult to secure time away from work. It is not just a matter of discipline, but sacrifice. My personal need to unplug has to be weighed against the ramifications of not being immediately available to the demands of my responsibilities. Granted, this could easily be a justification for being a workaholic. But it’s not accurate to say that I can just unplug if I want to. Things could easily go bad quickly if I were to shut off my interfaces without contingency planning.

Nothing hard in life has ever been overcome in three simple steps.

Compounding the stress of our new world is a barrage of advertising for easy answers to complex situations. I sure wish there were a yoga pose that could secure me an extra twelve hours a day, or that if I were to eat enough turmeric my rent would go down, but this is not the case. I often feel like I’m juggling. Like I have a few too many balls in the air and I’m struggling to keep from dropping them. I mentioned this once to someone who happened to be a professional juggler and he said: “Well, do you want to know the key to being a master juggler? Knowing when to let the balls drop.”

Regardless of any inner states of contentment I may be able to bring about in myself through practice, whatever beliefs I may hold, my dreams are still inherently tied to economics and mores. The things I am looking to grow or sustain, any ideas I hope might come to fruition, can only happen if I am here in the midst of the storm. Playing my part. Only then will I ever be in a position to appreciate any calm that might come later. And maybe this calm I imagine will never come. Perhaps my life will just continue to feel like I have too much to do until I die.

I don’t know if life has always felt like such a hustle. But it often does now. Fortunately, it doesn’t always feel that way. There are times when I am able to relax enough that these concerns recede. Where I can feel that I am a whole being, with all of my trials, having my life. And that is enough. I need not seek for a fleeting happiness. Instead, I gently cling to the thin thread of joy that runs through.

By J. Brown

J. Brown is a yoga teacher, writer and founder of Abhyasa Yoga Center in Brooklyn, NY.  His writing has been featured in Yoga Therapy Today, the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, and across the yoga blogosphere.  Visit his website at jbrownyoga.com

Click here to try J. Brown's "Slower is Stronger" 
 

What if life could be less about the DAILY GRIND, and more about the DAILY GROOVE?

Imagine what your week would look like if that were true…

We’re so pumped to be a part of the upcoming Daily Grind to Daily Groove Summit where along with 20 other health and wellness experts we’ll be exploring this very topic.

This Summit is totally going to rock and we want you to join us!

Click here to sign up now.

Learn the latest mindfulness and meditation techniques, stress management, spirituality practices, holistic health and nutrition tips plus real life techniques to help you balance your mind, body and soul—starting today!

Join us here and get started today turning your DAILY GRIND into a DAILY GROOVE with our brand new mood-boosting smoothie.

This smoothie will put the pep back into your step featuring two of our all-time favorite superfoods: Maca and raw cacao.

Maca is a Peruvian root known for it’s ability to help balance hormones and stabilize mood. It has an earthy taste with an uplifting effect. It’s also an “adaptogen,” which means it can help manage stress levels, enhance strength and stamina, and increase energy and endurance.

All this from one little root!

Raw cacao is another one of our favorite mood enhancers! It contains a powerful ingredient known by some as the mood improver but more specifically known as anandamide. Anandamide is referred to as the bliss molecule, because it creates a feeling of euphoria. Cacao is also rich in tryptophan which is crucial for the production of serotonin – the “feel good” neurotransmitter. Rich in antioxidants, magnesium, iron, chromium, manganese, zinc, copper, vitamin C, and phosphorus, you can’t go wrong with this wonder superfood.

Are you ready to boost your mood? To turn your grind upside down? Try The Mood Booster below and be sure to leave us a comment below.

With lots of love and groove,

The Mood Booster

Yield: 1 quart

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut water
1 cup water
1 frozen banana
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 TB. chia seeds
1 TB. raw cacao powder*
1 tsp. maca
1 TB. almond butter
3 pitted dates
2 cups baby spinach

Directions:

In a high-speed blender, combine coconut water, water, banana, blueberries, chia seeds, cacao, maca, almond butter, dates and spinach until smooth.

*If you are currently cleansing, you can still enjoy this mood-boosting recipe – just hold the cacao!

Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they've lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They've been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show. 

To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit their website. 

 

This Mercury retrograde did a number on me for sure.  I felt like I was on the “Tilt-a-Wheel” these last three weeks.  Remember that flippin’ ride?  When I was a kid I hated that ride but now, as an adult, I thrive on it.

Over the last three weeks I was asked, by the Universe to up-level.  And that meant to drop the things that weren’t working, re-evalulate the things that were causing some angst, get some support, go out on a limb, pay more attention to my kids, incorporate self-care back into my routine, and take a hot minute to sit the f*%#k down before taking the next step.

Don’t get me wrong, I know exactly where I’m going and things are lining up, making it very obvious what’s next .  At the same time, there have been challenges that have been so potent and profound, I’ve decided to sit back and ponder for a moment.

I believe we are challenged the most when we are ready for exponential growth.  I believe we are triggered when we have some healing to do.  And I believe that everything, and I mean everything, is a reflection of who we are. 

MediThe healing that has taken place over the last three weeks has me feeling so new and …exposed.  My senses are heightened and my psychic abilities are emerging into a new but very familiar level of attunement.  It’s like I can see what’s next, and now it’s time to just jump in and do it with a level of consciousness that is, well, up-leveled.

I have been toying with this idea of girl empowerment and the elevation of the Divine Feminine for quite some time; years actually.  But you cannot fully move forward until you recognize why these “callings to do something” are so potent to your own existence.  And here’s why:

Your calling, is always, and I mean always, a deep healing opportunity for yourself, which in turn heals the collective, which is really why you are here. 

And we needn’t wait to be “perfect” in order to “do our work” or help others.  Quite the contrary.  We put ourselves out there as we are and lovingly use our tools to heal ourselves while helping others find their way.

I’ve taken thousands of yoga classes, been a part of hundreds of teleseminars, sat in circle with many people, held space for individuals, and cried many tears of release, regret, and joy.

But it has been over 15 years since I sat, on a beach, by myself and asked myself and the Higher Powers that Be … what is my highest calling?  It’s been that long since I sat in silence for more than an hour meditation.  That long since I booked a flight anywhere, by myself with no idea what was next.

It’s been that long since I said, “I’m outta here and I’m tuning out for a bit.  Forgive me, but my soul needs this.”  I’ve been in a survival mode for over 6 years and before that, I was asleep at the helm of my own life.  This yoga thing woke me up over 13 years ago, and it continues to peel away the layers of my own being so I can continue to be more, rest more, see more, and witness truth and love in action.  For real.

I have been called to live my life in a very different way than I was raised.  Asked to be a little different or unique as my daughters say. I’ve always lived my life like this.  And the Caribbean Sea holds my heart and soul.  I’m not sure why or if I will ever know why but I just know it is truth.

After all the turmoil in the planets and astrological mayhem which is really mystical cohesiveness disguised, I feel like this trip to Tulum has been divinely dropped into my lap. I told myself I wouldn’t take any more trips unless they were to a high energy vortex spot and I’m thinking I may be dropping into one, just in time for the New Moon in Gemini.

Everything I’m reading and studying is talking about new paradigms, uplifting consciousness, and big changes.  And this New Moon on June 16th is about delivering just that.  All the subsequent eclipses and potent Full Moons have been orchestrating our own personal illuminations while awakening those who are open to it.   Mostly everyone I know is experiencing this on some level… there’s just some that are conscious to it and some that are not.

I’m off the grid for a few days ya’ll.  You may see a few Instagram posts from the beach but just know .. it’s time.  It’s time to up-level and I’m doing just that. I’m just going to recharge in Tulum first so I can be of complete service to the Divine when I return.

See you on the other side!

By Dana Damara

“My passion on the mat is proper alignment, powerful breath and effortless flow so you feel that off your mat. Your practice becomes sacred space where you arrive to find more meaning, depth, authenticity and integrity in your life."

- Dana Damara: mother, author, yoga instructor, speaker and yogini.

Visit DanaDamara.com for more inspiration from Dana.

Click here to download or stream one of Dana's YogaDownload classes!

We all contain this subtle life force, as do plants and animals. According to yoga, every living being on the Earth is a storage container for prana, and without it, our physical bodies are merely flesh and bones - the stuff that goes back into the earth when we die. In moments of health and happiness, one could say the prana is balanced. It extends out beyond the physical body and into the field around us, which is often referred to as our auric field.

As we move through life, coming into contact and reacting to all the various energies of people, animals, circumstances, and situations, our pranamaya kosha is naturally affected. It is affected by so many variables – how we breathe, what kinds of foods we eat, the types of conversations and interactions we have, the noises we’re subjected to – all of this impacts our pranamaya kosha.

The good thing is, we can learn to become masters of this energy field - through our lifestyle, and through yoga and meditation. For example, before eating, you might ask yourself, “how will this particular food affect my pranamaya kosha? How will it affect my life force?” The freshest foods closest to their source contain lots of good prana, whereas processed junk foods contain hardly any prana at all. If we consider our dietary choices from this yogic perspective, we can truly shift our relationship with food. It’s quite compelling when you think about it.

Then there’s sound. Our energy bodies are very sensitive to sound. A prelude by Chopin will have a very different effect on our energy field than would the local evening news. The rhythmic sounds of a warm summer rain will affect us differently than the honks and horns of traffic in the midst of a city’s rush our. 

Sometimes we can’t control what affects our prana, but we CAN control our reaction to these external circumstances. We also have the ability to influence our prana in a number of ways. We can choose the foods we eat, the music we take in, and the ways in which we interact with our loved ones. We can also intend the kinds of moods or qualities of energy we desire to embody on a particular day or moment. 

At times we might need to calm our energies and do so by listening to nature sounds or taking a contemplative walk on a quiet trail near a bubbling creek. Other times we might need to make our prana more dynamic in nature. Perhaps we’re feeling sluggish and need to get the prana flowing. This would be an ideal time for an energizing twenty or thirty minute yoga practice. 

The more we practice yoga and meditation, the more sensitive we’ll become to our pranamaya kosha, getting deeper in touch with what it needs from moment to moment. To attune to the pranamaya kosha, let’s sit for a moment in this meditation.

Get comfortable in your seat and close your eyes. Allow the breath to move naturally and see if you can feel into this energy field – your pranic body. Feel the breath sending energy waves throughout your body - out beyond your fingers and your toes. How does your energy feel at the moment? Is it relaxed or fired up? Is it holding onto something that happened an hour ago, a day ago, or even last week or last year? Does it feel balanced or unbalanced? 

You’ll probably find that your pranamaya kosha is not unlike your current emotional state. Simply feel into that, as you continue to close your eyes and breathe, with attention and without judgment. Now, intend for your energy to be balanced within your body. If your energy feels stuck in your head, bring it down to your core, your pelvis, your thighs. Just imagine you are distributing your life force equally in all directions. 

Feel into your back body, and then your front body. Put your attention there and imagine you are balancing the prana in every direction – from top to bottom, from front to back, from right to left. Simply notice all your energy distributing itself equally in every which way.

Now choose the kind of energy you would like to embody. Maybe you want to feel determined, focused, or passionate. Perhaps you’d like to feel blissfully peaceful or open and loving. The qualities of energy are endless and you get to choose which one to play with. Ask yourself, what quality of energy would be beneficial in this moment or for this particular day? 

You can think of the quality of your prana like a theme. For example, today my pranic theme is lightheartedness and playfulness. Or, today my themes are quiet, calm, empathy, and compassion. This can get really fun as you give attention to your energy body and work playfully with it. The more sensitive you become, the better you’ll be at knowing what type of energy medicine you need on a particular day, or in any given moment. Getting in touch with your pranamaya kosha will do wonders for your overall health and well being – not too mention, your entire life! Have fun with it and as always, be kind and compassionate with yourself, as you would with others. 

By Aimee Hughes N.D.

Aimee Hughes, ND, is a holistic health writer who has been traveling and exploring the world of natural health and wellness, yoga, dance, and travel for the past two decades. She is the author of a self-published vegan cookbook, “The Sexy Vegan Kitchen: Culinary Adventures in Love & Sex,” available on Amazon. Aimee is the lead writer and health consultant for the Yandara Yoga Institute in Todos Santos, Mexico. [www.yandara.com]

I found the photos, but I had to ask my “wusband” for a copy of them on disk and dig into my dusty storage unit to find the printed copies. This was before my meeting with Dove, after I sent in my grant proposal to Lululemon, and while I was training two new amazing yogini-support-goddesses, and booking three events for Girls Elevate. Oh, and of course there’s the lovely mini-goddesses who had signing recitals, band concerts, math issues, drama issues, boy issues, and are gearing up for summer like middle-school kids do.

I feel like I’m hitting it all out of the park!  Well, maybe a few times I’ve had to stop at first or second base, but at least I’m hitting it and not striking out.   And those stops were potent and powerful and very necessary.  Because that’s what I used to do, not even try, pretend to be sick or ill-equipped, or skip to home plate without touching a foot on first, second or third.

I would hide my truth behind perfection.  I was living in a world that was riddled in a perceived sense of safety and stability.  And you know what that felt like?  Prison.

I have  TRUTH – FREEDOM – LOVE tattooed on my arm.  I got that tattoo exactly one year after I divorced and exactly two days before I picked up my life and moved to California.

Here is what I have learned about truth. 

It’s not just about telling the truth, it’s about knowing the truth.  And you can’t possibly know your truth when you’re wrapped up in everyone else’s drama.  It’s just not possible.

It’s not about speaking your truth, it’s about living it and owning it.  And just in case you aren’t aware, the truth isn’t always pretty.  Nope … it can be wrapped up in addiction, fear, guilt and resentment.

It’s not just about knowing your truth, it’s about feeling it from the inside out.  And truth isn’t some superficial, cordial, obligatory post on Facebook either.  Truth is felt in your gut and it spills out of you silently sometimes because it just needs to be acknowledged by you and you alone.

Oh and it’s not just about living it and owning it either, it’s about sharing it from a place of humility that heals others and yourself in the process.  This is why I love yoga and why I’m full vested in Girls Elevate along with raising my two daughters consciously.

Because you see, in my past there was abuse, and drugs, and too much unconscious sex and not enough empowerment.  Because there was fear, guilt, and shame.  And I’m not the only one experiencing this wake up call either; I witness many of you with the same story as my own.  And this isn’t a pity party, this is a coming out party.

Here’s what I say:  enough of the blame, the pointing fingers, the bullshit; none of that matters.  Not one single bit.

Own your truth and know that it’s ever evolving – you know what that means?

That your truth now, in this moment, is most likely different than the truth of say, your adolescent self.  I know mine is.  But the question to ask is: how long do you hold onto that old truth and live it as your now?  Using it as an excuse not to shine your light or God forbid, perhaps help others find theirs

I’ll repeat what my teacher Seane Corn said to me (and to a class of about 100 others) in 2009 that shook me to my core:

How dare you live a life that is mediocre. How dare you know how beautiful you are and not share that gift.  How dare you use any excuse to not live your dream.  How dare you. 

Your truth … your light … your gift … is sitting there, wanting to be metabolized into manifest form.  Meaning it wants to be birthed in this life.  And it’s your job to own it!

If you’re watering it down in fear, not listening to it because you can’t hear it, not expressing it because you are afraid to fail, the time is now to stop doing that and get on the ledge and live it.

I know it’s scary but my credo is:  better to have tried and failed than to never have tried at all – that is a life of regret, not trying.  And you wanna know what?  I’m ready to live an up-leveled version of my truth – again.  Because there’s no place to go but up, all the time… to infinity and beyond!

The cool thing is, your truth is always evolving, always.  So whatever you are experiencing now can be lived or changed.  And the absolute best thing about it is, you get to drive.

By Dana Damara

“My passion on the mat is proper alignment, powerful breath and effortless flow so you feel that off your mat. Your practice becomes sacred space where you arrive to find more meaning, depth, authenticity and integrity in your life."

- Dana Damara: mother, author, yoga instructor, speaker and yogini.

Visit DanaDamara.com for more inspiration from Dana.

Click here to download or stream one of Dana's YogaDownload classes!

In my previous post, cleverly titled Shoulder Edition, Part 1, I covered the shoulder structure. Building on that, we will delve into the details of the glenoid socket and labrum. By the way, the labrum is in the shoulder and hip, if you are thought it was a part exclusive to females, you are going to need some remedial anatomy work, and that’s a whole other post.

The glenoid socket is rimmed with a fibrous tissue called the labrum. Injury to the labrum can happen either through trauma or repetitive action. Common occurrences include falling on an outstretched arm, a sudden pull when trying lift a heavy object or a violent overhead reach. Sound familiar? If a labrum tear is diagnosed, anti-inflammatory drugs are usually prescribed and surgery may be necessary.

Once a labrum tear is healed enough that the person is cleared for activity, yoga can be helpful to regain mobility in the shoulder joint. Certain poses can strengthen and condition the rotator cuff muscles which support the shoulder structure. Finally, by increasing the circulation to the area, the labrum and other connective tissue is conditioned and will hopefully develop more elasticity and tone.

Here are a couple of examples. First, assuming the inflammation has passed and the joint pain has subsided, we need to re-determine the right alignment of the shoulder, to do that try Extended Mountain pose (also called Upward Salute). This may seem like simply reaching your arms in the air, but there is more to it than that.

Extended Mountain Pose or Upward Salute
Stand with your hands by your side, turn your palms up rotating your thumbs back, then sweep the arms up overhead. Once up there, allow your shoulders to sink down away from your ears and slightly back, then notice how your shoulder feels in this proper alignment. You may be surprised how difficult this is to hold properly. Hold for 3-5 long breaths, then lower arms and repeat 2 more times.

Next for flexibility, try Reverse Tabletop (or Upward Plank). This pose will stretch and strengthen the pectoral attachments at the front of the shoulder. I prefer Reverse Tabletop, but many people like Upward Plank. They accomplish the same stretch, choose the one you like.

Reverse Tabletop or Upward Plank.
For Reverse Tabletop, sit on the ground with your hands several inches behind the hips, fingers pointed toward your feet. Place your feet on the floor, at least a foot from your butt. Lift your hips until your torso and thighs are parallel with the floor, adjust your feet as necessary. Press your shoulder blades against your back to lift your chest, allow your head to fall back as far as you can without compressing your neck.

Upward Plank is simply Reverse Tabletop with straight legs, flattening the soles of the feet, reaching toes for the floor. There is more leverage at play in Upward Plank, which can make it more intense. Hold for 3-5 breaths, sit back on the floor, rest, then repeat one more time.

Finally, let’s work on strengthening the back rotator cuff muscles, which are usually the weak sister of that group of muscles. We will do this in a reclined pose called Supine Spinal Twist.

Supine Spinal Twist
Lie on your back with your knees lifted directly over your hips. Extend the arms out palms facing up, pressing the forearms firmly into the floor, activating the backs of the shoulders. If this is too painful, try the cactus arm version with a 90 degree bend in the arms, pressing elbows firmly on the floor.

Now, allow your knees to drop to one side. Adjust the knees so that BOTH shoulders stay fully anchored on the floor. That means you are going to have to adjust the height of the knees and probably the degree of bend as well. Gently press the upper back into the floor forcing the rear rotator cuff muscles to contract. Hold for about 1 minute on each side.

These are a few more of the many yoga poses that can help with shoulder issues. In the final installment of this series, I will put together a short sequence you can do everyday to help relieve shoulder pain and condition the shoulder for better performance.

By Tara Kestner

Previously published on Next Level Yoga's Blog

Tara Kestner is a registered yoga instructor who specializes in working with athletes of all levels. She designs programs based on specific sport requirements and challenges. Utilizing the principle that strength plus flexibility equals power, her classes give athletes the tools they need to enhance their performance. Tara is the owner of Next Level Yoga, Ltd., in Toledo, Ohio.

 

As a mom of two young ones, I’ve been wanting one of these frozen treat makers for awhile. And since we’re kicking off summer this week, it seemed like a no brainer to finally make the purchase. Needless to say, my boys are pretty pumped!

Although you can make ice cream, sorbet or gelato with your high speed blender, running it through the ice cream maker after you’ve blended the ingredients together can give it a smoother texture.

Tart and refreshing, the hint of basil in this recipe is an unexpected surprise sure to keep you satisfied.

I see a lot of fun variations in my future with this recipe – strawberry and mint, blueberry and lavender, peaches and thyme, mango and cilantro. The possibilities are endless.

Enjoy and have fun! And be sure to leave me a comment below and let me know what variations you come up with.

With gelato love,

Raspberry Basil Gelato

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

½ cup cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours and then drained
3 cups frozen raspberries
1 cup coconut milk
¼ cup honey
1 TB freshly squeezed lime juice
Small handful of basil, about ½ cup

Instructions: 
In a high speed blender, blend cashews, raspberries, coconut milk, honey, lime juice and basil until smooth. Using the tamper, blend on high until mixture is smooth and creamy. Be careful not to overblend.

Option to pour mixture into your ice cream maker (the Magic Bullet Dessert Bullet is a good one) and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

 

Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they've lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They've been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show. 

To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit their website. 

 

Historical Development
Asana hasn’t always been asana as we know it. Richard Rosen explains: 

"Asana literally means “seat” or “stool,” derived from the verb as, “to sit.” It’s really a relic of distant past (at least twenty-five hundred years ago) when an asana wasn’t a pose at all but a platform or “steady seat” (sthiram asanam) where the yogi sat to meditate (Rosen, p. 69).

Rosen goes on to detail the different traditions of asana as meditative seat, sometimes involving tiger skins, as instructed in the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and the Yoga Upanishads and how the physical and psychological principles of alignment for this type of asana eventually influenced modern teachers’ approach to alignment in postural yoga (in particular the upright spine, and balance of effort and ease) and the types of poses we practice today, which are quite different than the past."

Georg Feurstein, in The Yoga Tradition, references the deviation from the historical definition of asana by explaining that for Patanjali, Posture is essentially the immobilization of the body. The profusion of postures for therapeutic purposes belongs to a later phase in the history of Yoga” (Feuerstein, The Yoga Tradition, p. 248). There is an interesting, if confusing history of hatha yoga and the potential development of our modern poses out of that realm, but I feel the yoga practice I teach and practice is more modern than ancient (you won’t see me instructing people to swallow rags), so I’m interested in contemporary viewpoints while recognising there is much more to explore.

Asana, as we now practice it, must be regarded through a partially modern lens to make sense of it, as its definition has expanded and through the process lost some of its clarity of language. Rosen writes that “asana now steps fully into its second role… it can be a seat for the meditating yogi; it can be a preparation for that seat; or it can serve both functions, blurring the line between meditative and physical asanas… (Rosen, p. 75).

Body Focus
Perhaps the easiest to comprehend is asana as a tool for physical therapy, be it strengthening, stretching, or otherwise restoring healthy bodily function. Rosen explains that the “therapeutic value [of asana], is, like the importance of alignment, widely accepted today” (Rosen, p. 75)

Timothy McCall, M.D., is perhaps the most practically minded in this idea of physical body therapeutics through asana, exploring yoga broadly as “systematic technology to improve the body, understand the mind, and free the spirit” (McCall, p. 7) and build “flexibility, strength, and balance in every area of the body” (McCall, p. 14) He goes on in the following pages to explore forty practical benefits of asana practice from anxiety relief to prevention of heart disease (McCall, pp. 30-45). If you spend some time with McCall and his well-cited claims, you’ll see that of course yoga asana is a powerful tool to affect the physical body and its variety of ailments, but there’s something more, isn’t there? For the record, McCall thinks so too.

Mind-Body

Asana is seen by some as an opportunity to practice mindfulness or meditation in a practical and physical sphere and ultimately bridging the gap between body and mind. I always recall one of my early teachers describing her mat as a laboratory in which she could explore certain elements of her life in a safe place. My teacher, Jason Crandell, has influenced me heavily in this sphere, often saying “My orientation has shifted from using my body to do asanas to using asanas to understand my body—and, by corollary, using my body to understand my mind, my moods, my conditioning, my—well—everything“ (Crandell).

For Iyengar the “real importance” of asana is their ability to “train and discipline the mind” (Iyengar, pp 40-41) and similarly for Desikachar it is to “unify” the body, breath and mind (Desikachar, p. 17).

Donna Farhi further defines this unification:

What distinguishes an asana from a stretch or callisthenic exercise is that in asana practice we focus our mind’s attention completely in the body so that we can move as a unified whole and so we can perceive what the body has to tell us. We don’t do something to the body, we become the body… So asana practice is a reunion between the usually separated body-mind…This down-to-earth, flesh-and-bones practice is simply one of the most direct ways to meet yourself…It’s important, therefore, not to make the mistake of thinking that the perfection of the yoga asanas is the goal, or that you’ll be good at yoga only once you’ve mastered the more difficult postures. The asanas are useful maps to explore yourself, but they are not the territory. The goal of asana practice is to live in your body and to learn to perceive clearly through it.  (Farhi, p17).

The idea of asana as map is echoed in Erich Schiffmann, in that we can use poses as maps and tools to “deliberate explore [ourselves]” (Schiffmann, p. 38). Similarly, Leslie Kaminoff sees an asana as a “container for an experience” that ultimately reflects and informs on how we live the full extent of our lives off the mat.

Each asana is a whole-body practice where we can witness how things arise, how they are sustained, and how they dissolve or are transformed. We can see how we are affected by the experience of moving into the pose, being in the pose, and moving out of the pose, and how that might affect other places in our lives where we meet change (Kaminoff & Matthews, p. 65).

Movement of Energy

In early Hatha yoga, asana was included as part of many processes used to stabilize energetic flow and purify the body (Feuerstein, The Yoga Tradition, 2008, p. 390). This harnessing and movement of energy is still a large component of modern postural yoga and takes us rather boldly out of the steady ground of Western medicine and psychology and into the potentially shifting sands of subtle energetics.

For Erich Schiffmann, asana “allow[s] new energy to flush through you, nourishing undernourished areas, soothing chronic pain, and improving energy flow throughout the whole of you – revitalizing you.” (Schiffmann, p. 38). Iyengar describes that in the execution of asana, a yogi will feel “in the beating of his pulse and the rhythm of his respiration…the flow of the seasons and the throbbing of universal life. His body is a temple which houses the Divine Spark” (Iyengar, pp. 40-41).

Donna Farhi explains that the yoga asanas, “while appearing relatively static compared to other movements, are actually still dances swirling with internal motion. The form of each asana acts as a container for these subtle yet powerful internal movements. The untrained eye sees no visible movement, but on further investigation, an asana practiced in this vital way is easy to distinguish” (Farhi, p.24).

By an expanded definition, a yoga asana can be a vehicle for feeling and releasing subtle energies throughout the body and spirit.

Discovering the Divine

Expanding on the exploration of energetics, and learning from it, asana can be further defined as a tool to explore the physical body to better understand the mind, spirit and the Divine, furthering the Tantric idea that “as above, so below.” Feurstein, speaking of Tantra broadly, explains “when we truly understand the body, we discover that it is the world, which in essence is divine” (Feuerstein, 1998, p. 53). Practicing postures that embody different animals, gods and goddesses, great sages, states of energy, and openness of heart, we physicalize and in some ways concretize the abstractions of a spiritual quest.

Iyengar movingly describes this journey through the universal earth-bound experience to the Divine.

Whilst performing asanas the yogi’s body assumes many forms resembling a variety of creatures. His mind is trained not to despise any creature, for he knows that throughout the whole gamut of creation, from the lowliest insect to the most perfect sage, there breathes the same Universal Spirit, which assumes innumerable forms. He knows that the highest form is that of the Formless. He finds unity in universality. True asana is that in which the thought of Brahman flows effortlessly and incessantly through the mind of the sadhaka (Iyengar, p. 42)
This movement through a diversity of asanas, Donna Farhi writes, expands our consciousness “so that regardless of the situation or form we find ourselves in, we can remain ‘comfortably seated’ in our center. Intrinsic to this practice is the uncompromising belief that every aspect of the body is pervaded by consciousness. Asana practice is a way to develop this interior awareness” (Farhi, pp 16-17).

For Seane Corn, asana practice becomes a form of spiritual communion she terms “body prayer.”

In our culture, we’re so physically oriented. We like the five-sense reality. We feel safe with it. When we use our bodies as an expression of prayer, it gets our minds very, very quiet. Traditional prayer is much more mind-spirit oriented. Is body prayer better? No, it’s just a different expression of it. A more activated version, just like when you see T’ai Chi or someone who’s really dancing. There is such a connection with the natural realm, in the way things move — your heart beating and the blood flowing through your veins. How more connected can you get to spirit than in your own humanity and your own body? (Cameron & Corn)

 

So, what is it?

Ultimately, asana is whatever you experience. You simply have to be open to its potential power and variety. If you practice long enough, you will potentially feel components of all of the above but there is no need to decide that asana must ever be strictly defined.

By Adam Hocke

Adam has been practicing vinyasa flow yoga since 1999 and has trained extensively with Jason Crandell. He offers precise, strong, and accessible classes to physically awaken the body and develop mindfulness both on and off the mat. His teaching is down-to-earth and direct, exploring traditional practices from a modern perspective. A native of South Florida, Adam spent ten years in New York City before becoming a Londoner. He teaches studio classes, workshops and courses throughout London, and retreats across the globe. As a writer, Adam contributes regularly to magazines and web publications on yoga. Visit Adam at adamhocke.com

Works Cited

Cameron, M. J., & Corn, S. (n.d.). Finding Spirit: Q&A with Seane Corn. Retrieved May 2015, 13, from GaiamLife: http://life.gaiam.com/article/finding-spirit-qa-body-prayer-diva

Crandell, J. (2013, May 17). Teachasana Interview with Jason Crandell. Retrieved May 13, 2015, from Teachasana.com: http://www.teachasana.com/teachasana-interview-with-jason-crandell/

Desikachar, T. (1995). The Heart of Yoga. Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions International.

Farhi, D. (2000). Yoga Mind, Body & Spirit. Dublin: Newleaf.

Feuerstein, G. (1998). Tantra: The Path of Ecstasy. London: Shambhala.

Feuerstein, G. (2008). The Yoga Tradition (3rd Edition ed.). Prescott, Arizona: Hohm Press.

Iyengar, B. (1979). Light on Yoga. New York: Schocken Books.

Kaminoff, L., & Matthews, A. (2012). Yoga Anatomy (2nd Edition ed.). Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics.

McCall, T. M. (2007). Yoga as Medicine. New York: Bantam.

Rosen, R. (2012). Original Yoga: Rediscovering Traditional Practices of Hatha Yoga. London: Shambhala.

Schiffmann, E. (1996). Yoga: The Spirit and Practice of Moving into Stillness. New York: Pocket Books.

 

What you will need

• Chocolate -- your choice (of course, I always opt for deep, dark chocolate or even raw cacao nibs).
• Nut Butter (your choice)
• Mini muffin tin
• Two saucepans
• Rubber spatula

 

 

 

Get Cooking!
Fill a sauce pan with water.  Place a smaller sauce pan on top (or use a double boiler, but you do not need a double boiler).  Fill the pan on top with 5 oz of chocolate (that is equivalent to about 1/2 bag of chocolate chips).  I added a small amount of ghee to my chocolate to make it creamier -- after all, I am in love with the country of france and all of the real butter, heavy cream and deliciousness that the french cook with.

1. Once the water starts to boil in the bottom saucepan, keep an eye on the chocolate and stir frequently until melted.  
2. Once melted, remove from lower saucepan (turn off heat) and pour a small amount of chocolate into each muffin hole.
3. Place the entire tin in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes.
4. Remove tin and add a dollop of nut butter to each chocolate masterpiece that you have created.
5. Repeat the first three steps, this time placing a small amount of chocolate on top of the nut butter.
6. Place tin back in the freezer for about 10minutes.

THAT'S ALL!

For those who do not use recipes (like me -- ha!)

1. Melt a good amount of chocolate in a saucepan, on the stove
2. Place it into each mini muffin tin
3. Freeze it until you think it's done
4. Add nut butter
5. Melt chocolate again and cover the nut butter cups
6. Refreeze

 

GET CREATIVE....

Add coconut oil, honey, or coconut flakes to one layer of the chocolate.

Don't like nut butter?  Or, allergic to nuts?  Melt chocolate and add mint essential oil, mint extract, chopped mint leaves and even dried fruit to the chocolate and freeze.  

Wrap each nut butter cup in parchment paper and give as gifts or eat them all yourself.  

Add a nut butter cup to ice cream.

 

By Meredith Cameron

Learning that she and we are more capable than we give ourselves credit for, Meredith Cameron creates space for students to reach out, dig deeper, and not take themselves too seriously.  Yoga and traveling are two life loves that seem to go hand and hand.   Follow Meredith around the world with her workshops and retreats - 500+ hour CYT.  To find out more about Meredith visit www.mcameronyoga.com

 

 

 

We are perfect
We are better than anyone else
We have achieved something in our life
No; actually up-leveling means that now we are more aware 

More aware of our thoughts, our actions, our words and more aware of how we function in the world.  We are more aware of how we show up in relationship, what we want in life and how to get there.  We look outside ourselves and witness the reality and truth of what IS.

Up leveling gets you nowhere in particular, but more awake.  And if you’re doing it “right”, you are always offered the opportunity to up-level; whether or not you take that opportunity is entirely up to you.

Up-leveling your vibration is not all that easy.  It’s actually quite challenging because it requires letting go of old stuff and moving into what you may LABEL as unfamiliar.  It’s actually easier to get snagged by limiting beliefs, old patterns, and the lower vibration of other people in your path, than it is to raise your own vibration. And now with social media, it’s so easy to get distracted by all the publicly announced accomplishments of everyone else than it is to focus on your own stuff.

Raising your vibration requires work, there’s no doubt about it. 

I was laughing this week because well, this theme is so resonate with me right now.  I was sitting there, going through my task list for the week and amidst the “blog post, social media training/posts, enter emails, update site” was “prepare for meeting with Dove, get processes outlined for assistant, send grant proposal to Lululemon, prepare for meeting with potential business manager, read through proposal from book publisher”.  Talk about uncomfortable!

But wait … then, on my other post-it pile there was, “reformat computer, take photos off phone, update and back up phone, complete relocation order for children, and get summer schedule for kids together.”   Needless to say I went to Juice Alley, decided to juice this week and ran up and down the Lyon Street steps all week long just to clear my head and heart.

That is up-leveling – having a lot happening at one time and being able to see above it.  Noticing the “balls in the air” and recognizing how each one is integral to the other.  Becoming extremely aware that something is shifting, noticing that this may have been offered before, but this time, you will do something different to support the elevation.  And in all this shifting, you get a bit uncomfortable but you do it anyway.

Because in that uncomfortable space, something does shift.  It’s a release of old patterns; it’s a letting go of old beliefs, and it’s a trust that this time will be different because you are different.

We up level our energy when we:

Look at the stillness and locate our distractions
Recognize what is holding us back and sit in the un-comfortableness
Take care of old “business” or “karma” that weighs us down
Acknowledge our greatness and move toward it
Embrace the truth that we deserve all the amazingness coming our way
Up-leveling, sharing our gifts, learning, growing, letting go and shining anew, is why we’re here.

Use this time of Mercury Retrograde to:

            Renew — rethink — realign — reignite — rewire

 Shift everything you think you know into an up-leveled version, which means, you may not know what you’re doing but on some level, I promise you do.  And when you leave the familiarity with no promise of something bigger or better … you will fall into a flow that is so familiar, you won’t remember what it was like before.

By Dana Damara

“My passion on the mat is proper alignment, powerful breath and effortless flow so you feel that off your mat. Your practice becomes sacred space where you arrive to find more meaning, depth, authenticity and integrity in your life."

- Dana Damara: mother, author, yoga instructor, speaker and yogini.

Visit DanaDamara.com for more inspiration from Dana.

Click here to download or stream one of Dana's YogaDownload classes!

For most people with busy modern lives, it’s hard to stay disciplined and keep making the time for the practice that we know can serve us well.

The Yoga Sutras address the rare exceptions, meaning those people who seem to be able to get up every day at 4, have their kale, and practice 3 hours before working all day (translation and then commentary by T.K.V. Desikachar):

“There will be some who are born in a state of Yoga. They need not practice or discipline themselves.” (1.19) But these are rare persons who cannot be copied and should not be emulated. Indeed some may succumb to worldly influences and lose their superior qualities."

So that leaves the rest of us with some tough choices.  For me, they often look like this:

1. Do I set the alarm early so I can practice or do I have an indulgent sleep in ( on a Tuesday)?
2. Do I have that big bowl of pasta knowing it will make me want to nap or do I eat something sensible and exercise in the afternoon?
3. Do I look at baby photos of friends I haven’t seen in ten years on facebook or do I watch a spiritual teaching video?
4. Do I watch one more episode of Mad Men or do I meditate before bed?
5. But I guess those are easy to answer if you’re semi-serious about getting some clarity in your life. The tougher questions are like this:
6. Do I stay out late with my friends, or do I get home early so I can meditate and practice in the morning?
7. Do I spend more time with my partner, or do I make sure I get a long practice in?
8. Do I go away for the weekend or do I go to that workshop with the teacher from whom I learn the most?

 

This is where we walk the fine line between keeping a practice that supports and deepens our experience of life and fetishising the practice above all and missing the joy of our phenomenal life. The balance is hard! But this work was never meant to be easy or immediate to figure out.

It is only when the correct practice is followed for a long time, without interruptions and with a quality of positive attitude and eagerness, that it can succeed. (1.14)

There are no easy answers here, but this is why it is so pressing to ask yourself ‘what am I willing to sacrifice?’. Everyone will have a different need for the force of clarity and unification that yoga can bring. You must decide how deep to go. You must decide what to let go of that is preventing you from getting there.

The old Shantideva chestnut speaks volumes here: ‘We who are like senseless children shrink from suffering, but love its causes.’ Often we cling to that which feels good in the short term but either prevents us from going into the depths of possibility the human experience gives us, or causes us suffering in the long term. It’s hard to let go. It’s hard to sacrifice. But that is the work. And eventually the sacrifice becomes no sacrifice at all.
 

By Adam Hocke

Adam has been practicing vinyasa flow yoga since 1999 and has trained extensively with Jason Crandell. He offers precise, strong, and accessible classes to physically awaken the body and develop mindfulness both on and off the mat. His teaching is down-to-earth and direct, exploring traditional practices from a modern perspective. A native of South Florida, Adam spent ten years in New York City before becoming a Londoner. He teaches studio classes, workshops and courses throughout London, and retreats across the globe. As a writer, Adam contributes regularly to magazines and web publications on yoga. Visit Adam at http://www.adamhocke.com/