Dec 13, 2011 |
How cool is it that so many great yoga teachers have come to my hometown this past year and that I got the opportunity to attend one of the sold-out yoga workshops given by Kathryn Budig at Evolution Yoga? If you are unfamiliar with Kathryn, she brings an awesome sense of humor (a yoga teaching trait I hold in high regard) as well as a refreshing honesty to her yoga classes, which you can find online through YogaGlo and on her yoga DVDs (her latest is Aim True Yoga).
Like a total yoga rock-star geek, I got to class early so I could get a prime front row spot. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect of Kathryn, live and in person, but as soon as she unassumingly walked into the room in black leggings and a well-worn Journey t-shirt, I knew she was going to be cool. Then, when she started out the class by telling us that one of her goals was to live an awesome life, I knew I had found a kindred spirit.
The workshop I attended was all about aiming true in your life and in your yoga practice. Kathryn started the workshop off by explaining what “Aim True” means to her. I could write a really long blog about this, but I’m going to distill it down into a few sentences.
Aiming true is all about making the choice to move from a place of fear to a place of love.
When we embrace fear, we experience anticipation, expectation, dread, and doubt.
In a nutshell, this anticipation is what freaks us out.
When we move to a place of love, we can embrace the present moment,
let go of fear, and believe in ourselves.
We beat ourselves up all of the time, tell ourselves we can’t do things, and worry about what other people think of our actions. It’s time to become your own mistress or master, to no longer be ruled by the expectations of others. Make it a mantra to believe in yourself each and every day.
The cool thing about yoga is that we can use it to put the “Aim True” concept to practice. Each time you unroll your yoga mat, breathe deep, let go of the anticipation, and live in the present moment, guess what? This moment right here, right now, is perfect. To quote Kathryn, “We need more yoga and fewer drugs in our world.”
After the feel good “Aim True” yoga pep talk, Kathryn proceeded to ask the room which yoga poses they feared the most, and (of course) after a list of the most challenging poses known to yogakind were brought forward, she informed us that she would weave these poses into the two-hour practice that was to follow.
WTF?! Jumping from plank to crow, handstand, reverse triangle… the internal dialogue began raging in my head…
…I can’t do half of these poses…
…why the hell did I think sitting in the front row was a good idea?…
…the people in this room are way younger and stronger than me; of course they can do these poses…
… 8:00 pm on a Friday night, I should be winding down with a glass of wine, not stressing out about whether or not I’ll do a face plant when I attempt to go from downward dog to crow…
…it’s hot as hell in this room; I think I’m going to pass out…
Wait a minute, Maria; did you listen to a single thing that Kathryn just said? Are you going to let the fear and the ego get in your way, or are you going to aim true and choose a place of love?
I shut off the fire hose in my mind, brought my focus to my mat, and listened to Kathryn’s instructions, which were spot on, funny, and encouraging. I wasn’t worrying about what everyone thought of my wobbly crow pose; I was focused on believing I could do these poses and on giving it all my effort. I became the mistress of my mind, and this fierce yogini wasn’t taking any excuses from herself.
As I sat exhausted, resting in between poses, a big ‘ole sweaty mess, I was reminded again of how much I love the practice of yoga. I was loving those little yoga victories that come each time I show up and try, reveling in the fact that, when I choose a place of love over fear, I’m a hell of a lot stronger than I think.
What will you choose today – Love or Fear? Choose LOVE, and don’t forget to bring it to the mat!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpVUih5nY9g[/youtube]
Enjoy some love from MC YOGI!
Love Street Image: Terri-Ann Hanlon
Dec 8, 2011 |
I am going to make a confession; I’m a Nutcracker-aholic. With the exception of my infant years, I have seen a production of the Nutcracker every year of my life. I own three different CDs of the Tchaikovsky score, and I pop them into the CD player in my car the day after Thanksgiving and listen to them religiously until December 25th. (I may even throw a few cuts into my yoga class playlists this December.)
My husband can’t believe that myself, my mother, and the other female members of my family have made it a tradition to go see the Nutcracker every holiday season. He asks me how I can keep going to see the same show, especially since I know how it’s going to end. I try to explain to him that the production is different every year, and that it’s no different than him watching a bunch of football games every weekend; there are always new players, new uniforms, and new plays.
My favorite part of the ballet is at the end of the first act, when Clara is swept away with the Nutcracker Prince to a magical winter wonderland. As the blizzard of ballerinas begin their beautiful dance, there is something about the music that brings out my inner ballerina geek. My heart swells up in my chest, and I get all verklempt as the first snowflakes start to fall from the sky. Without fail, I am moved to tears each and every performance.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcxixZjeulE[/youtube]
This year as I watched the Ballet Theatre of Ohio‘s production (which rocked), I couldn’t help but notice how many ballet moves are similar to yoga asanas. Take a few standing splits, a dancers pose, and toss in flowing warrior arms and a leap, and you’ve got yourself a mat-worthy ballet performance. Next time you’re in tree pose or any challenging balance pose, just think about adding the complexity of wearing ballet pointe shoes to it, and I bet all of a sudden it will feel a whole lot easier.
No matter what frame of mind I’m in, seeing the Nutcracker always puts me in the Christmas spirit, and this year it even cast a little spell on me. Yeah, just like Clara, the night I saw the Nutcracker, I had my own special dream and I’d like to share the dream story with you. I’m calling it…
The “Yogacracker”
Many moons ago, a young-at-heart, redheaded woman named Maria received the gift of yoga. She started taking classes at her local studio and immediately fell in love with the practice. To her it was an extension of the ballet training she received as a child, and she felt discipline and grace return to her each time she came to her yoga mat. As she went through her vinyasa flows, it felt as if she were creating a beautiful dance.
Of course, a villainous force had to come into her life to take away her love of yoga, but the villain was not the Mouse King. It was the equally evil daily grind of work, stress, and obligation that caused her to roll up her yoga mat and fall into a deep sleep.
While she laid in sleep, a dream came to Maria. She awoke to a fantastical world of flexibility, armed with an unlimited yoga class pass good at any yoga studio in the world. Even when she had a busy schedule, there always was time in her day to attend a yoga class.
The dream took her and her yoga mat on a first-class journey across the globe to practice the many different styles of yoga. From Iyengar in India, Ashtanga in Australia, Hatha in Hawaii, and a little hot Bikram in Boston to Vinyasa in Vancouver, she followed it all up with a little yoga holiday in Bali. Each land she visited granted her the opportunity to study with great yoga teachers like Indra Devi, Geeta Iyengar, Judith Laseter, and Donna Farhi.
- Dreaming of Some Tropical Beach Yoga in 2012
And the costumes! Forget about tutus, she traded those in for skeggings and was decked out in the finest black stretchy pants, vibrant colorful tank tops, and crowned with funky headbands.
A variety of sugarplum treats were available to her wherever she ventured, and she could eat whatever she wanted, because that’s made possible in a Yogacracker world.
Like any good trip, there always comes a time when you have to return home and back to reality. Before I knew it, the sound of my husband’s snoring awoke me from my blissful downward dog dreams.
I don’t usually remember my dreams, but this one will always stay with me, and it’s made me realize that I already live in a Yogacracker world. I can always make the time to fit yoga in my schedule, I can practice all kinds of different yoga styles right here in my hometown of Cleveland, and I can study with amazing yoga teachers that come to Northeast Ohio (thank you Max Strom, Rodney Yee, Kathryn Budig, and Cora Wen). And, if I save my money and dream big, I can even fly off to exotic locales some day and study yoga in the places I dreamed about.
As for the sweets, well, I don’t think I’ll be able to gorge on chocolate and marzipans like I did in the dream, but I have to admit that the weekly yoga regime does wonders for keeping the middle-age spread under control.
I’m going to strive to take the magic and wonder of the Yoga-Nutcracker into my life. Maybe the reason why I get misty eyed during the dance of the snowflakes is that it makes me realize how beautiful winter can be. Instead of focusing on how cold I always am and worrying about what the road conditions are going to be like, I need to fill myself up with the beauty of this season, to have a child-like sense of wonder and to never give up the ability to dream.
Just as a ballet performance can transport you into another world, let your practice of yoga transport you to a beautiful blissful state each and every time you come to the mat. Don’t forget to embrace that tiny dancer inside your soul and dream big.
Who wants to go to Bali with me in 2012? Please leave a comment and let me know where your Yogacracker dreams are taking you!
Christmas Tree Image: Robert Proksa
Dec 4, 2011 |
If you missed the Daily Downward Dog’s holiday yoga gift guide, you’ll want to step, hop, or float on over to that post and check out the great deals on gifts for the yoga lovers in your life. Each of the products are made by yogini goddesses, and some of them happen to live right here in Ohio (buckeye yoginis rock!).
Wherever you shop this year, please support local small business, spread the love, and support your local yoga studios by purchasing a gift certificate. Take it a step further and consider donating time or money to a charity like Street Yoga.
In the spirit of spreading the love, The Daily Downward Dog is giving away two awesome yoga holiday gift packs. Special thanks to Cherie of NamaSTAY Yoga Towels and Rachael of Vernice Vita Yoga Mats for offering up these yogalicious treats for Daily Downward Dog readers. It’s super simple to enter; all you have to do is share the yoga love!
Prizes!!
Holiday Prize Package #1: A NamaSTAY Yoga Towel + a bottle of Indu Nectar of the Gods Lotion (Yoga Crack)
Holiday Prize Package #2: 1 Over the Shoulder Yoga Mat Strap + a $30 off gift card good for a Vernice Vita Three Layer Memory Foam Yoga Mat + 1 bar of Lavender & Lemongrass natural handmade soap from Zuddha
How to Win!
Did you know that when you share a message or leave a comment, it’s the equivalent of giving a hug to the recipient? You get a hug back in the form of one entry each time you share the love with a message like:
Twitter friendly: Share the #yoga love with awesome holiday gifts & a #giveaway from @downwarddog http://bit.ly/DDDholiday Support @streetyoga
Facebook friendly: Share the yoga love with awesome holiday gifts & a giveaway from The Daily Downward Dog. http://bit.ly/DDDholiday Support Street Yoga
Or choose Google+, another social media method of your choice, or good old-fashioned e-mail.
Get bonus entries when you follow these awesome yogini goddesses or sign up for their e-mail newsletters:
NamaSTAY Towels: Twitter Facebook
Vernice Vita Yoga Mats: Twitter Facebook
Omala: Twitter Facebook
Zuddha: Facebook
Cheryl Hall Sanskrit Lessons: azvedicchant at gmail.com
Most importantly, leave a comment below and be sure to specify each way you spread the love. In the same holiday spirit, you’re more than welcome to leave comments about local yoga studios or yoga products that you would like to promote this holiday season.
This giveaway will run until 12/12/11 at 11:11 AM (EST), when two lucky love-givers will be randomly selected to receive one of the holiday gift packs. I’ll post the name of the winners in the comments here, on The Daily Downward Dog Facebook page, and on Twitter. This contest is available to everyone – the DDD will foot the bill for international shipping!
Christmas Bulb Image by Christian Ferrari
Nov 28, 2011 |
I recently saw this post on Sandy Kish Jordan’s (one of my super cool summer beach-yoga friends) Facebook page and got a big smile on my face:
BLACK FRIDAY IS COMING!!! Just imagine if everyone spent their money locally instead of on discount crap that no one will even remember they got next year! We could support our friends and neighbors and truly make a difference in our economy. I challenge all my friends. Buy your gifts from local businesses, artists, restaurants.
Great minds think alike, because as I was preparing this post, I realized that almost all of my yoga holiday gift ideas are created by Ohio-based small businesses that just so happen to be run by some amazing yogini goddesses.
It’s a win-win proposition. You get to give your yogi friends unique yoga-inspired gifts, and then you get the added satisfaction of knowing that you helped support a fellow yogini and female-owned yoga business.
If you have a friend, wife, lover, husband, kid, or colleague on your Christmas gift list who loves yoga, these gift recommendations are not only cool, but they’re also designed to enhance their yoga practice. You will not find these gifts at any big box store, and you don’t even need to leave home or wait in line; you can browse in the comfort of your PJs and order the best yoga gifts online right now. So grab a nice warm beverage, relax, and do some stress-free shopping (and don’t forget it’s always fun to treat yourself to one or two holiday yoga gifts too!).
No More Slip Sliding Away – NamaSTAY Yoga Towels
Have you been having trouble with sweaty palms and feet on your yoga mat? Do you worry in those hot classes that you might lose your grip and hurt yourself by slipping and nose diving into the floor? I have to say – that used to be one of the biggest factors that kept me from staying fully present in class. Now, I depend on my NamaSTAY towel to keep me securely planted in my downward dogs.
Cleveland, Ohio-based Cherie Greenwald has developed a pretty damn innovate non-slip yoga towel that has sleeves to hug yoga mats so that the towel stays flat. You can read my review of NamaSTAY yoga towels, and if you decide you want to purchase one, order direct from the Daily Downward Dog to save an extra 20% off of your order or use code DOWNWARDDOG at www.namastaytowel.com to get the 20% savings.
NamaSTAY yoga towels fit most standard size mats and come in a variety of gorgeous colors, including darker, manly colors for the yoga dude in your life. When you give the gift of a NamaSTAY yoga towel, you show how much you care about the safety and well-being of your yogi friends.
Yoga Crack
Indu Lotion, otherwise known as Nectar of the Moon, and sometimes affectionately described as Yoga Crack, is perfect for anyone on your gift list who needs a little something (legal) to help them relax. No prescription required – this all-natural lotion is made with essential oils of bergamot, lavender, and geranium to create an aromatherapy potion that helps ease anxiety and tension, fights fatigue and stress, and (the product feature near and dear to my heart) helps promote clear thinking. The creator of this product, Marni Task, lives and teaches yoga in northeast Ohio (and she also puts on a pretty fierce kirtan too)! You can read more about Indu and can order it right here on The Daily Downward Dog.
Memory Foam Meets Yoga Mat
Say goodbye to sore wrists and achy joints. The Vernice Vita (VV) yoga mat provides three layers of comfort, one of which is memory foam, that keep you protected and comfy during your daily downward dogs. If you love savasana, imagine how much more amazing it could feel lying on those three layers of yumminess. I wrote about my experience using my Cadillac and Studio size Vernice Vita mats, and I have to say that once you go VV, you’ll never go back to a conventional mat. Major kudos to Rachael Ennis, the genius behind Vernice Vita.
Show the yoga lover in your life how much you really care for them with the gift of a Vernice Vita comfort yoga mat. Their wrists, ankles, knees, and heart will have an even greater appreciation for you.
When you place your order direct through The Daily Downward Dog, we’ll save you $10, or you can order direct at www.vernicevita.com and use discount code MARIA10 to pick up the $10 savings as well.
Sanskrit 101
One of the most hotly debated topics on the D.D.D. this year was my post about teaching yoga classes in English versus Sanskrit. It seems that many of us need a little refresher course on the fine art of speaking Sanskrit, and if you or one of your buddies belongs to this camp, why not invest in some Sanskrit training? The awesome yogini Cheryl Hall can get you over your fear of mispronouncing poses like Padangusthasana, Ardha Chandrasana, and Parivrtta Parsvakonasana in under 45 minutes. If you want more information, please read my review of Cheryl’s online training sessions (done via Skype), and then contact her direct (azvedicchant at gmail.com or by phone 480-216-2602) to purchase a gift certificate. Mention the Daily Downward Dog, and Cheryl will give you $5 off the 45-minute class (which is normally $35).
The Ultimate Shop Local Gift
I can’t think of a better gift to give someone you love than the gift of yoga. Why not encourage a friend or family member to start by inviting them to practice with you, or by purchasing a yoga gift certificate for them to try classes in their town? You’ll be supporting your local yoga community and doing something really extraordinary (and maybe even life changing) for your recipient.
If you are looking for recommendations in the Akron, Ohio area, I highly recommend Yoga Bliss . If you live in a remote area with no local studios, you have to try out Yoga Download, an online yoga video resource that lets you pick from hundreds of classes whenever it’s most convenient for you.
Seva – The Best Gift of All
In the rush of holiday craziness, please take a moment to consider giving back some of the goodness you’ve received this year. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention at least one organization that could use some love and support this coming year.
I just recently learned about the efforts of Street Yoga, a non-profit organization that teaches yoga, mindful breathing, and compassionate communication to youth, families, and their caregivers who are struggling with homelessness, poverty, abuse, addiction, trauma, and behavioral challenges. This practice encourages them to grow stronger, heal from past traumas, and create for themselves a life that is inspired, safe, and joyful.
Mark Lilly founded Street Yoga in 2002 by organizing a handful of yoga teachers to teach yoga at a day shelter and school that serves homeless youth. Lilly says his life was deeply bettered by yoga. He started Street Yoga partly because of a song by Neil Young; there’s a line from the song that goes, “We were giving, that’s how we kept what we gave away.” To keep what yoga gave to him, Mark Lilly said that he had to give it away as fast and as much as possible.
Over the last ten years that giving has reached thousands of kids!
Please visit the Street Yoga website. There are plenty of ways to get involved, either through volunteering, starting Street Yoga in your community, or by making a donation.
Wherever you shop this holiday season, please support local businesses, your local yoga studio, and spread the love. If you want to give a shout out to a local business or yoga studio, please feel free to give them a plug in the comments below!
One last note, if you want to save money on shipping, remember to order before Tuesday, December 20th to receive orders shipped by USPS Priority Mail or UPS Ground in time to arrive before Christmas.
Stop by again next week for an awesome holiday giveaway featuring some of these yogalicious products!
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
