Feb 13, 2013 |
February 6 would have been the 68th birthday of the legendary reggae master Bob Marley. I didn’t realize this auspicious date until I saw all the posts about Bob on Facebook and Twitter, and I decided right then and there that I would do a special yoga class playlist in honor of his music. I always try to include at least one reggae song in every class, and Bob has graced my playlist more times than I can note, so why not have a whole playlist dedicated to the legend?
As I was listening to his music and adding songs to the playlist, the lyrics were more than just resonating with me – I was hearing the teachings of the yoga sutras being beautifully sung to me with an awesome reggae beat.
“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds.”
Is this lyric from “Redemption Song” not the essence of yoga? Letting go of the mental chatter so we can free our minds to be present in all that we do is what yoga is all about.
“One love, One Heart, Let’s get together and feel alright.”
“Me only have one ambition, y’know, I only have one thing I really like to see happen. I like to see mankind live together – black, white, Chinese, everyone, that’s all.”
Are these last two statements not another interpretation of Namaste? I honor the divine light in me, and I honor and bow to the divine light in each and every soul.
I’m thinking that Bob may have never stepped on a yoga mat, but he was a yogi deep within his heart. Not only should he be revered for the music he created, but as a guru whose wisdom lives on through his music.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/OFGgbT_VasI[/youtube]
My exploration into Bob’s quotes and lyrics has contributed to my lexicon of mantras that I will continue to use for years to come.
“Love the life you live. Live the life you love.”
“Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?” – from the song “Exodus”
I had a blast teaching with his music as the soundtrack and have to laugh because the first class on Wednesday used three Bob Marley songs, and by the end of the week, the entire playlist except for the opening breath meditation and savasana was the music from the Bob Marley & the Wailers album Legend. I encouraged the yogis attending my classes to let go, free their minds, and do a little yoga mat dancing if the spirit moved them.
Marley also encourages me to do something I’ve wanted to try in my yoga classes for a really long time. Ever since I went to a weekend of workshops with Erich Schiffmann and got my first taste of freedom-style yoga, I knew that I would someday introduce the concept to my classes. The reggae-infused playlist provided the perfect opportunity.
So what is freedom-style yoga?
In freedom-style yoga, you are instructed to do whatever you please, to plug into the yoga patterns that you already know, listen to the music, trust yourself, and just let go and flow. Erich explained that when these downloads occur, we give expression to what we’re feeling and channel it into our practice. It doesn’t matter what you do; the beauty of it is that you have permission to do your own thing. This can be a little unnerving to some, so I was quick to offer some words of advice: Keep your eyes on your mat, maybe even close your eyes, listen to the music, and just go where your body is telling you to go. How cool is it that you get to deviate from the prescribed pattern? And, I can’t think of a better musical artist to try out freedom-style jamminasana to than Bob Marley! You can bet we will be doing some freedom-style yoga and yoga mat dancing on my beach yoga retreat in Aruba this coming April!
[youtube]http://youtu.be/5WlCdiU9IzA[/youtube]
I read this quote right as savasana was ending:
“Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you are riding through the ruts, don’t complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief, and jealousy. Don’t bury your thoughts; put your vision to reality. Wake up and live.”
Do yourself a favor: If you own a copy of Legend, pop it in, pull out your yoga mat, and try a freedom-style reggae infused jamminasana yoga session today. Let your hair down, plug into the music, and just move organically to the beat. If you don’t own a copy of Legend – get one! Close your eyes, listen to the lyrics, and then perhaps after you’re done practicing, meditate on one of Marley’s messages that resonates with your heart.
I’ll take you out with these classic words of wisdom from the master yogi himself…
“Don’t worry about a thing, ’cause every little thing is gonna be alright.”
Jai
Feb 4, 2013 |
I’m not a fan of all-you-can-eat buffets. Don’t get me wrong, I have a big appetite, but I just don’t like gorging myself on what is affectionately known as trough food, and for the most part, I have yet to find a buffet that is vegetarian friendly or reasonably healthy.
But, when it comes to all-you-can-eat (AYCE) yoga, I am a huge honking fan. What do I mean by that? AYCE yoga is that coveted unlimited monthly pass at a yoga studio where you get to take as many yoga classes as you like for one set fee. Granted that fee can be exorbitant depending on the studio, but if you can afford it, it is so, so worth it and the cost per class goes way down if you use your pass as much as I do!
And, I have a little secret confession to make. Once you finally give up paying for drop-in classes or something like a 10-class pass and go for that AYCE pass, it will change your life.
It changed my life!
Back in the day, I was a regular 10-class pass purchaser, applying self-imposed limits on just how much yoga I could do per week in order to extend out the life of my class pass. Even though my body and mind was craving more yoga, my schedule and my wallet weren’t quite ready to commit to the AYCE concept. And then it happened: the studio I was attending at the time ran a special on unlimited monthly yoga that I couldn’t resist, and I finally hunkered down and purchased my very first unlimited monthly pass. It was love at first taste. At this buffet, I could go to class as many times per week as I wanted, try new and different styles and levels of yoga, and try classes with each of the instructors. I could go in the morning, I could go in the evening, I could go two days in a row, and if I really got a little crazy, I could go twice in one day.
All of a sudden, my yoga practice took flight. I got stronger and more flexible, I learned how to meditate, I started doing asanas I never thought I’d do, I became part of an incredible community of yogis, and I grew deeper into the spiritual side of yoga. Once I bought that AYCE pass, my love of yoga grew into what I like to call a healthy addiction. Yep, once that AYCE pass was activated, there was no stopping my craving for more yoga, and I knew I would never go back to the restrictive 10-class pass.
I have students ask me all the time, “How many times per week they should practice yoga?” My answer is never the same because it really depends on what the student is seeking from their practice. However, I like to recommend that, when ready, everyone should go for the AYCE yoga pass so they can practice more than just 1–2 times per week. I can’t tell you how many times I have had these same students come up to me later with a big grin on their faces telling me I was right, that the AYCE pass is what got them totally hooked on yoga and what made their practice blossom.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that yoga can become very addicting, but I can’t think of a better (more natural) high that I’d like to have than a yoga high.
Do yourself a favor if you can and try out your very own AYCE yoga pass and get ready to enjoy endless helpings of yogaliciousness.
Have you had a similar experience with the AYCE yoga pass? If so, please leave a comment below and share your experience at the yoga buffet.
AYCE Yoga Pass Suggestions
Yoga Bliss Akron offers a new student special of $50 for one month of unlimited yoga and also has unlimited monthly yoga passes. I teach a lot of yoga classes at Yoga Bliss, and I highly recommend the new student special it is a great way to get that first taste of all you can eat yoga!
If you don’t live near a studio or need a more cost-effective method for buying an AYCE yoga pass, try out these online video services that offer unlimited yoga for free or for monthly fees starting at $9.99.
My Yoga Online by Gaiam TV provides a wide variety of class videos and offers support groups and forums for their students.
Yoga Download offers a ton of classes you can try for free and has a variety of pricing options (order a class à la carte, or get unlimited streaming on a monthly or yearly basis). Sound good? Read my full review here.
Do Yoga With Me One word: FREE! Do Yoga With Me offers yoga online for all levels, hundreds of streaming videos absolutely free of charge with high quality video and sound. Read my review of this awesome service!
Jan 28, 2013 |
A while back the lovely Kristine Deer of K.Deer Haute Yoga Wear contacted me about trying out her yoga pants designed for hot yoga. Take a look at the photo below and you will see that these are not your typical hot yoga pants. Affectionately known as Bum Bums, there is no way my close to 50-year old ass is ever going to be caught dead in a yoga studio wearing something with a name like that! After graciously turning down the offer, I asked Kristine if I could try out her colorful and comfortable headbands, and a yogini friendship was formed.
I told Kristine that if she ever came up with a pair of yoga pants that would cover more of my Bum Bum and thighs I would gladly accept her offer. Well, Kristine remembered my request, and I’m thrilled to announce that she now has a line of super-fun Haute Shorts and Capris.
I recently test drove a pair of the St. Tropez capris in a hot yoga class and while teaching yoga, and these capris quite simply ROCK! I won’t lie, they do fit snug, but the nylon/spandex blend feels great on the skin. And once the fabric gets wet, it relaxes and stays put. The waistband does not have elastic, but it magically stays in place, keeping you covered and free from distraction and preventing the dreaded muffin top. There is a cute little pleat at the cuff to give your knees the space to bend and be free and the flat front of the capris avoids showing off any part of the anatomy you don’t want to show.
Kristine uses domestic-printed fabrics, which are made with natural dyes and never treated with chemicals. I put these capris to the test, and when washed properly, the fabric retains no smells and dries super fast. From fabric to labels to packaging, Kristine strives to use only local and all-American sources and recycled packaging.
What I love the most about these capris are the creative prints that allow me to break out of my boring black yoga pant routine and show up to class in style. I guarantee your fellow yoginis will ask about the playful print designs. When I wore mine, I got a lot of compliments.
I like the new collection of prints so much I decided to match them up with the colorful hot yoga towels from NamaSTAY® to create my own hot yoga fashion pairings.
Ruby NamaSTAY Yoga Towel paired with Kali Capris
For those fiery days when you need to get in touch with your root chakra!
Aqua NamaSTAY Yoga Towel paired with St. Tropez
For those days when I’m dreaming about beach yoga bliss in Aruba!
Techo Parade Capris paired with Purple NamaSTAY Yoga Towel
For those days when I need a parade of color in my life!
Downtown Capris matched up with Charcoal NamaSTAY Yoga Towel
For those days when I’m feeling urban sophisticated!
Win Your Very Own Fashion Pairing
Leave a comment below and let me know which pairing is your favorite, or go to the NamaSTAY Towel and K. Deer Haute Yoga Wear sites to check out the styles and colors and make up your very own design. On February 3 at 12:22 PM EST, I’ll pick one lucky winner to receive a NamaSTAY Yoga Towel and K.Deer Haute Capri pairing of their choice. This giveaway is open to participants outside of the United States. If you enter, please share the love and also tweet or share this post on Facebook, and if you are really feeling the love, like NamaSTAY Towels and K. Deer Haute Yoga on Facebook and Twitter.
Tweet (just copy and paste): Bye-Bye boring black yoga pants. Hello @kdeerHauteyoga & @NamaSTAYtowel! Enter to win a colorful pairing @downwarddog http://bit.ly/VhbMmO
K. Deer Haute Yoga Wear: Twitter Facebook Save 15% on K. Deer Haute Yoga wear purchases with code DDD2013
NamaSTAY Yoga Towels: Twitter Facebook Save 20% on NamaSTAY Yoga towels with code DOWNWARDDOG
I love that – as an RYT 200-certified Barkan method teacher and Syracuse University-educated fashion designer – Kristine took her two passions and put them together to create her yoga line. She is truly an inspiration to take what you love and create meaningful and enjoyable work.
I said it when I wrote about her headbands, and I’ll say it again: Thanks, Kristine, for creating products that help me feel unique and seriously stylish on the yoga mat! Keep up the haute work!
It may be cold outside, but it’s getting haute here at The Daily Downward Dog – we turned up the electric with an Electric Yoga giveaway this week as well!
Save 20% on NamaSTAY Yoga Towels with discount code DOWNWARDDOG at checkout or when you buy direct from The Daily Downward Dog.
Save 15% on K. Deere Haute Yoga Wear with discount code DDD2013 at checkout.
Jan 15, 2013 |
If you want my short concise answer to this – absa-effing-lutly, YES!
I teach a lot of students who are brand new to yoga, including in beginners’ workshops, and I always stress that questions are welcome and encouraged. I let students know that if they have a question, it is 100 percent likely that the majority of the room is going to have the exact same question, so there’s no reason to be shy. And, I have to admit that their questions are always great! They prompt me to cover areas that I haven’t addressed yet and help me illustrate real-life scenarios for proper alignment and breathing.
Imagine my delight when a hand immediately darted up as I launched into my introduction and prompt for questions. This never happens, and I was excited about the enthusiasm and energy already bubbling up in the room. I was even more thrilled when I heard what the question was:
“Are we allowed to laugh in class?”
The question was posed in all sincerity and with a little bit of concern. I quickly put the student at ease by letting her know that not only is laughter allowed, it‘s highly encouraged! If you lose your balance in a pose, laugh at yourself. If you go to the left when cued to go to the right, laugh at yourself.
We take ourselves way too seriously all week long. Why not let the time on your yoga mat
be as stress-free and FUN as possible?
This question prompted me to go into an explanation that yoga is not a competition (and for that I am eternally grateful). Therefore, it’s best to leave the egos at the door, not worry if you can’t do everything right away, not judge yourself or anyone in the class, and instead focus on what is happening in your own body. I basically tell my students that the yoga studio is a “no-judgment zone,” that we are all here to support one another on our yoga journeys. This is my user-friendly way of letting them know that while laughing at themselves is encouraged, laughing at others – not so much.
I could immediately feel the anxiety levels drop in the room, shoulders got a little lighter, smiles drifted up on a few faces, and this same student later remarked, “This yoga stuff is so much better than aerobics!” And to that I say, “Amen, sister!”
Image Courtesy of: A. Feldmann
As a teacher, I can’t tell you how much joy it brings me to hear a student laugh during class. There is scientific proof that when we laugh it releases endorphins in our bodies that make us happier (and healthier), and who doesn’t want to be happy?!
No matter where you are in your yoga practice, remember to smile and laugh on your yoga mat. Don’t take it all so seriously. Let the shoulders drop, be open to being a little more playful in your practice, try new things, and explore how you feel when you let go of the ego and when you let go of fear. Open up to these opportunities, and if you lose your balance, don’t beat yourself up. Laugh and know that you gave it your best shot. Laugh because you have the opportunity to learn, grow, and have fun each time you come to your yoga mat.
Like laughing on your yoga mat? Like doing yoga on the beach? Join me for an inspirational week of beach yoga bliss in Aruba this coming April 6-13, 2013!
“Your body cannot heal without play. Your mind cannot heal without laughter. Your soul cannot heal without joy.” – Catherine Rippenger Fenwick
Time spent laughing is time spent with the Gods.
— Japanese Proverb
“When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.” – Buddha
“Enjoy belly laughter without restraint, without inhibition and finding your buddha will be the easiest job because you will be free of all seriousness, tension, inhibition and suppression.” — Osho, Indian mystic
Thanks to the lovely Christa Scalies of Giggle On for sharing these awesome quotes about laughter!
Smiling Buddha Image: Tony Williams
New to yoga? Check out the Yoga 101 page on the Daily Downward Dog.
Dec 7, 2012 |
When I first started going to yoga classes, my body was completely inflexible, I had no clue what the Sanskrit terminology was all about, and I spent most of the class looking around to make sure I was doing the poses correctly.
Despite my lack of yoga knowledge, I kept coming back, primarily because I was always anxious to hear what the yoga instructor’s message would be. Sometimes it was a poem, sometimes it came straight from their heart, but no matter what, it always seemed to speak to me.
I now know these spiritual or philosophical messages are referred to as dharma talk, and yes, sometimes they can seem a little like a sermon. Buy hey, at that point in my life the teachings of yoga were exactly what I needed to hear.
Fast forward a few years, and now I’m a yoga teacher delivering my own spiritual messages and teaching students who are new to the practice of yoga. I can tell that many of these students have the desire to quickly gain the flexibility and knowledge of the practice. There is so much I want to tell them, so many incredible lessons for them to learn on their yoga mats, but it takes time and patience and the ability to let go.
Imagine my delight when I found this beautiful poem from The Poetry of Yoga Volume 2 titled “Blossoming,” which I will be sharing and threading into the themes of yoga classes.
Blossoming
by Janet Arnold-Grych from The Poetry of Yoga Volume 2, page 41
In the beginning,
With each unraveling of the mat,
We are anxious to add to our garden,
To gather the beautiful buds,
And coax each asana to open quickly.
Feet in the dirt we stand,
Sometimes for the first time,
Connecting earth to muscle and muscle to sky,
The energy of an immense lineage
Pulsing with promise.
But as the poses settle,
As we settle,
We find that yoga’s true gift is not about more
But less.
The outline of the poses remain the same.
Yet when the space between is fed,
When ease replaces expectation,
When patience replaces petals,
We find that the asanas are no longer
About holding on,
But letting go.
And in that release,
Without judgment or force to impede,
Breath floods in,
Releasing the mind and freeing the heart.
Through yoga,
We find
That core of serene nothingness,
And learn that in letting go,
We gain everything.
If you are a lover of poetry, a lover of yoga, or a yoga teacher looking for inspirational poems to weave into your dharma talk, you must check out Volume 1 and the about-to-be-released Volume 2 of The Poetry of Yoga (available 12/12/12).
The newest addition, which was lovingly edited by artist, poet, and yogi HawaH, includes over 500 beautiful pages of poetry written by yogis from around the world. Amongst the collection you’ll find poems written by MC Yogi, Tommy Rosen, Kia Miller, Angela Farmer, Seane Corn, Hemalyaa Behl, Ana Forrest, and Dave Stringer.
As if that’s not already cool enough, by buying either volume of The Poetry of Yoga you are giving to others because 50 percent of proceeds are donated to the non-profit organization One Common Unity, which provides inner-city youth programs that teach peace education and the building of a non-violent culture through music and art.
My copy of the first book of poems is already completely dog-eared with all my favorites, and I’m sure I will be pulling inspirational passages from it and the upcoming volume for years to come.
Stay tuned for more information about the 12/12/12 release of The Poetry of Yoga Volume 2 and your chance to win a free copy!
New to yoga? Want to give it a try in a relaxed and friendly environment? This January I’ll be teaching 5-week beginner’s yoga class series in Richfield, Akron, and Vermilion, Ohio. Please see my yoga class schedule for more details.
Check out my latest post over at Elephant Journal – How to Live an Awesome Life
