Aug 20, 2010 |
I recently posted some blogs that included funny quotes about yoga from celebrities. Here’s one that got a lot of hits from Chris Rock: “Why do people do yoga? To clear their minds? I embrace the clutter in my head.” —Chris Rock
And Ellen DeGeneres provided us with some insight on her yoga practice: “I was in yoga the other day. I was in full lotus position. My chakras were all aligned. My mind is cleared of all clatter, and I’m looking out of my third eye and everything that I’m supposed to be doing. It’s amazing what comes up when you sit in that silence. ‘Mama keeps whites bright like the sunlight; Mama’s got the magic of Clorox Two.’” —Ellen DeGeneres
Since everyone seemed to enjoy these quotes, I thought it would be interesting to share a few more celebrity quotes, but this time from a more serious angle about how yoga has helped them strengthen their bodies, focus, cleanse, and calm their minds.
“Yoga calms me down. It’s a therapy session, a workout, and meditation all at the same time!” —Jennifer Aniston
“Ashtanga yoga has completely changed me. I try to do it every day, and the effect is amazing. It’s not just during the hours that I’m practicing. It’s about how it filters through into the rest of my life. It makes all the other bullshit dissipate. Who I am has emerged, and everything else has gone by the wayside.” —Gwyneth Paltrow
“The yoga mat is a good place to turn when talk therapy and antidepressants aren’t enough.” —Amy Weintraub
Jennifer and Gwyneth, I feel the exact same way about yoga. It has provided me with a great workout routine, it reduces my stress level, makes all the bullshit dissipate (love that, Gwyneth), and although I’ve never seen a psychiatrist or taken antidepressants, yoga is definitely my drug of choice for mood-lifting therapy.
I’ll keep searching for more quotes and inspiration from celebrity yogis, and I still need to find some quotes from one of my favorite yogi celebrities, the tantra-tastic Sting. I think I may have to dedicate a whole blog or several to Sting. Can you imagine what it is like to do partner yoga with Sting (Trudie, you are one lucky lady!)?
Image: Michael Lorenzo
Aug 20, 2010 |
Do you sometimes have a hard time getting into yoga class?
Is it hard to walk away from the stress of your day and leave it all behind?
Do you want to get all the benefits of yoga?
If you want to get into a better state during yoga class, try closing your eyes. I’m totally serious! For most poses, except balancing poses, I love the feeling of closing my eyes, focusing on my breathing, and really getting into the pose. If you are new to yoga I would not recommend this, but now that I’m a veteran of yoga class, I know most of the poses and can follow the instructor’s flow with my eyes closed. I really find it helps me remove the clutter from my mind and helps me to get fully into the yoga zone.
When your eyes are closed, you are not fixating on how flexible the person next to you is or looking at the cool T-shirt on the person in the front row or checking out your pasty-white skin in the mirror. All those distractions can really hold you back, and before you know it, you’re focusing on something non-essential like your shopping list. Instead, you are focusing on how your body feels in the pose, how to take yourself to your edge in the pose, and receiving all the benefits of yoga.
Give it a try; close your eyes and enter the yoga zone. Check out the picture of Buddha, even he blissed out in yoga practice with his eyes closed.
Stop by every weekday for the Daily Downward Dog, my journal of cool yoga experiences, Yoga for Back Pain Relief, and Affordable Yoga Products. Thank you for checking out the ads and products when you visit to help fund this site!
Aug 16, 2010 |
“Dogs come when they’re called; cats take a message and get back to you.” —Missy Dizick and Mary Bly, Dogs Are Better Than Cats (1985)
My yoga instructor made a really interesting point in yoga class last week. Why are so many yoga poses named after animals? Think about it—cat, cow, elephant trunk, pigeon, dolphin, fish, and, my favorite, the beloved downward dog yoga pose.
Could it could be that the poses mimic actual animal behavior? I do feel like a cat when I’m in cat pose but don’t feel too much like a dog when I’m in downward dog, though.
Her theory is that animals bring joy to our lives with the companionship they provide, their unconditional love, and the wag of their tails. Animals can also help reduce stress (well, most of the time, if they aren’t making a mess of your house). And she’s right; yoga does all those same things. It brings joy to my life, loves me even though I’m totally unflexible, and is the best way I know to bring down my stress to a manageable level.
Hmmm…what’s your theory on why these poses were renamed from their original Sanskrit names to English animal names?
Stop by every weekday for the Daily Downward Dog, my journal of cool yoga experiences, Yoga for Back Pain Relief, and Affordable Yoga Products. Thank you for checking out the ads and products when you visit to help fund this site!
Aug 16, 2010 |
“When you look up from your typewriter, look at the trees, not the calendar.”
–Mary Virginia Micka
It’s looking like I’m going to be on a nature kick this week at MariaMedia. I love this quote because it reminds me to not get so wrapped up in the day and the deadlines and all the things on my to-do list, but, instead, to take a few minutes, breathe deeply, and look at the trees and the sky and enjoy nature. I think it’s just about the easiest way to de-stress during a busy day.
Tree pose (Vrksasana) is one of my favorite yoga poses, and I’ve been writing about it a lot lately. If I’m feeling balanced (which isn’t always the case), it feels so wonderful to be able to rest one leg on my other leg without falling on my face. I love standing tall, raising my hands high above my head, and letting my arms serve as branches flowing in the wind and bringing in all the possibilities of life. Tree pose is another great way to bring calm into your life.
Do you think it’s a coincidence that so many yoga poses are named after nature and animals? I think not!
Stop by every weekday for the Daily Downward Dog, my journal of cool yoga experiences, Yoga for Back Pain Relief, and Affordable Yoga Products. Thank you for checking out the ads and products when you visit to help fund this site!
Aug 1, 2010 |
“Why do people do yoga? To clear their minds? I embrace the clutter in my head.” —Chris Rock, Comedian
You gotta love Chris and, yes, we all have a lot of clutter in our heads, but it is amazing how great yoga and meditation can make you feel and what a relief it is to clear out some of the junk that is bouncing around inside our heads.
I’m going to have a little garage sale this weekend for my mind and clear out some of the clutter with a yoga Nidra meditation session. If you want to learn more about yoga Nidra, read my blog about my yoga Nidra out of body experience or visit the Amrit Yoga website at http://www.amrityoga.org/yoga-nidra.htm.
Stop by every weekday for the Daily Downward Dog, my journal of cool yoga experiences, Yoga for Back Pain Relief, and Affordable Yoga Products. Thank you for checking out the ads and products when you visit to help fund this site!
