Nov 22, 2011 |
While the classic Thin Lizzy hard rock tune “The Boys are Back in Town” did not make one of my latest yoga class playlists, there were still plenty of wild-eyed boys blasting out my favorite yoga songs. One Trevor, two Michaels, a dash of Krishna, and one of my previous yoga-playlist-featured artists Lenny Kravitz; these crazy cats provide the perfect tunes for this testosterone infused yoga class playlist.
Opening Breath Meditation and Warm Up
“Pacific II” – Yoga Zone: Music for Meditation – William Ackerman
Acoustic guitar at its finest – slow, quiet, and perfect for an opening meditation.
“Butterfly Meadow” – Sounds of Spa – Peace – Kevin Kendle
Close your eyes and imagine butterflies fluttering through a meadow, water trickling down a stream, blue skies with plenty of sunshine, and a peaceful melody to transport you to a still, quiet place. This Kevin dude is way in touch with his feminine side and I like it.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5fMubdqmTc[/youtube]
“West Side Serenade” (LP Version) – Avenue Blue Featuring Jeff Golub
I’ve been using more and more jazz in my playlists, and this tune comes from Akron, Ohio native Jeff Golub (woot woot – hometown boy). Jeff has had some issues with his eyesight lately, so if you are reading this please take a moment and send some healing karmic vibes his way.
Standing Asanas and Flow
“Who You Gonna Turn To” – Trevor Hall – Trevor Hall
Ok, I’ll admit it – I’m old enough to be his mother, but I have a big Trevor Hall crush. His reggae inspired music and raspy voice are sultry and, although at first I was going to say “sexy,” I’ll replace that with “spiritual.” You can tell from his music and lyrics that Trevor is a yogi and finds inspiration from his yoga practice, from meditation, and from many trips to India. His music is his message, and he donates a large portion of his earnings to children in India, making him the perfect poster boy for yoga music. If yoga had a heart-throb magazine (kinda like Teen Beat) Trevor Hall would be on the front cover (a lot)!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qITk42wpB_Y[/youtube]
If you like Trevor, check out his latest album titled Everything, Everytime, Everywhere …everygood!
“Lost in My Mind” – The Head and the Heart
This is my latest yoga theme song and is perfect for yoga class playlists. I was pretty excited when Josiah, one of the band members commented on my post about this song!
“I’ll Be Waiting” – The Sound of Sunshine – Michael Franti & Spearhead
The lyrics say it all…
“The best things in life aren’t things – they’re living and breathing…they’re laughing and crying…”
More reggae, more inspirational messages wrapped up in the music, and another big crush on the talented Michael Franti.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQfnAwFG6Jw[/youtube]
“O Rama” – Putumayo Presents: Yoga – Susheela Raman
Susheela is the only woman representing on this playlist, and she does more than a fine job. I love the drum beat and the cool, flowing vibe of this song. (But I still need to look up the meaning behind these lyrics and check out more of Susheela’s music.)
Every yoga teacher needs to have this album full of great music for yoga class.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Zmtlk6fUsc[/youtube]
“Hanuman Baba” [Dub Farm Remix] – Putumayo Presents: Yoga – Krishna Das
A little kirtan love from one of the masters – Krishna Das.
Floor – Back Bends, Heart Openers, Hip Openers, Abdominals, and Twists
“Everybody Hurts” – Automatic for the People – R.E.M.
I can’t tell you how bummed I was to learn recently that R.E.M. was calling it quits. In homage to the band, I had to include one of my favorite R.E.M. tunes to show my love.
“Dream” – Black and White America – Lenny Kravitz
Lenny has made it to the playlists several times, and this song from his latest album, Black and White America, has a slow moving beat and a prayer-like groove. If you’re looking for other great Lenny hits to include in your playlists check out “Believe” and “Let Love Rule.”
“It all starts with a dream.
The dawn of a new day.
The god inside of you will always see you through.
So hold onto your dreams.
No one can take the dream from your heart.”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er7qniZqG3E[/youtube]
“From the Soul” –Sounds of Spa – Peace – Stuart Jones
Starting with Stuart, the piano took us out for the last three songs with slow, peaceful ticklings of ivory.
Savasana
Magic Flower – Piano Dreamers 2002
Sundown: A Windham Hill Piano Collection – Jim Brickman
Another hometown boy, Clevelandite Jimmy Brickman closed out class with a gorgeous sundown.
Thanks for listening and please leave your comments, feedback, and suggestions for cool yoga music!
Nov 15, 2011 |
They say that patience is a virtue, and if that’s the case, then one of our society’s biggest vices has to be impatience. How often each day do you get pissed off that it takes a webpage longer than just a few seconds to load? And, I bet you can recall an experience in a check-out line recently where you allowed yourself to get annoyed with the person who stepped in line 10 seconds before you with too many items, or worse yet, who had the dreaded item that requires a price check. Driving to yoga class or work, do you always get behind someone who isn’t moving fast enough for you, especially when you are running late?
All of the above are times to take a deep breath, let your shoulders drop, truly relax, and try some patience on for size. It feels pretty darn good when you do.
This patience thing has been top of mind for me the past few months as I have struggled to keep it in check with some projects I’ve been working on. These are big projects, and when I think about the amount of work required, it can get a little daunting. I start the project and then very quickly lose patience with myself over how long it is going to take, or even worse, I abandon the project because I let my fear or judgment get in the way.
One of the things I love about attending yoga classes is that – somehow magically – the yoga teachers always seem to know what I need to hear. It’s like getting a shot of encouragement and wisdom wrapped up with reassuring breaths and the added bonus of a few hip openers that together help me let go of some of my angst. Last week during the centering exercise at the beginning of a yoga class, I got the gift of one of these epiphanies in the form of some really awesome advice about patience. The instructor, Linda Stevenson, talked about breaking down large tasks into small attainable steps, then simply starting with the first step and focusing on accomplishing that first piece (Linda teaches at Pulse Brunswick). When you can put your focus on the task at hand, instead of worrying about reaching the end goal, it allows you to do that one specific thing with all of your focus. And, guess what? All that attention and patience will allow you to do kick-ass work. When the first step is checked off the list, you can move onto the next one with the reassuring satisfaction that you are one step closer to your goal.
Guess who spent the next day mapping out those projects in small bite-sized steps? This patience stuff can be pretty powerful.
“Learn the art of patience. Apply discipline to your thoughts when they become anxious over the outcome of a goal. Impatience breeds anxiety, fear, discouragement, and failure. Patience creates confidence, decisiveness, and a rational outlook, which eventually leads to success.”
– Brian Adams
I shared this same message with my yoga classes last week and reminded them that practicing patience is one thing they could bring to their yoga mat each and every time. Don’t beat yourself up that you can’t get your heels to the floor in downward dog or that you lost your balance during tree pose. Be patient with yourself. Know that each time you come to the mat, your heels are getting a little closer to the ground, and that if you fall during a balance pose, you should be happy because it means you showed up and you tried! Good things really do come to those who wait…patiently.
We should have patience with all things, but especially so with ourselves.
My New Favorite Mantra
Remember not to get annoyed when things don’t happen fast enough. Break down your dreams into small, attainable steps. Learn to accept what is, embrace life in each present moment, and your impatience will melt away to be replaced by peace of mind.
Patience Image: Tom Pickering
Nov 10, 2011 |
One of the goals of yoga is to let go of the chatter in your mind and focus on being fully present. When this happens, we achieve the true meaning of yoga, the union of the body and the mind. If you practice yoga, hell if you are human, you know that this “letting go” is an extremely difficult thing to do!
I had to laugh the other day when I first heard “Lost in My Mind” by The Head and the Heart on the radio. I know some people will think that getting lost in your mind is a bad thing on the yoga mat, that maybe being lost in your mind means that you are drowning in your thoughts and not focusing on clearing the mind. I choose to believe that getting lost in the mind means to truly let go, to move forward into a higher place, a place where you can truly get into the yoga zone.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjoA4nYBD5U[/youtube]
“Lost in My Mind” has a trippy mellow vibe that I thought would be perfect for class, so I quickly downloaded the song from Amazon, and it’s on my yoga class playlist this week. I’m hoping it serves as a gentle reminder to my students to just let go of the thoughts, the stress, and the to-do list, getting lost for a while in their bodies and in their minds.
I’m digging the hoo hooos in this song. Reminds me a little of my favorite life affirming cheer – woo hooo!
The Head and the Heart is a Seattle-based indie folk band, and this song is from their self-titled debut album, “The Head and the Heart.” I hear this band is phenomenal when they play live, so please leave a comment below to let me know if you’ve been lucky enough to see them up close and personal.
Brain Image: Graphics Fairy
Oct 31, 2011 |
Happy Halloween! I’m teaching a yoga class tonight and couldn’t resist the urge to mix in a little flavor of the holiday. No, I won’t be showing up to teach in a costume, but hopefully I’ll be dispensing a few treats for my students. The treats are going to come in the form of practicing loving kindness for ourselves.
How many times during the week do you trick yourself out of doing good things for yourself? We tell ourselves we don’t have time for yoga, that it will be much better to stay glued to the desk, plugged into email, and that we’ll feel much better that we accomplished one more task on our to-do list. Right…and that right is delivered with a very deep sarcastic tone. This is the biggest trick in the book and one that I used to be the queen of.
When I was a little girl, I would hide my Halloween candy (yeah, I had to hide my candy, I had four older siblings) and allow myself to have a few of those mini treats each day. Now as a grown up, I try to follow this same simple routine of giving myself bite-size daily goodies of yoga and meditation. If you don’t have time to carve out an hour for class, just spend a few minutes in silent meditation or step away from the desk and do a few simple poses to release the part of your body that may be feeling tension. Give your mind a break from the i-[fill in the blank] for a few minutes and just relax and sink into a few yummy breaths. It’s even more rewarding than candy.
Speaking of candy, do you remember that one cool house in the neighborhood that always gave out the full-size candy bars or something special like a caramel apple to trick-or-treaters? Well, the Daily Downward Dog wants to be that really cool house today and offer up a restorative pose as an extra special treat. No worries, you won’t need to do a trick first, and you don’t need any special props other than a blanket and a towel.
Halloween Relaxation Treat
All you need is five minutes. Lie down on your yoga mat or a blanket and then place a pillow, rolled up blanket, or a bolster under your knees. Roll up a towel and place it under your neck. If you want to really block out the outside world, place something over your eyes. Begin to breathe deeply into your belly and feel your body melt into the floor. Let go of any areas of tension around the eyes, neck, and shoulders by breathing into these areas and feeling the release on the exhale. With eyes closed, simply listen to your body, allowing yourself to reconnect as you experience the delicacy of simply slowing down. Restorative poses like this help soothe your nervous system. Focusing on the breath aids in quieting the mind and helps you release deep-rooted chronic stress. Think of it as a big hug that heals your body.
Give yourself a treat this week, spend some time practicing yoga, and enjoy a few blissful moments that come from a balanced mind, body, and spirit.
Halloween Image courtesy of Graphics Fairy
Oct 29, 2011 |
The theme of my yoga classes this week is satya or truthfulness, one of the yamas that are part of the 8-limbed yogic path authored by Patanjali. The yamas to me are a set of moral codes for living, and I can’t think of a more straight-up way to live than with the truth. I’m not just talking about watching those little white lies; I’m talking about being truthful in all of your thoughts, actions, and speech. When you can walk the talk of truth, the truth will set you free.
But living in truth can be a bit tricky at times, especially when we let the influences of the outside world and the constant chatter in our minds keep us from standing tall and rocking out in our own true way.
If you feel your truth has been slacking, here are a few ways to bring the practice of honesty back into your daily routine (both on and off the mat):
- Own and honor your feelings. Is there something (maybe a job or someone in your life) that just does not feel right? Are you being true to yourself by staying with that something or someone?
- Offer constructive feedback. Disclaimer: Offer your feedback, but be sensitive to the feelings of others, and most importantly, speak in the spirit of love.
- Forgive yourself and show compassion for others.
- Take responsibility for your actions. Wow, this is a tough one for me to swallow at times, but being truthful and owning up to a situation instead of making excuses (or blaming others) can be a very powerful way to live in your truth.
- Be truly authentic. Do you act differently around groups of people; are you being fake, putting on false pretenses? Check yourself as you go through your day, and let go of the masks that hide you from being the unique and beautiful person you are.
You may not realize this, but the simple act of showing up to your yoga mat is one of the best ways to practice being who you really are. Yoga allows you to breathe, let go of your facade, and rest into your true being. Next time you are on the mat, focus on standing firm in your truth (warrior poses are great for this) and connecting to your true self (mountain pose is a nice choice here). Close your eyes for a moment and remember the practice of satya. Make a promise to yourself to stay truthful, taking the peace and truth you find on your yoga mat out into the world.
Beach Yoga Paradise in Panama | April 15-21, 2018 | Click the photo above for more details
