Aug 8, 2012 |
It’s summer, and one of my favorite things to do is go see James Taylor perform live at an outdoor venue. I didn’t make it to his concert this year, so instead I pulled out my James Taylor greatest hits albums to get my JT fix. And, like most things in my life these days, James inspired me in a yogic way. I have used many James Taylor songs in my yoga class playlists (“Shower the People,” “You’ve Got a Friend”), and now I am deeming “Up On The Roof” my new yoga theme song. I’m thinking James may just be a yogi or really in touch with how to let it all go and connect with what’s really important.
Per the song, when James gets stressed out, he goes up on a roof to take in the beauty of nature and get away from all his worries. When Carole King wrote this back in the ’60s and James recorded it in the late ’70s , they didn’t have to worry about disconnecting from their wired lifestyle like we do today, but I don’t think they would be taking their iPhones up on that roof.
I love this concept of going outside to connect with nature and to just let go of all worries and stress. But, I’m swapping out that roof for a yoga mat! Yes, when I get on my yoga mat, I can let myself go, quiet the mind, and find a paradise that’s trouble-proof. When I can take my yoga mat outside for a practice, all the better.
So without any further set-up, here is the Daily Downward Dog’s new yoga theme song, except I had to parody the lyrics to make them a little more yogalicious!
Up On The Mat
When this old world starts a getting me down
And people are just too much for me to face
I’ll find my way to the yoga studio
And all my cares just drift right into space
On the mat, it’s peaceful as can be
And there the wireless world don’t bother me, no, no
So when I come home feeling tired and beat
I go to where the asanas are fresh and sweet
I’ll get far away from my hustle and stress
And all the rat-race noise chattering in my mind
On the mat, that’s the only place I know
Look inside yourself, baby
Where you just have to breathe and let it go
Let’s go out on our mats
And at yoga class there’s breathing, asana, and meditation
And, yogis, you can share it all with me
That’s what I said
Keep on telling you
That right smack dab in the middle of my mat
I found a paradise that’s trouble-proof
And if this old world starts a getting you down
There’s a peaceful practice for you
On your yoga mat…
Take this as a personal invitation to get on out there this week, enjoy some nature, do some yoga, and just let go!
Here’s a really cool live version of James Taylor and Carole King singing the real version of “Up On The Roof.”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zbasjy2_IY8[/youtube]
Please leave a comment below and let me know where else you’ve found a paradise that’s trouble-proof!
And if you liked this yoga song parody, you might also like these yoga song parodies.
A Lovely (Yoga) Day
I’m a Breath Believer
Jun 5, 2012 |
I’m here to tell you that one of the many reasons why I love yoga is the incredible blissed out (yoga high) feeling I get when I finish up a practice. The muscles in my body are tingling, the oxygen-rich blood from all that pranayama breathing is pumping through my body, endorphins are pinging around in my brain, and best of all, my mind is clear and focused so I’m ready to take on the day.
I used to be a runner, so I also know how euphoric a runner’s high can make a person feel. If you’re not familiar with this sublime experience, let me share my new friend Liz Ferro’s take on the runner’s high:
“For most of my life, lacing up for a run has been as much a part of my day as taking a shower…The sweat seems to wash away all the heaviness in my heart and on my mind and replaces it with a joyful and light-hearted feeling, which I can’t wait to feel again after it fades. Maybe this is why people get hooked on heroin? I will never know because the empowerment that I receive from running and crossing the finish line is the best high in the world to me. It keeps me coming back for more so I can feel it again and again…No matter what you need from your run, it will grant it.”
In essence, Liz has just nailed how I feel about my own addiction to yoga. I crave that blissful feeling and can’t wait to get back to my yoga mat time and time again. Somehow, my yoga mat always knows what I need, and if I truly listen to my body and breath and allow my mind to clear, I get exactly what I came for – peace of mind, peace in my heart, and that joyful blissed out state. Yoga: it’s the natural, healthy, legal, inexpensive, and oh so highly beneficial high.
Liz has skillfully used the power of this high to carry her throughout her life, and let me tell you, she has had a pretty tough life. Passed around in foster care and finally adopted at age 2, she was the victim of childhood sexual abuse from a neighbor, suffered from bulimia and low self-esteem issues, and endured abusive romantic relationships. She chronicles her life in the book Finish Line Feeling, where she tells the compelling story of how she overcame these obstacles to found the nationally recognized running organization Girls With Sole.
I just recently finished reading Finish Line Feeling, and I have to admit, some of the story was tough to read. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to be the victim of sexual abuse, and at one point, I didn’t know if I could finish reading. But Liz’s brutal honesty and sense of humor throughout the book drew me in, and I ended up reading almost the entire book in one day. It is filled with inspirational quotes and stories about how Liz overcame obstacles to ultimately build a beautiful life and family for herself.
“Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.” – Lou Holtz
Liz could have stayed negative and bitter about what had happened to her, but instead she let go of her past, got on with her life by participating in sixteen marathons and a few Iron-distance triathlons, and used all of her life experiences to bring goodness into the world with the development of her non-profit organization.
The mission of Girls With Sole is to use free fitness and wellness programs to empower the minds, bodies, and souls of girls ages 9 to 18 who are at-risk or have experienced abuse of any kind. The programs include traditional team sports, running programs, YOGA, dance, and self-esteem building exercises. The programs encourage girls to make healthy choices in every part of their lives and to build a positive self-image. Right now, the organization is based in Cleveland, Ohio, but Liz has received requests to set up Girls With Sole in other parts of the country. Her dream is to keep working with the girls here in Cleveland while also working across the country to set up new Girls With Sole chapters in order to change the lives of girls in need nationwide.
I was incredibly lucky this year to be introduced to Liz and Girls With Sole and have become one of their volunteer coaches who teach yoga to the girls. I can’t even begin to tell you how much joy this has brought to my life, so instead, I’ll let Liz tell you how it feels, as she captured my feelings completely.
“I don’t judge people when they don’t ‘get’ what it is that Girls With Sole actually does for the kids. The only thing that matters to me is the happiness I see in the girls as a result of the programs and the way they embrace and respond to the programs in such a positive manner…The girls bring me so much joy and fulfillment, and I often think they give more to me than I could ever give to them.”
Liz was able to find that mind/body/soul connection at an early age through running and swimming. But, for the most part, at-risk communities and kids in the foster or juvenile justice systems have very little to no access to any types of recreational fitness. Girls With Sole gives them that much-needed connection. It shows them that there is a way out of the darkness and that they can find this light without drugs, alcohol, or self-harm. These girls need someone to introduce them to the mind/body/soul connection, and I can’t think of a better way to help them than through the practice of running and yoga. To quote Liz, “Once they ‘get it’ they won’t ever let it go. But someone needs to show them the way to get there.”
“The greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being.”
– Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dali Lama
The primary message of Finish Line Feeling is that we all have the inner strength and tenacity to persevere. One of the teachings of yoga is finding acceptance and peace in your life and loving yourself exactly as you are, and Liz’s story could be used as a perfect illustration for this and so many of the yamas and niyamas: practicing ahimsa (non-violence and compassion for ourselves and all beings), santosha (letting go of the past and finding contentment in your life), and ishvar pranidhana (believing in yourself, asking for guidance, relaxing into your life, and surrendering to the needs of your body).
Plus, Liz provides the perfect example of seva, the act of selfless service and the desire to uplift and assist people, giving help and compassion to others with no thought of what is to gain or what is to be lost by doing so.
One of the most inspirational things about the book (which most people who read it will never know) is that Liz wrote it in four months. She then went out on the quest to get it published, would not take no for an answer, and within another few short months found a publisher and got the book out on the market. For someone who has thought a long time about writing a book, this has to be one of the biggest, most motivational kicks in the ass I could have ever received! Thanks, Liz – if you can do it, so can I, and every time you see me, I want you to please remind and maybe even egg me on a bit! (Yep, I’m putting that intention out there in the universe.)
Liz ends the book with this thought, “There is a confidence and a positive light that radiates from an athletic person. It is easily recognized by others and attracts them to you like a moth to a porch light on a summer’s night.”
If you are lucky enough to meet Liz, you will experience this light; it radiates from her smile and her enthusiasm, and I guarantee it will fill you up with joy.
Want to support Liz and Girls with Sole? Here are just a few of the ways you can get involved:
- Get inspired and read Finish Line Feeling, available to purchase on Amazon
- Celebrate the fact that Liz is now a published author by coming to The Rock & Sole book launch being held at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, June 15th. The price of $50 per couple gets you into this private party at the Rock Hall, appetizers, drinks, dancing with a live band, and a copy of Finish Line Feeling.
- Contact Girls with Sole through the website for volunteer and donation opportunities.
Jan 17, 2012 |
I love it when I go to a yoga class where something the teacher says really speaks to me. A few weeks ago, I attended a class taught by Jennifer Bishop and experienced quite the yoga epiphany.
While reaching our arms up and overhead in utthita parsvakonasana (extended side angle pose), Jennifer talked about the fact that we spend so much time during our days stressed out and hunched over our computers and steering wheels that our bodies get closed up. She went on to explain that the postures in yoga help us to open up the body, letting go of stress and creating space to counteract all those hours tied to our i-[you fill in the blank]s.
In a nutshell, Jennifer had described a typical day for me. Yeah, I get away from my desk and spend a lot of time doing yoga. But, I spend a lot of time sitting at my desk not always with the best posture, and I know that my neck, shoulders, and back pay the price for me doing so.
This message was reaffirmed when I recently attended a yoga anatomy workshop. The teacher, Gina Schatz, explained that we have fascia* that connects all of our muscles together, and this fascia runs from the crown of our head to our toes. Gina explained that fascia – and our body in general – does not like to sit for long periods of time. There are studies that show that if you sit for 45-49 minutes, you should counterbalance that time sitting with hip openers for 20 minutes to undo the kinks and tightness that was created. Here’s the really wild thing: If you sit for 50 minutes or more (hello, this is me!), you need to move and stretch for 3 to 4 hours to erase the effect of the sitting. Our bodies are not designed for a sedentary life.
Yowza! As if I needed another reason to practice yoga, there it is.
I always knew I loved yoga, but now I know that one of the reasons why I was called so deeply to the practice is because my body has the wisest mind of all and was telling me, “Yo Maria, what up with all this computer time? Go find your yoga mat again, stretch, breathe, relax, and give us a break.”
Thanks to Gina and Jennifer, I’ve set a little alarm on my iPhone that I turn on daily. It goes off every 45 minutes to remind me to get up, stretch, move, go for a walkasana, break out a few downward dogs, hug my husband (also know as hugasana), or do anything that lets me decompress and keep my body and my fascia happy.
*Stay tuned for a full report on my yoga geek-out weekend of anatomy!
Aug 2, 2011 |
Take your yoga off your mat. You hear this a lot in yoga classes, but what does it really mean? Does it mean I should practice tree pose while I’m standing in line at the grocery store or to practice savasana and take a few more naps during the week?
Well, those are both good things to do, but the phrase and the teachings of yoga have a much deeper meaning, and here are just a few ways you can take your yoga off your mat.
- Breathing. As you learn the breathing techniques to help support and guide you through difficult poses, take this same concept out into the world with you. When you encounter a stressful situation, instead of trying to run away from it (you know that is how you feel sometimes in chair pose), take a deep breath, smile, and let the calming effects of your breathing carry you through the situation.
- Compassion. Yoga is about honoring your body and learning to accept and love where you are right now. Why not take some of this compassion off the mat into your daily activities? Try not to judge yourself and others. Learn to accept others for who they are, and understand and respect these differences. If everyone were exactly like us, the world would be an awfully boring place.
- Strength. If you are practicing yoga, I’m sure you are starting to see changes in your body and that you are growing stronger. You may even have taken a few risks on the mat and tried new and challenging poses. Why not take this newfound strength off your mat and try something different or more challenging today? Have some fun and don’t be afraid to take a risk now and then.
- Being present. If you think it is hard to stay present on the yoga mat, it’s even harder when you practice it out in the real world. We simply have too many distractions nipping at our heels. But I’d like you to try out a simple exercise today. When you are talking with someone (your spouse, child, coworker), try being completely focused on the person and the conversation. Forget about what you have to do next or the stressful meeting you just came from and give your full attention. Be a good listener and see how good it feels to be fully in the moment and how those on the receiving end respond to it.
- Gratitude. It’s not hard to find things to be grateful for while moving through asanas in yoga class. Heck, I’m grateful my body can just get into some of the poses and grateful for my breath for guiding me through them. I’m grateful to the teacher and the music and all the teachers who came before them. Whatever gratitude you feel on your yoga mat, take some of it off the mat today and show some gratitude for the people in your life. Call up a good friend and thank him or her for being a part of your life.
Hummm, there really is something more to all this yoga stuff than just stretching and standing on your head. I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. Here’s hoping you continue on your spiritual path of growth both on and off your yoga mat.
Got an interesting way you take your yoga off the mat? Leave a comment below and share it!
Jul 28, 2011 |
A few weeks ago I was perusing Spa magazine. I really shouldn’t read this magazine because all it does is make me pine away for a week of massages, herbal wraps, yoga, and a whole host of other yummy organic treatments at a cushy spa retreat (preferably somewhere exotic). This is a fantasy of mine, and reading Spa magazine helps me visualize the trip and encourages me to save my money for a week of yogalicious, spa-filled bliss.
As I was flipping through the pages, recently I saw a little snippet about the Joy of Yoga by Sharon Liao. The short article cited research done recently at Boston University’s School of Medicine. They found that people who practiced yoga for 60 minutes a day for more than three times a week had higher levels of GABA than those who did a walking workout for the same period of time. In case you are not familiar with GABA, it is the equivalent of a natural antidepressant in that it is a brain chemical that boosts our moods. The yoga participants in the study also felt more cheerful and less anxious.
I always feel a little high after I practice yoga, and now it is really cool to know that one of the reasons I feel so damn good is all the GABA flowing out of my brain and boosting my spirits.
To quote one of my yoga students, “GABA, GABA, DOO!”
I know not everyone can dedicate three hour-long yoga sessions each week to get those elevated GABA levels, but next time you are feeling a little stressed or anxious, take a few minutes and do a few downward dogs or a simple breathing exercise. The deep breathing and poses used in yoga can calm your nervous system and make you feel more relaxed, even if you only practice for a few minutes.
I knew the Ramones were on to something! Gaba Gaba Hey!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ6_YSYCWu8[/youtube]
Image courtesy of The Graphics Fairy
