Jul 3, 2012 |
I’m too old for yoga.
I’m too inflexible for yoga.
I’m too overweight for yoga.
I’m too [fill in the blank] for yoga.
Need a little inspiration to get you off your ass?
Watch the video below. It will only take 4:55 minutes of your time, and I guarantee you will be moved. Even if this video doesn’t inspire you to give yoga a try, it can give you hope that just about anything you think might be unattainable in your life is possible if you just believe in yourself.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/qX9FSZJu448 [/youtube]
You might have already seen this video. It’s got over five million hits and is the personal yoga journey of Arthur Boorman, who for 15 years of his life was a disabled veteran of the Gulf War. He received his injuries as a paratrooper and was told by doctors that he would never walk on his own again without assistance.
For a while, Arthur gave up and turned to food to console him, bringing his weight up to 297 pounds.
Arthur happened to catch a video of former pro-wrestler Diamond Dallas Page (DDP) and decided to give DDP’s brand of yoga a try. He reached out to DDP as well and received personal encouragement from him while he went on his yoga journey.
Don’t give up, keep going, and know that anything is possible.
How many times do we all face personal challenges like this? They might not be as extreme as Arthur’s situation, but we all have projects that at first seem daunting. But if taken in small steps, with patience and a lot of self-love, eventually we can accomplish what initially seemed impossible.
Arthur fell many times, but he got back up. He continued to tell himself that “just because I can’t do it today doesn’t mean I can’t do it someday.” And you will see in the video that Arthur experiences many yoga victories, including losing weight, rocking a headstand, and then coming down from the headstand into crow and jumping back into plank. I can’t even do that – so WOOHOO, Arthur!
I wanted to share this video for anyone out there that might be afraid to try yoga or has given up after just one class. I know yoga is not for everyone. But it’s not something that is going to be easy at first, especially if you have not been exercising regularly. It takes time, determination, and courage. You won’t be able to do everything at first, and the results will not come overnight. But gradually you will start to experience a transformation. Each time you come to your mat, there is an opportunity to make new discoveries, each one taking the body and the mind a little further.
You have to come into yoga with an open mind. When you first start, you might think you’ll never be able to move and stretch the way some of the other students do. The fact is that we are all so much stronger and capable than we allow ourselves credit. And yes, I’m guilty of this too. When I first started, I thought there was no way I’d ever be able to do a headstand or crow pose, and today I can do both of these poses. I can only imagine how much further I’ll take my yoga practice – if Bette Calman can do peacock pose at 93, so can I!
Over the course of one year, Arthur Boorman lost a total of 140 pounds, and more importantly, he was able to prove the doctors wrong. He is walking, practicing yoga, running, and sprinting without any assistance.
Never underestimate what you can accomplish when you believe in yourself.
Never Give Up.
That’s Arthur Boorman’s yoga story. Watch the video, decide what you want to get out there and accomplish in your life, and then set your sights on never giving up!
If you have a personal victory that you would like to share, please leave a comment below. I’d also love to hear from anyone who has tried DDP yoga.
Jun 28, 2012 |
I’ll never forget the first time I was in a yoga class and a rap song came on the playlist. It wasn’t your standard fare hip-hop or rap song full of tough street lyrics. Nope, this rap song was praising the freshness of Ganesh! Thank you, Deb Kistner, of Nirvana Yoga for turning me on to the sheer delight of flowing through a vinyasa accompanied by the awesome vocal-rap stylings of MC Yogi (aka Nicholas Giocomini).
Already a classic, MC Yogi’s first album Elephant Power has been hanging out at the top of the iTunes World Music charts since early 2010. I’m really excited to tell you that MC Yogi just released a new album called Pilgrimage (yeah, I’m old skool and still call them albums), and I’m going to proclaim right now that it is the new gold standard, must-have album for yoga music-lover aficionados.
I’m here to tell you that, quite simply, the 19 cuts on Pilgrimage ROCK! To quote Dj Drez, it will appeal to yogis who dig “bumping beats and desire uplifting music that isn’t too soft.”
The musical styles vary from song to song, moving from hip-hop, rap, and reggae to tribal-dance and dub. There is an incredible horn section as well as Indian sounds and influence due to the fact that Pilgrimage was recorded there. Watch this video to get a glimpse into MC’s trip to India that inspired the music and you’ll also get to hear a few of the songs.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_74_qL8ErE[/youtube]
“Yoga and meditation helps to draw you back into yourself, and music and art helps to express and share that which you discovered inside yourself.” – MC Yogi
It’s hard for me to pick my favorite cuts, but I know that my yoga class playlists are going to include some of the following:
“Breath Control” – MC Yogi raps over a funky drum beat and even funkier flute, providing the perfect verbal cues for students…
“Breath control, steady breath control, take a deep breath now let it all go.
Breathe in,
Breathe out,
Release the stress; just let it all out…
Receiving inspiration with every inhalation.”
“Sun Light” – I love a good power anthem, and “Sun Light” does not disappoint. With triumphant horn riffs and soaring vocals, this song is perfect for flowing through sun salutations.
“Born to Fly” – This reggae-infused piece reminds you to spread your wings and fly so high.
“Ganesha (Sound the Horn)” – With a Bollywood-style riff mashed up with kick-ass horn sections, this one is sure to get students shaking their hips to the groovy beat…and maybe even singing along. Rise Up!
“Give Love” – For the longest time, the only place you could find this song was through a free download at Yogafriends.com, so I was super pleased that MC included this bonus track on Pilgrimage. Another yoga class playlist megahit that will just make you happy!
If you want to get love, you got to give love away.
If you are looking for a little Hindu Mythology 101, check out MC Yogi’s smart and funny take on the classic story of Hanuman (I don’t know how he can remember all these words, but it is brilliant). You can download it for free right now courtesy of Black Swan records or right on the home page of MCYogi.com.
MC Yogi serving up some yoga at Tadasana Festival
As if I wasn’t already a huge MC Yogi fan, I got the opportunity to attend a yoga class taught by him and his wife, Amanda Giacomini, when I attended Tadasana Festival. And no, they weren’t providing the music (the awesome tunes were spun by DJ Drez). Amanda and Nicholas are both experienced yoga teachers. Every good teacher knows that students learn from stories, so these two turned the two-hour class into an incredible storytelling opportunity, rich with the story of the battle between Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu (told in a super cool, demystified way), and tales of MC Yogi’s experiences in India while recording this album.
The Storytellers – Amanda and MC Yogi with DJ Drez at Tadasana Festival
If you ever get to take a yoga class with MC Yogi, it can’t be missed; his dharma talk is just as real and moving as his song lyrics.
Hanging out with MC and Amanda at Tadasana Festival
I also got to catch them live and in person later that night at a Tadasana After Dark concert where they previewed a few of the cuts from Pilgrimage.
If you’re a yoga teacher that puts together playlists, you must add Pilgrimage to your yoga music library. You can pick up Pilgrimage on Amazon, iTunes, and through White Swan Records.
Join the MC Yogi fan club and follow him on Twitter and Facebook or on the official MC Yogi website.
MC Yogi says that when he gives a live performance it’s all about giving love. When I took his yoga class and heard him live, I definitely felt the love and you will too when you listen to Pilgrimage.
Rise Up, Give Love, Sound the Horn, and do a little dance on your yoga mat!
Jun 21, 2012 |
I can’t take credit for this, but I’d like to share these simple, straightforward steps to happiness from Jason Wachob over at MindBodyGreen.com, who originally found them on happinessinyourlife.com. Hey, when you find a little happiness, you gotta keep paying it forward.
Think Less, Feel More
Frown Less, Smile More
Talk Less, Listen More
Judge Less, Accept More
Watch Less, Do More
Complain Less, Appreciate More
Fear Less, Love More
After I read these seven simple steps, I couldn’t help but think that these same seven steps can easily be applied to the practice of yoga, providing guidelines to a deeper, fulfilling, and definitely more joyful yoga practice.
Think Less, Feel More = Let go of the thoughts and chatter in the mind and start feeling more of what is happening inside your body.
Frown Less, Smile More = This is the perfect mantra for those difficult yoga asanas like utkatasana (crowd pleasing chair pose) or paripurna navasana (boat pose). Just wipe the frown off your face and plant a big ol’ smile on your face and see what happens.
Shining Happy Smiling Fruit
Talk Less, Listen More = Turn off that internal dialogue about how inflexible you are, and listen instead to your heart and the sound of your breath.
Judge Less, Accept More = So what if you can’t touch your toes in uttanasana? Take a deep breath, let go of the judgment, and accept exactly where you are today.
Watch Less, Do More = Keep your eyes off the mats of those around you and focus your attention on your practice. This is your practice, not theirs, so let go of the comparison and do more, blossoming into your very own yoga practice.
Complain Less, Appreciate More = Don’t complain or curse your yoga instructor when they take you into asanas that work the abdominals. Instead appreciate the opportunity to strengthen your core, knowing that the difficult poses bring so much benefit and strength to your body. And, if all else fails, you can always fall back on frowning less, smiling more.
Fear Less, Love More = Whether you are new to yoga and attending a class for the first time or are a seasoned yogi faced with a challenging pose, try letting go of the fear and coming to the practice or the pose from a place of love. Kathryn Budig originally turned me on to this concept, and it has become a mantra I embrace in everything I do.
Seven simple steps to happiness. Short, sweet, and no messing around, these steps get right to the point. Use them excessively both on and off the yoga mat. Take a few baby steps today and come along with me – we’re gonna get HAPPY!
Jun 12, 2012 |
As a girl growing up, I loved doing things with my dad. He was a busy guy running his own business and raising five kids, but when he had the time, it was always extra special to do things with him. I used to love to go on hikes with him, go skiing together, and help him dig up the soil when he went treasure hunting with his metal detector. And when I got older, I loved hanging out and having a beer with him.
A couple nights a week, my dad would stop off at a local gym for a workout. I’m not quite sure what it was that Dad did at Vic Tanny’s gym, but he always felt great after he did it, and I imagine he got the same kind of high that I get when I finish a yoga practice.
My Awesome Dad!
If my dad were still alive today, I would invite him to do yoga with me. It might have taken some coaxing, but I know he would have loved the stretching, and it would have done wonders for his back. It would be a special time for us to spend together, a way for us to grow together both spiritually and in good health.
I see a lot of mothers and daughters come to yoga class together, and it always makes me smile. But, in the whole time that I’ve been teaching yoga, I’ve only twice seen a daughter and father practice together and have never seen a father and son together in a class (except for this awesome pic of Elephant Journal Associate Publisher Bob Weisenberg and his dad practicing yoga together on Bob’s Facebook page).
The lovely Thais @InnerLightTG really hit the jackpot – practicing yoga with her mom and dad! That’s Dana Flynn of Laughing Lotus Yoga NY with them after an awesome yoga class at the NY Yoga Journal Conference!
So, why not consider asking your father to practice yoga with you?
I’m here to tell you: he’s sick of getting boring old ties or tools for Father’s Day. Give him a yoga mat, or a five-class pass to a local studio, and then set up a yoga date with your Dad. If you suspect you may get a few objections, here are a few articles to read up on so you’re ready to fire off all the answers to those excuses of “I’m not flexible enough” or “I don’t want to be the only man in class”:
“Yoga for Men – What Could be Stopping You” from the VancouveYoga.com website
“First-Timer’s Guide to Yoga” from Men’s Health
“Let’s Get More Men on the Mat” from The Daily Downward Dog
And, remember my motto – Yoga, You Don’t Have to be Good At It!
This year, ditch the golf balls (BTW, yoga can help improve your Dad’s golf game), show your Dad you really care about his physical and spiritual health, and go for these great Father’s Day yoga gift ideas:
Real Men Do Yoga: 21 Star Athletes Reveal Their Secrets for Strength, Flexibility and Peak Performance by John Capouya – Satisfy your Dad’s fascination with sports with interviews from more than twenty pros, all of whom are enthusiastic yoga practitioners: football’s Eddie George, Shannon Sharpe and Amani Toomer; baseball pitchers Barry Zito (2002 Cy Young Award winner) and Al Leiter, star hockey goalie Sean Burke, and NBA superstar Kevin Garnett, to name a few.
Beginner’s Yoga with Rodney Yee or Back Care Yoga with Rodney Yee – Any yoga DVD from Rodney is going to be a great gift, but these are two of my faves (read my review of Back Care Yoga with Rodney Yee)!
Give him the Cadillac of yoga mats – A Vernice Vita comfort foam yoga mat always make a great gift.
NamaSTAY Yoga Towel in Chaturanga Charcoal
Guys sweat a lot and you want you dad to be safe and skid free on his yoga mat, so give him a NamaSTAY yoga towel, available in the man-friendly chaturanga charcoal.
Dad Beach Photo: Denise Clark
Jun 7, 2012 |
Back in December of 2011, I put a stake in the ground and proclaimed that bakasana (crow pose) was my 2012 dream pose. And if that wasn’t good enough, I even went as far to proclaim that by the end of the year I was setting my sights to master parsva bakasana (side crow) as well. This was quite ballsy for me, mind you, because in the past I haven’t been one to herald my New Year’s resolutions.
The cool thing, though, about having a blog and a community of yoga followers is that I have a vehicle to invite my readers along for the ride and nudge them to publicly proclaim their very own dream poses. When I did, I was blown away by the honest and courageous comments about where they wanted to take their yoga practices in 2012.
I promised to check in with them and with you on the progress, so here is my official mid-year dream pose check-in.
On May 14, this is the update that I sent out to everyone who left a comment:
“I have made some small steps in improving my crow pose. Unfortunately, I experienced some pain in my left wrist, probably as a result of too many chaturangas (and maybe a little arthritis), so I have been nursing my wrist back to good health, which meant no arm balances. I’m still working on building up my upper body and core strength so I can hold the pose longer, but I have had a few small yoga victories where I’ve held the pose longer than I ever had, and that has felt great!”
Here is my update from June 6:
I rose early to a gorgeous morning and decided to do my yoga practice on the beach while enjoying the beautiful sunshine and the sound of the rolling waves. As I was doing my practice I thought to myself, “Maria, let’s give that crow pose a try. The wrists are feeling good, and you need to check in on your progress, so go for it.”
I got my hands in position and started to bring the knees up on the arms and just kind of gracefully flowed into the pose. No wobbles, no “oh shit, I’m never going to be able to hold this,” and no fear that I was going to land on my head. Instead, it magically felt like the way crow pose is supposed to feel. I focused on my breath and started to count how many long steady breaths I could actually get through while still holding the pose. The count was…SEVEN!
Surely, this must be a fluke, I thought. So, I rested for a few breaths, tried it a second time, and nailed my crow pose again! Now, I was really embracing my inner yogini rock-star mode!
I went on to another pose with a big honking grin on my face and decided that I needed to go back to the crow pose one more time, just to make sure I really could hold it that long—and because it felt so damn good.
The third time was not only a charm, but it got me officially hooked on bakasana. Now I know why so many yogis and yoginis love this pose!
The moral of this story and why I’m going to such great lengths to tell about the repeated attempts is to make this point: We’re All Stronger Than We Think We Are! I probably could have held crow pose this long for quite a while, but I avoided it, or maybe even psyched myself out of being able to do it.
Now that I know I can hold the pose, there’s no stopping me!
Wow – I love these yoga victories. They come in small doses and eventually add up to a really joyous feeling, and I got to experience a major yoga victory today. Side crow, here I come.
I’m not the only one with a yoga victory under her Lululemons; check out the progress some special DDD readers have made on their very own yoga dream poses.
Cathy
Cathy doing a headstand - another one of her 2012 yoga victories!
I am excited to report that I have made great progress on my goal…which was to do handstand. At least I am quite sure that is what I wrote or maybe I didn’t write it, but that was my goal! I CAN DO HANDSTAND! Yay! Against the wall, of course, but I don’t need the wall once I am up. I DON’T DO IT EVERY TIME I try. It doesn’t always happen. I’m learning that my breath does affect getting up. I’ve always thought my wrists were weak; they are (I had an injury two years ago), but they seem to be doing better now, though still wish they were stronger. The strength has to come from the core and pecs for handstand. I LOVE it when I do get up. I can EASILY now do HEADSTAND in the middle of the room, which was probably also a goal of mine, but the handstand really gives me an amazing feeling of freedom, I think because the head is completely off the floor.
Maria: WooHoo, Cathy, that is awesome!
Susan
I haven’t really decided which one to focus on. I’ve been trying to incorporate more yoga into my workout routine in general.
Maria: Hey Susan – it’s all good! Keep practicing yoga. That is a great intention to put out there.
Danielle
What a lovely idea to follow up on dream poses! Sorry to hear of your wrist injury, but glad to hear you’re making progress!
I have kind of an unusual follow up, feel free to use as much or as little of it as you like…Full camel! So I spent the first few months of 2012 training for a yoga asana competition (usayoga.org). Thanks to a regular training routine that included 30 – 40 wallbends/day (walking the hands down the wall to the floor, then pressing the chest up against the wall in a bridge, then walking back up), I was able to build enough flexibility to get into full camel two weeks before nationals. Unfortunately, two weeks of full camel wasn’t enough to overcome the nerves onstage, so I let my hips sink backwards too much, scrabbled around for my ankles, gave up, and grabbed my toes. Oops… a little embarrassing, but we live and learn!
If you’re curious, you can actually watch it here (full camel is about 2:25 minutes in):
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LuAibhYdEg[/youtube]
Full camel achieved nonetheless. My next dream pose, to be accomplished by February 2013, is…one legged wheel!
Maria: Wow – Danielle that video blew me away! Your routine is beautiful. I’ve never been a fan of turning yoga into a competition, but it looks like it has been a great experience for you. For those of you who live in the greater Cleveland area and want to try out Bikram yoga, Danielle is one of the awesome instructors at Bikram Yoga Cleveland.
There’s still time to start working on a dream pose for 2012. Just remember not to take on too many poses, but rather, just focus on one or two. It doesn’t even have to be a more difficult pose. Maybe your dream pose is to be more present in your practice and during savasana.
Wishing you happy headstands and fulfilled dreams, and I’ll be sure to check back in again with my parsva bakasana updates. If you have a yoga victory to share, please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear about it.
