Aug 28, 2012 |
Better yet, what’s SUP Yoga? If you keep seeing the letters SUP and wondering what the heck they mean, no, they are not some shortened text lingo. They stand for Standup Paddling, a new craze hitting the shores worldwide – and even right here on the shores of Lake Erie.
I got the opportunity to try standup paddling (SUP) last week with a good yogini buddy of mine, Trisha Yourkvitch. We traveled to Lakeview Park in Lorain, Ohio, to meet up with Jim Lawhead, the owner of Lake Erie Paddlers.
Jim is a long-time surfing aficionado who got introduced to SUP on surfing trips in Hawaii and California and decided to bring this cool new water sport back to the north shore of Ohio. He runs his business out of a surf shop in Lorain, Ohio, and offers SUP lessons, rentals, and excursions at Lakeview Park, the Black River, French Creek, and the Jackalope Cove in Lorain, as well as at locations in Cleveland and Rocky River.
My first experience started with a 15-minute beach tutorial on SUP paddling and balance fundamentals. Then we launched the 11-foot 6-inch by 32-inch Surftech Universal boards into the water and climbed aboard.
Standup Paddling on Lake Erie at Sunset!
I’m thinking all of the yoga helped, but it was incredibly easy to stand up and get my balance. And please know that these boards are five inches thick and long enough that you will feel stable.
Trisha and I paddled into the sunset (literally) with Jim to guide us along, and all I have to say is that this was the most relaxing thing I’ve ever done on a Monday night after work. It was so peaceful out there on the lake gliding along on my board with a warm breeze brushing across my face. My mind stopped racing, and with such an expansive body of water in front of me, it was easy to let go and connect with the beauty of nature all around. The glowing pink sunset was an added bonus, and I quickly slipped into a state of utter spiritual bliss.
Sunset Bliss!
After about 20 minutes, I started to turn my board around and could not believe how far out from the shore Trisha and I paddled. Other than the few moments when a small wake kicked up (courtesy of some jet skiers), when I was truly riding the waves on my SUP board, I felt totally safe and at ease. I don’t think I would want to try SUP on a wavy Lake Erie day, but there are plenty of rivers around here that would be much more stable.
One of the reasons I’m not a big fan of kayaking is that I always have a hard time steering my kayak, but on the SUP board I had no trouble staying on course. When those waves kick up, you just bend your knees.
After we got closer to shore, the real fun began when Tricia, Jim, and I started breaking out some yoga poses on our boards. The concept of SUP Yoga has recently morphed into existence, and experienced yogis and yoginis are now taking their yoga practice to the water. Jim is currently working towards his yoga teaching certification, so he is well versed in teaching yoga on the SUP boards. The standing and balance poses were quite challenging, but seated poses on the SUP are awesome. Trisha and Jim both got themselves up into headstand, and I was doing a pretty mean downward dog and reverse plank on mine.
Downward Dog SUP Yoga Style
The only bad thing about my virgin SUP experience is that it ended too soon, when the sky got dark and it was time to carry the boards back in. The board I used only weighs 35 pounds, so it was no problem for me to carry it up the beach and a hill for storage.
I can’t wait to try SUP again. I’m dreaming of going out on Lake Erie on a calm morning and practicing some more SUP Yoga – so much so that I think it could get addicting. I’m hoping to get out a few more times before it gets too cold here. It’s a great workout, and you can’t find a better setting!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eu5TewEW8k[/youtube]
If you live in northeast Ohio and want to try SUP, please check out the Lake Erie Paddler website, and watch this video featuring a SUP yoga class taught by Jim. No worries about summer coming to an end, Jim tells me he will keep offering rentals and lessons as long as the water temperature is over 60 degrees and then wetsuits can be used when the water is between 45 and 60 degrees.
Aug 24, 2012 |
If you’ve come to one of my yoga classes, you know that I continually make reminders to be present, let the mind go so you can focus on the union of the body and the breath, coming into the essence of what yoga is all about.
Of course, being present isn’t always the easiest thing to do. So, if you need an extra little reminder to take you to that place of calm, you might want to check out the line of simple and super comfortable yoga clothing by a company aptly named – Be Present.
Their cute lotus-themed logo can be found on most of the pieces, and when I wear mine and get a peek of that logo as I fold forward into uttanasana, it always give me a subtle reminder to stay present in my practice.
The cool folks at Be Present recently sent me two pieces of clothing from their line, and I wore them this summer when I taught yoga and also attended classes.
I have to say that I absolutely love the Modal Racerback Tank they sent. I’d never heard of modal, but this fabric feels silky and soft on the skin, and it fits tightly around the waist. I like the unique detail of the gathered racerback, and the ruching in the front provides a very flattering fit (especially if you want to hide your belly).
When I first tried on the Mobility Pant, I felt more like I should be taking off for an African safari than going to teach a yoga class. But, these pants are so comfortable, and that long side slit provided a nice breeze up my legs as I taught on the beach on hot summer days. I can see myself lounging around in these on a lazy Saturday afternoon as well.
Here are a couple of cool things you need to know about Be Present:
- All their clothes are made in the USA.
- They are a small, family-owned business that follows environmentally friendly practices.
- The colors for their line are inspired by the colors of the chakras. (Humm, they sent me my Mobility pants in purple, the color of the crown chakra, associated with wisdom and the spiritual world. I like that and feel very wise when I wear them!)
- Their clothing is perfect both off and on the yoga mat, and they have great styles for men too.
ENTER TO WIN A FREE PAIR OF MOBILITY PANTS
To help celebrate my blogiversary/birthday week here at The Daily Downward Dog, Be Present is offering a pair of FREE Mobility pants to one lucky DDD reader. To enter, please do one of the following:
Like Be Present on Facebook
Follow Be Present on Twitter
Check out their clothes at www.bepresent.com – especially their new VOTE shirts!
Then leave a comment below and let me know a technique you use to help yourself to be present either on or off the yoga mat. I’m hoping to pick up a few tips from all of you, and if you struggle with presence of mind be sure to browse through the comments!
The deadline to leave a comment and officially enter this giveaway is Friday, August 28th at noon, when one winner will be randomly pulled from a hat. The winners will be announced here and also on The Daily Downward Dog’s Facebook page. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.
If you’re feeling a little love in your heart, please tweet or share this giveaway on Facebook or with a friend.
I’m going to purchase this shirt below to serve as an extra reminder to my students to BE PRESENT!
Wear Be Present to be in the moment, to live!
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
May 15, 2012 |
I just want to go on the record to say that I have the best summer job ever. Not only do I get to teach yoga, but I get to do it on a beach! I am thrilled to announce that I will be back on the beautiful shores of Lake Erie in Vermilion and Huron, Ohio this summer to serve up some pranayama breathing, asana practice, and meditation, all with the best outdoor studio accoutrements – the sun, a yoga playlist courtesy of the rolling surf, gentle cooling breezes, and the sounds and sights of nature in hi-def. Well sometimes those breezes aren’t exactly gentle, but the elements typically all come together for a little slice of nirvana.
My beach yoga schedule is as follows:
Firefly Beach Resort in Huron, Ohio
Friday & Saturday mornings 8:30 – 9:30 AM
Sunset Yoga on Thursday evenings from 7:30 – 8:30 PM
The Firefly Beach Resort is located directly behind the Erie Kai Tavern at 4903 Cleveland Road East (Route 6) in Huron, Ohio.
Main Street Beach in Vermilion, Ohio
Monday & Wednesday mornings 8:30 – 9:30 AM
(please note this is a change from Thursday to Wednesday)
Main Street Beach is located in downtown Vermilion. Just take Main Street until it dead ends into Lake Erie!
Click here for more information on these beach classes.
I’m also excited to let you know about some special classes I have coming up.
Yoga & Meditation
Monday, January 21, 7:30 – 8:30 PM. Join me for a blissful hour of pranayama breathing exercise and gentle asana yoga practice, followed by meditation. Great for yoga students looking to deepen their understanding of meditation, or those who want to get started with a daily meditation routine.
Beginner’s Workshop – Saturday, May 19 – 2:00 to 4:00 PM
Have you always wanted to practice yoga but didn’t know where to start? If you are seeking an experience that will demystify yoga and teach the basics in a supportive and fun environment, then I’ve got a workshop or series of classes that’s right for you!
This workshop will begin with a brief introduction to yoga. Next we’ll move to warm-ups and pranayama (breathing) exercises, proceed to step-by-step asana (pose) instruction of the basic yoga postures to demonstrate proper alignment, providing you with an active yet gentle practice that focuses on breath work, strengthening the core and back, stretching, toning, and guided relaxation. Suggestions for modifications to poses will be presented throughout the class, along with proper use of props and the Sanskrit and English names of the postures. What to bring: A yoga mat (mats are available to borrow at the studio), water, and an open beginner’s mind. Questions will be encouraged and welcome throughout the class. Wear comfortable clothing. Class is held at Yoga Bliss Akron right behind Summit Mall at 3045 Smith Road. Class size is limited to 20 students, so register early by calling (330) 571-7861.
Beginner’s Class Series – Wednesday’s May 16 through June 12 – 7:30 to 8:30 PM
This five-week series of classes covers the same principles taught in the workshop with each class building on the next, leaving you with a core foundation to start your yoga practice. This class is also held at Yoga Bliss Akron.
Please contact me at (330) 289-7026 if you have any questions or need additional details about the classes.
Hope to see you on a yoga mat soon!
Got a favorite summer job? Leave a comment below and tell us all about it!
May 4, 2012 |
I’m starting this post out with a big WOO HOO! And that comes courtesy of the simple fact that winter in northeast Ohio is officially over. Spring has sprung, and those of us lucky enough to live in Ohio (yeah – I really feel that way!) can forget about letting it snow, snow, snow. It’s that glorious time of year when we let it GREEN, let it GREEN, let it GREEN.
I can’t tell you how much pleasure I derive from looking out the window into my backyard and seeing a virtual sea of green. In fact, any window will do. Last weekend on a long road trip I noticed that I was feeling an overwhelming sense of joy in my heart. I looked around and realized that the earth all around me was bursting with the color of green – from the grass, to the bushes, to the budding green leaves on the trees. It was a big honking orgy of green goodness!
I always knew I liked the color green, but over the past month I’ve come to have a deeper understanding of its significance. Green is the color of the anahata or heart chakra. When our anahata chakra is open and balanced, we are compassionate, loving, self-loving, empathetic, peaceful, and balanced. Those are all qualities that I aspire to.
The sudden appearance of the green in the spring is like a mental cue to me to be more loving of myself and others, and it reminds me that there is an infinite supply of love (just ask my husband when he keeps having to mow that green grass!).
All this green outside has really gotten me in touch with my heart chakra, and perhaps, I don’t think it is a coincidence that I have a couple recent green acquisitions: my eKO Lite moss green mat from Manduka and an awesome new Luck t-shirt.
I met Michelle the awesome yogini that started WEARLUCK.com at the Tadasana Festival. The idea behind their WEAR LUCK clothing line was created to trigger the ideas and thoughts that make us happy. WEARLUCK wants you to find your happiness within and know that you can achieve what you really want in life when you set your intention, dream, and believe in it. When we focus on these happy ideas and thoughts, guess what? They will naturally happen. My Luck t-shirt is kind of like a yellow sticky note reminder for me to stay focused on my intentions and to keep my heart chakra open and balanced.
The inside of the shirt also has a spiritual (or fortune cookie) message. My shirt says, “Prosperity You are Just Getting Started” and has the following message on the tag:
Prosperity
You can do anything! Wear this lucky PROSPERITY Bamboo* Tee as a reminder to be fertile in your thoughts, always enjoy what you have, accept where you are, pursue where you want to be, and remember where you came from!
Hmmm, sounds a little like the concept of santosha to me!
This lovely rose bush magically appeared this spring in my herb garden!
Lucky for me, the trees in Ohio stay green until fall, so I’ve got a constant reminder to keep my heart full of love and joy, to stay focused on my intentions, and to bring me balance. Come on, sing along with me – Let it Green, Let it Green, Let it Green!
*Shirt is made of 68% bamboo, 27% cotton, and 5% spandex.
Feeling lucky? Take a trip over to wearluck.com and check out their entire line of inspirational tops, pants skirts, vests, and gifts, and be sure to leave a comment that you heard about them on The Daily Downward Dog.
Want some additional green inspiration? Check out this yoga clothing spring greens collection from my fellow yogini pal Lo.
