Musings: Yoga on and off the Mat

One must start a journey by taking that first step.

Life is a journey whether we acknowledge it or not.  Challenges are daily.  How we address these challenges is a true test of our character mentally, physically and spiritually.  Yoga for me has been an unfolding to reveal my "true" nature.  My Yoga practice is and will continue to be more than just the Asana (Yoga postures).

When I teach a class it is always to the student's abilities.  Asana is the focus of the Yoga class but my long term students know that I infuse the philosophy and Ayurvedic medicine whenever and wherever possible.  When you are practicing a Yogic posture the time of day, your mental state of mind, the season, what you ate before class, your age, gender, dosha (body constitution), and more come into play.  It is not just about the Asana (posture) but about you and everything that effects you.  And what is even more fascinating is that by paying acute attention to the asana, you bring the mind, body and soul into harmony and balance.  You are in the present moment.  That is a present or gift you give to yourself! 

Yoga and Ayurveda are sister sciences that really need to be taught together.  

If you are unfamiliar with body types (doshas) within the Ayurvedic science then I  recommend you read my previous post on the doshas that will give you some general info and a test to see which body type you are.

Ayurvedic knowledge is like the key that opens up the door to so many more possibilities.  Once you learn your primary and secondary doshas then you can look up foods that balance your body constitution.  You don't have to remove foods that exacerbate your dosha but just watch, for example, how your body feels when you eat red meat on a hot summer's day and you don't live in air conditioning.  Red meat heats up the body and if you are a Pitta type then that would not only make you very uncomfortable because the body gets very hot  while you are digesting it, you might even become angry due to the excess heat produced.  (Pitta types are supposed to think happy thoughts since we have a tendency to anger quickly.  Good to know!)

I will have to say that knowing doshas helps me deal with people in general.  And it is fun to just know the different doshas and watch people act accordingly.  Fascinating study, really.

Also, I revolve my teaching around the seasons (more cooling type poses in the summer and warming poses in the winter).  But if I have a bunch of Kapha types, I might have a more dynamic class since they need to move and they have a long endurance once they get going.  So once again, I teach to the student needs and abilities while keeping other variables in mind.

So there are many facets or layers available beyond the pursuit of the picture perfect asana.  I hope I have whetted your appetite to the possibilities.  There is a plethora of information available about this subject matter these days, which is great.  Maybe you have already started your investigations.  Here are some of my favorite authors on Ayurvedic medicine:

Dr. David Frawley
Dr. Robert Svoboda
Dr. Vasant Lad

Every once and awhile someone, usually a student of mine, will ask me how often do I practice Yoga.  I usually get a big smile on my face and reply, "All the time.  I am practicing Yoga right now."  Of course, the student is talking about the asana only.  What I am wanting them to understand, and you as well, is that Yoga does not end once you are off the mat and out of the room.  Yoga, the truest teachings, are with you teaching you moment by moment.  Even if the only teachings you take with you off the mat are paying attention to this present moment and using the breath to bring the focus back with every inhalation and exhalation.  If that is all you have learned.....then your teacher did their job.

Namaste`

~Cat

Cool link about the liver below

 

http://health.yahoo.net/human-body-maps/liver#1/2

 

 

Moving from the Organs Basics

Moving from the organs will enable the Yoga practitioner to perform familiar Yoga postures in a new and healthy way.  By stabilizing the bones and muscles in an Asana (Yoga posture) the student then can move the body purposefully to open or close (energetically heating or cooling the body) the upper or lower Kunda (the bowl shaped vessels) where the organs reside.

You may have heard the pelvis being described visually as bowl.  You can use this visualization to help you when you are tipping the pelvis forward for a backbend.  The same can be said for tipping the pelvis backwards when bending forward.  So when you are in an anatomical neutral position, the pelvic bowl rim should be level with the floor.  

More specifics about the pelvis can be stated in class, though I would just recommend that you not stand upright in neutral position with the sacrum perpendicular to the floor.  When you are standing upright with the sacrum basically parallel to the wall in front of you, it is called tucking of the pelvis which is not natural and flattens the lumbar spine which can lead to a multitude of problems up and down the spine if you were to keep that as your neutral position of the spine.  There is nothing wrong with the movements of the spine and body (tucking backwards or spilling forwards) but, as you may know, the more natural the positioning of the body the safer and healthier your body stays.

So while many Yoginis and Yogis are aware of the idea of the pelvic bowl, they might be less aware of the inverted bowl that the ribs create that house the lungs and the heart.  That bowl, let us call it the rib bowl, can be manipulated to backbends and forward bends just by tilting the inverted bowl forwards or backwards.

Of course, there is sidebending as well, but I just want the reader to visualize the pelvic bowl and the rib bowls for now with the backwards and forwards motions.

Got it?  So that's it.  Part of what Yoga is about is just paying attention at this particular moment in time.  All you really have is this present moment.  It is a present.....a gift.  Pay attention to the bowls.  Notice when the rib bowl is sticking too much out in the front (slight backbend) or tipping back too much (forward fold).  When you get out of neutral position or the natural, anatomical position of the body (misalignment) then the muscles have to work harder to compensate.  That is where Yoga helps the most.  Stretching and strengthening are great but it is also just nice to know how to hold the body so that no harm (Ahimsa) is caused. 

And then there is that exciting part where you allow the organs to lead the movement in the pose.  Now that is truly amazing.  Strong bones with supple and strong muscles are great, but if the organs aren't healthy neither is the individual.  By considering and gently manipulating the organs in the Kunda, a student can also have a healthy endocrine system.  Bonus!

Please carry the above information with you throughout your day.  Pay attention to the rib and the pelvic bowls.  Notice how much harder it is to sit when the chest is collapsed and the rib bowl is tipped backwards (folding forward).  When you lift your chest but allow the bowl to be level with the floor you may feel space opening so that the lungs have the ability to fill fully.  What a wonderful feeling!

I hope that helps.  

For my Yoga class listing and prices please check out:  catofoz.blogspot.com

Namaste`

Cat

    

Moving from the Organs Workshop & Class Series

Stirham sukham asanam

Abiding in ease is the Asana.

~Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Pada II, V. 46

'Moving from the Organs' is a series of workshops and classes that will approach the Yoga asana from a deeper level; the vital organs of the body.  

Attention to the shape of the asana (Yogic poses) and anatomy will be demonstrated throughout the classes.  Students will learn to look at and perform the postures in a way that is beneficial to the whole body while focusing on the placement of specific organs in each pose.  

While the student knowing muscle and bone alignment within the asana is important, this organ work is the key to health within the whole body system.  If the organs aren't healthy then the body and the individual may suffer.

I will be teaching key poses and techniques I learned from Judith Hanson Lasater's "Moving from the Organs" week long workshop.  Judith is not only a physical therapist but she has been teaching Yoga for over 40 years.  Her Yoga is challenging while educating the student on how to benefit the most within the asana while practicing Ahimsa (non harming).

Judith has defined practicing from the organs as "a means of positioning the body to either increase or decrease energy in the organs in such a way as to bring ease, lightness, and health to the body and create a background in the nervous system which provides the springboard for living easily and fully."

You won't want to miss this informative and dynamic class!

Due to lack of enrollment, this workshop and class series is cancelled.  Sorry for the inconvenience.  I will teach this topic again in the near future.

Namaste`

Questions?  ardhachandrasana@yahoo.com  

Origin magazine's interview with my favorite Yoga teacher

Judith Hanson Lasater interview link

Beyond the Asana. History, Myth and Ayurveda.

Ayurveda comes from the Sanskrit words ayus for life and veda for science.  

Ayurveda is the science and study of life.

The word Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word yuj which means to yoke or union.

Ayurvedic Medicine and its sister science, Yoga, are approximately 5,000 years old.  By yoking in the wandering mind the Yogi or Yogini (male and female Yoga practitioners, respectively) started down the pathway of self discovery.  These ancient sciences have given current practitioners the gift of thousands of years of introspection within their personal practice and then passing on those discoveries to a newer generation of seekers.   

Yoga and Ayurveda are not religions, although they have the ability to lead the practitioner towards God-realization within the practitioner's own personal religion or spiritual belief system if the student so chooses.  Yoga can also be just Asana and Pranayama based (Yogic postures and breath manipulation) in which Yoga and Ayurvedic Medicine are tools to keep the practitioner's body healthy.  That's the pure beauty of both sciences is that you choose how deeply you want to learn more about yourself and the cosmos.

The next Yoga workshop I am teaching is titled, "Intro to Yoga:  Beyond the Asana.  History, Myth and Ayurveda."  

Foundations: Saturday Yoga Workshop Series

In the course of the 3 hour workshop we will attempt to fit in:

~OM (or the more advanced AUM); the cleansing power of the chant

~the Invocation to Patanjali; some background on the mythical creature Patanjali and then we will learn the "call and respond" chant

~Asanas (Yogic postures) will be incorporated into the class.  This is not a full 3-hour only Asana class but there will be some stories and imagery within the class to give a historical perspective behind the Asana names.

~Prana means life force.  We will end with some cooling poses so that we can do a little Pranayama at the end of the workshop.  The gentle breath manipulation is powerful stuff when approached gently and with keen observation.  We will go over the basics of this powerful Yogic tool.

I know this won't be your usual Yoga class and that is the beauty of it.  


It is time to learn a little more about those Yogic postures that you have been performing at home and in class.  You will learn to integrate a simple but profound mantra into your daily life.  Infuse a new curiosity and playfulness into your Yoga home practice.  You may even want to start a journal about how Yoga affects you.  Anything is possible if you are receptive......and quiet.

   

Stress can make you sick.

The antidote to stress is relaxation.  To relax is to rest deeply.

Relaxation is a state in which there is no movement, no effort, and the brain is quiet.

~ Judith Hanson Lasater

The effects of stress have reached epidemic proportions resulting in dis-ease.  And because of the plethora of modern diseases that have manifested from chronic stress, stress borne illnesses have become a medical specialty.  "I am stressed out," is a familiar phrase in our daily vernacular.  Stress can affect our mood, cause headaches and tight muscles, as well as digestive issues.  Even being around a stressed out person can affect everyone around them including family, friends, and co-workers.  In the short term, stress prepares the body for the obstacle at hand.  In the long term, chronic stress can make you sick.

One of the first studies on relaxation was performed by Dr. Edmund Jacobson.  He wrote, You Must Relax, about his revolutionary relaxation techniques and their benefits.  His new approach successfully treated high blood pressure, indigestion, colitis, insomnia, and what he called "nervousness."  

Edmund Jacobson relaxation technique     

All of us inherently know not only how to relax but that we need to relax.  Part of the issue at hand is......taking the time to relax.  You can take the time now with Restorative Yoga or even Dr. Jacobson's method or later down the road you can see a doctor about stress related health issues.  It may sound harsh, but you choose.  Everyone that attends my Yoga classes if only once or over the course of a decade can attest to the fact that they feel better and relaxed after class.  I have student's husbands and wives that send their loved ones to class knowing that it helps alleviate stress.  I am not saying that Yoga is a panacea but it can be yet another tool to use to help us decompress and recharge in our daily, hectic lives.

Of course, a good night's sleep helps, too.  :-)

  

Restorative Poses are Key to Health

Dis -ease.  
Stress has a compounding effect when it becomes chronic.  This chronic stress can have a negative effect that leaves a residue in the body that may manifest into a disease.

Stress is a factor in daily life.  One of my Yoga teachers from years ago, Laurie Blakeney, stated that Eastern and Western perceptions of stress are quite different.  The current Western mentality seemed to think that stress was something to be avoided.  Acknowledging that stress can cause high blood pressure and a host of other ailments and somehow individuals needed to remove this contagion from their daily life in order to be healthy.  


Eastern thought has a different approach to stress.  There is an acknowledgement that stress exists but instead of avoidance there is a level of control within the acceptance.  The normal, everyday stresses of life affect us by how we think, speak, and act.  Someone may pull their car out in front of us while we are driving to work but our angry, knee-jerk, negative reaction is the habit that can have long term effects on our health over time.  Cultivating a level of constant serenity may not available to most humans and yet there are tools at everyone's disposal that allow a level of clarity to deal with stress.


That is where Restorative Yoga comes in.  


The seemingly constant barrage of stress inducing chaos that stimulates the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response) which in turn overworks the adrenals until they cannot function properly which in turn not only depletes your energy but doesn't help you sleep soundly at night.  It's enough to keep your head spinning.....but there are options available.  


By spending just 20-30 minutes every day in a Restorative Yoga pose, the practitioner can start to affect the body's parasympathetic response and thus enabling them to relax.  The restorative asana (Yoga postures) is performed in a room that is still, quiet, dark, and warm which enables the practitioner to focus completely on smooth, relaxed breathing while softening the muscles of the body while full awake and aware.  It is harder than it sounds for most people to relax, but with daily practice the effects of stress may be reversed.  


Come experience for yourself the amazing effects of Restorative Yoga this Saturday, January 21st from 12 noon to 3 pm at Align and Stretch Studio.  


Please check out my other blog for Workshop details:  catofoz.blogspot.com  


    


      

Eye bags for sale at Restorative Yoga Workshop

Eyebags for sale at the Restorative Yoga Workshop for only $10.00! 

Cash only, please.

I purchased my first eyebag several years ago at a Judith H. Lasater workshop.  

These eyebags are VERY light compared to what is being sold out there today.  People with contacts can use them.  I bring my eyebag to all the Yoga workshops I attend now (and if I forget it at home I purchase one at the workshop). They are an essential tool for the practice of relaxation and make a great gift.

  

What you do affects you.

The magic doesn't happen if you don't do the poses.

~ Judith H. Lasater

My favorite Yoga teacher, Judith Hanson Lasater, said something to the effect that there is a residue felt in the body after each asana (Yogic posture).  She went on to say that the previous posture's residue then affects the mind and body in the next asana.  A well rounded Yoga class will end with some sort of introspective and restorative postures so that the student will feel refreshed as well as relaxed when the class ends.  


I know that after leaving a 4 hour class on restorative poses, my daughter commented on how peaceful I looked.  She also noticed how every Yoga student looked happy and relaxed upon descending the long staircase and onto the streets of San Francisco at the end of each day of the workshop.  It truly felt magical.

Intentions  

My intentions for the restoratives workshop will be to give the student enough information that they will want to practice these amazing postures at home.  They don't have to do all of the asana (postures) taught in the workshop to see immediate results.  One pose for 20 minutes without distraction every day is a wonderful addition to a healthy and relaxed lifestyle.   


Once the student has integrated the one Restorative Yoga pose into their daily routine, they may want to increase to two asana (postures) a day.  And by changing the restorative asana routine after a  week or two (thereby setting the timer to 30 minutes instead of 20) the Yoga practitioner may discover a new residue of relaxation within the mind and body.  It is an experiment worth trying.  


Humans are experts on how to manipulate the body to stay awake longer but we desperately need to relearn how to relax fully and completely.  Come discover the real you that is relaxed and renewed on January 21st at Align and Stretch Studio.


More information about workshops at:  catofoz.blotspot.com


Questions:  ardhachandrasana@yahoo.com