Do Restorative Yoga

Restoring and Rebuilding your Inner Core Part IV - Stretching and Strengthening the Deep Muscles of the Spine

2012-01-30T07:00:00.111-06:00

In the previous three lessons on Restoring and Rebuilding the Inner Core, I have focused on Mula Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha, the respiratory diaphragm, and the Multifidi - the deep muscles of the spine. These are the "Core 4" of the Inner Core. In the last post we learned how to find these deep muscles of the spine and we began to work them. In this post we will expand on Lesson III and learn to find length and strength in these crucial back muscles.

Exercise 3: Lengthening and Strengthening the Deep Muscles of the Spine

Setting up:
Start by rolling a blanket, towel or felt pad into a hand's-grip sized roll. Set this behind you and gently ease your way down to the floor with the roll under your lumbar (centered directly behind the belly button). It should look like this:

This is the 5th step of the Supported Lumbar Stretch. Click the link to see the original post showing each step of this process.

Keep your knees bent and take a few lifts and lowers of the pelvis to ease your way into this stretch. This should feel like "ahhhhhh" not "owwww." If you are feeling more "ow" than "ah" change your roll. Make it a bit smaller and try to settle in again. There is no set size for the lumbar roll. It should be the size that is right for you today. Once you have settled in, find a smooth, deep, and steady breath. Notice the rise and fall of the belly. Notice any other areas in your body that move with the breath. If it feels good on your back let the knees drop slightly from side to side (slow tick-tocks) a few times.

Working in the pose:
The main work of the first half of this exercise is to just stay put. Settle in and breath. Let the lumbar roll do the work for you. Stay for up to 5 minutes (more if it works in your body). By laying over this roll we are lengthening the muscles of the spine.

Many of us may think that we don't need to accentuate our lumbar curve because perhaps we have a habit of over-arching the spine already. However, when you over-arch your spine you are not lengthening your muscles, you are actually shortening them by "kinking" into your back.

If you are a tail-tucking, lumbar straightener, this pose is perfect for you too. Now you can reestablish the natural curve in your spine.

After you have lingered for a while in the Lumbar Stretch, start to think about developing some movement around the lumbar pillow. Begin to engage the muscles of the lower back by purposely pressing the sacrum into the floor and exaggerating the curve of the lumbar. Now press the feet equally into the floor and lift the bum off the floor, coming up into Bridge Pose.

When you release Bridge, try to dip your tail down to the floor without touching your back to the lumbar roll. This is nearly impossible of course. Your back will most likely touch the lumbar roll but I want the action to be a dipping of the tailbone and a continued arching of the spine to really get into strengthening those deep spine muscles.

Take 5-10 rounds of lifting up into Bridge and then dipping the tail down to the floor. Keep the knees aligned with the hip points and keep the feet rooted to the floor. After you finish, lower onto your lumbar roll and linger again for a few minutes to ease the back.

Finishing:
To come out of the pose, lift up enough to slide the lumbar roll out from underneath you and then slowly lower to the floor with a lengthened spine. Take a minute to lay flat to let the spine settle. Help ease your transition by slowly tick-tocking your knees side to side. Finally, take any finishing movements that you like: a long stretch, a bundle roll hug, gentle twist, etc.

Homework for Restoring the Core:
(click lesson links below to review)
1) Pelvic floor lifts: 10 each, 5 times a day from any position: sitting, standing or laying down.
2) Heel lifts or toe taps: 5-10 on each side making sure to keep the pelvis stable and neutral and maintain an easy breath.
3) Spine awareness through exaggerated arch and curl.
4) Strengthening the spine through dips and lifts from Bridge Pose.

Previously:
Lesson I: Restoring and Rebuilding your Inner Core Part I - Finding Mula Bandha
Lesson II: Restoring and Rebuilding your Inner Core Part II - Strengthening Uddiyana Bandha.
Lesson III: Restoring and Rebuilding your Inner Core Part III - Finding the Deep Muscles of the Spine.

Up next: More exercises to improve your core.

Do Restorative Yoga Hits the Road

2012-01-26T10:01:00.001-06:00

Do Restorative Yoga news: I'll be hitting the road pretty soon for a cross country tour and I'll be teaching a few workshops in various parts of the country. (Visit my Events page for a full listing of upcoming events and workshops.)

The first stop on the tour will be in Urbandale, IA at R Studio

Restoring & Rebuilding the Inner Core
Sun, Feb 12, 10:30 am-12:30 pm

Visit their website to register:

www.rstudiofit.com

______________________________________

And the 2nd set of workshops will be with Renaissance Yoga in Galesville, MD.

Two Great Restorative Workshops
Presented By Special Guest Teacher: Sara Duke

Restorative Yoga: Discovery & Practice
Sun, April 1, 10a – 12:30p
$30 by Mar 26 (limited spaces)

Restoring & Rebuilding the Inner Core
Sun, April 1, 2p – 4p
$25 by Mar 26

Renaissance Yoga says "We wish to wholeheartedly welcome Sara Duke of Duluth, MN who will be coming to our area to present two wonderful restorative yoga workshops on April 1, 2012." Click here to register or read more.

How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body

2012-01-23T07:00:00.075-06:00

I have been writing about how I came to have chronic SI joint pain - I believe it is because of yoga. Recently I received a newsletter from Susi Hately Aldous with a link to an article called How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body. This is some scary stuff. Young people causing brain damage and strokes from doing too much, too fast; dedicated yogis literally wearing out their joints; still more succumbing to "Yoga Foot Drop" - a problem with deadening the nerves that run down the back of the leg which then causes difficulty walking. Check the link to the article (above) and read what Susi has to say below.

Yoga is amazing. All of us yoga teachers have been awed by watching what can happen with yoga. And, when not done appropriately, major problems can occur. You would be shocked with how many emails I receive each week from yoga teachers - from the "rock star" yoga teachers, as well as from teachers who are "less known". They ask questions with a similar theme . . . "why is my back sore, I do yoga!" As I share the mechanics of what is happening, I also add...."it is because you do yoga that your back is sore".

Y'see the trouble is two fold. First, we have to remember that we are westerners pursuing an eastern philosophical movement program that has important tenets (yamas and niyamas) as the foundation. If we follow those tenets, we'll progress in our practice - in all its forms - physically, mentally, and spiritually. Second, we need to consider the term "Asana" which, when loosely translated means, "sitting comfortably and still". This means, that no matter the asana you are practicing, are you "sitting comfortably and still" or are you in "tension"?

Consider your practice - when you are in Warrior 1, Warrior 3, Triangle, Headstand, Downward Dog, or any other myriad of asanas, are you in tension? If you are. . . you aren't practicing yoga . . you are "doing fitness".

It sets up an interesting predicament, doesn't it? A predicament which has me understand and have compassion for why it is so difficult for yoga practitioners in the West "to get it".

As a culture, there is a preference for the "end", not the "journey" or the "process".
Many trainings are about "going deeper" since there is some apparent belief that "going deeper" is "better". (I recall a teacher who came to a training of mine who was utterly shocked that my training was the first she had been to that wasn't about depth of asana and she was so "wow'd" that she felt so good).
There is a focus on not paying attention to the pain, to move through it as opposed to listen to it.
I am all for a physical challenge, and for the mental and spiritual stretch required to see my "blind spots" so that those things that restrict or limit me can be resolved; just as I enjoy practicing with energy and prana and transcending the physical plane. But truth be told, the physical plane is where we live, and Newton's laws still reign true. Biomechanics and Kinesiology are facts of life on this earthly plane, and we need to honour their principles. If you don't honour them, you will suffer the consequences.

Does this mean that "some people should give up yoga all together" as written about in the article? Well, that assumes that yoga consists only the physical postures in their classic form. Perhaps in those times of injury, it is actually time to read up and embody the yamas and niyamas so the journey back to the mat, the journey back to living the life you want to live, through great yoga therapy and then modified asanas, is one of exploration, curiosity and awe.

If you think someone would benefit from this information, please pass it along.
Best, Susi
www.functionalsynergy.com
Susi's Facebook Page

After reading the article and reading what Susi had to say I checked in with Kristin from Namaste from Duluth. We work together but teach different styles of yoga so I always like to get her opinion. Besides, her reasoning is generally well thought out and well articulated. Here's what she says:

NY Times article - interesting. Not surprising, but interesting. My thoughts: on one hand, the article is true. Yoga can cause injuries. Long term debilitating ones. Painful injuries that take forever to heal or never heal.

On the other hand, find me an activity that isn't riddled with injury:
Soccer - long term head injuries, knee issues, sprains, etc
Hockey - just read about the player(s) who've been paralyzed recently
Running - knee, hip, ankles, lower back
Swimming - probably the most gentle of all, yet aerobic, but hell, you could drown!
Martial arts - you could list these better than I
Road cycling - impotence, lower back, knees, shoulders, decreased bone density
Baseball - rotator cuff, oblique sprains, blown out knees, broken bones
Hiking - blown out knees, hip problems, spinal problems (from carrying a pack), etc.

The other thing I questioned in the article was somewhere it stated - in an informal study - that OMG! 42 people ended up in the emergency room in a given year for injuries sustained doing yoga. Really? 42? I can guarantee more runners end up in the emergency room than yogis. That would be ONE class in NYC - the rest of the nation is fine.

The business with strokes is a bit odd. Given the number of activities in which younger people are participating in (yoga, gymnastics, dance lines) that involve back bending, I would think you would have to be predisposed to stroke to begin with. That to me is two unusual and very extreme situations - not a trend.

So yes, yoga can cause injuries or even inflame existing injuries. I don't dispute that. And as in any activity, the responsibility is up to the individual to practice safely. Therein lies the problem IMO. Getting the practitioner to practice safely no matter the style of yoga they do.

I sent this off to my Saturday yoga peeps and one of them replied back that they'd rather risk injury and to have fun than remaining sedentary and afraid of moving.

~ Kristin, Namaste from Duluth

My teacher, Deborah Adele, has also weighed in on the topic in her blog post, "Sculpted or Free" which I have pasted in below:

A recent New York Times article discussing the harm yoga can cause, has created quite a stir. It has also created an opportunity for us yoga practitioners to re-look at our yoga practice, an opportunity that I am grateful for.

I find it so easy to seek change while unconsciously holding the very patterns I am seeking to change. It is so easy to “sculpt” myself into the person and the pose I am desiring. It is this sculpting that tempts injury and harm.

The purpose of yoga is to free our bodies and our minds. The only way this can happen is through our own surrender. To the degree that we surrender to the pose, is the degree to which the pose can begin to show us where our unsupportive habits lie. To the degree that we are willing to be the recipient of the pose rather than the designer, is the degree to which the real change we are seeking can happen. This is true on and off the mat.

It takes real courage, I think, to surrender to a pose rather than sculpt ourselves into it. But the results are very different; one leads to continuity and harm, the other to real freedom.

~ Deborah Adele, author of The Yamas & Niyamas: Exploring Yoga's Ethical Practice

I'm curious to hear what you think. Please do share and please be careful in your practice. Mindful, kind yoga is the way. ~Sara

Restoring and Rebuilding your Inner Core Part III - Finding the Deep Muscles of the Spine

2012-01-16T07:00:00.008-06:00

Deep muscles of the back.
(Multifidus shaded in red.)
Image from Wikipedia

In the previous two lessons on Restoring and Rebuilding the Inner Core, I have focused on Mula Bandha and Uddiyana Bandha. I also talked a little bit in the first lesson about the respiratory diaphragm. These are three of the main "Core 4" of the Inner Core. The fourth main component of the inner core is the Multifidus - the deep muscles of the spine which work to stabilize the joints at each segmental level. So how do we work this part of our inner core?

Exercise 3: Finding the Deep Muscles of the Spine through Arch and Flatten

Setting up:
Start by laying on your back on the floor with your knees bent (Constructive Pose) and find a smooth, deep, and steady breath. Notice the rise and fall of the belly. Notice any other areas in your body that move with the breath.

Working in the pose:
After establishing your breath, begin to exaggerate the movement of the belly and the spine. On your inhale, relax everything and let the belly rise. On your exhale, draw the pelvic floor muscles up toward the area behind your belly button and pull your lower belly backward toward the spine. Let your spine press into the floor as your tail curls up slightly. On the inhale soften the pelvic floor and the lower belly muscles and begin to engage the muscles of the lower back by purposely pressing the sacrum into the floor and exaggerating the curve of the lumbar.

Take 5-10 rounds of this purposeful arching and flattening (tiny bit of a tail curl), practicing a muscular hand-off from the front line of the body to the back line of the body. Notice if other parts of the body want to get into the act. Do you find your arms wanting to roll in on the exhale? Do your knees want to press together on the exhale and open like a flower on the inhale? Do your arms also want to flower open on the inhale? If any of these movements are happening, go with it.

Finishing:
When you feel you have made a good connection with the deep muscles of your spine let yourself soften and return to your smooth, deep, and steady breath. Take any finishing movements that you like: a long stretch, a bundle roll hug, gentle twist, etc.

Homework:
1) Pelvic floor lifts: 10 each, 5 times a day from any position: sitting, standing or laying down.
2) Heel lifts or toe taps: 5-10 on each side making sure to keep the pelvis stable and neutral and maintain an easy breath.
3) Spine awareness through exaggerated arch and curl.

Previously:
Lesson I: Restoring and Rebuilding your Inner Core Part I - Finding Mula Bandha
Lesson II: Restoring and Rebuilding your Inner Core Part II - Strengthening Uddiyana Bandha.

Up next: More exercises to improve your core.

Book Review: The 7 Day Energy Surge

2012-01-09T07:00:00.008-06:00

I'm reviewing this book because I am heading into a retreat training for maurices and this is a book that they ask their retreat participants to read. I like to be at least sort of up on the retreat topic (ha ha). So when I was given a copy of the book I decided I would look it over. I imagined I would just leaf through and pick out the good bits. Well, apparently I am not a "leaf-er."

I opened the book up at the beginning and read the entire thing. It was pretty easy reading with lots of good tips for living a healthy lifestyle. Once in a while I felt like I was in an infomercial because of the ALL CAPS TO MAKE A POINT style of writing but I am mostly past that. (As an editor, I do find all caps somewhat jarring.)

I found myself agreeing with the author on a number of points (yoga is good, repetitive exercise is bad for the joints, sugar is bad, fruits and veggies are good, sleep is good). I also found myself questioning his direction on a number of points particularly surrounding the issue of eating meat (how much "protein" to eat in a day, where does a vegetarian get their protein - he mostly advises eating meat and/or eggs, what are the ethical implications of eating so much meat - meat, fish and seafood every day for most meals).

That said, I am particularly healthy and should be surging with energy according to the quiz at the beginning of the book. Sometimes my answers weren't even options. I.e. The "best" answer for the question on Drinking Habits goes like this, "My drinking habits are [5 - really good] because I only have one cup of coffee first thing in the morning and drink more tea (he means caffeinated tea) and at least 75-80 oz. of water a day. I've also cut my alcohol consumption to 4 glasses of wine a week."

Really? I don't even drink coffee every day and I never drink tea with caffeine and I sure don't drink up to 4 glasses of wine a week. I realize his quiz questions are just to get an idea of your lifestyle and how that might affect your energy, but I was pretty surprised when on a number of questions his "best" option was not in line with what I would consider healthy. Makes me wonder if I am a total oddball.

Still, I always enjoy reading about health and I would recommend this easy-reading book.

Restoring and Rebuilding your Inner Core Part II - Strengthening Uddiyana Bandha

2012-01-02T07:00:00.115-06:00

If you have read the previous post, Restoring and Rebuilding your Inner Core Part I - Finding Mula Bandha, and practiced the exercises, you should have an understanding of how the pelvic floor (the muscles between the tailbone and pubic bone and from sit bone to sit bone) and the transverse abdominus (the innermost of the flat muscles of the abdomen) engage and support you. In this post, we will continue our inner core work with a basic technique for strengthening the transverse abdominus.

Exercise 2: Strengthening the Transverse Abdominus

Setting up:
Start by laying on your back on the floor with your knees bent (See previous post for a picture). Find a neutral pelvis - hip points and top of pubic bone are on the same plane. Do a couple of pelvic tilts and tucks to find neutral. When your pelvis is in a neutral alignment you should have a slight curve in your lumbar spine, just as you would when standing.

Find a regular, steady breath and practice a few rounds of inner core engagement in conjunction with the breath (Exercise 1).

Working in the pose:
After establishing your breath and your inner core engagement, begin to add load by slowly lifting one heel off the ground, re-settling it, and then lifting the other. This is called heel lifts. Sounds easy, I know. But what is not always easy is maintaining your breath, your inner core engagement, soft jaw, soft shoulders, and a perfectly neutral pelvis while doing this.

Keep your hip points equidistant from your lower ribs, keep your lumbar slightly curved - not over tilted and not smooshed to the floor. Let your palms rest on your hip points and your finger tips point down toward your pubic bone. This will help you feel any movement in the pelvis as you try these heel lifts.

If you are perfectly steady doing heel lifts, you can add on by lifting your whole foot off the floor. First peel up the heel then let the toes lift off. Settle your first foot completely before you try your second foot. Now you are doing toe taps. Look for the same "tells" that you are overdoing it: you have forgotten your breath, you have let your pelvis stray from neutral, you have clenched your jaw or rounded your shoulders. If any of these things are happening, go back to heel lifts.

What I notice in my body when I do this exercise is that I am very stable on the left side but very wobbly on the right side. This is fairly common for folks who have SI joint dysfunction, back pain, or who have had an injury or surgery. If this is true for you, work to the level of the "weaker" side and don't over do it. This is slow, mindful work. It takes time and careful effort to build stability. And for some of us it will likely be a life-long pursuit.

Finishing:
Let yourself completely relax after your heel lifts and/or toe taps. Soften Mula Bandha and Uddiyana Bandha. Take any finishing movements that you like: a long stretch, a bundle roll hug, gentle twist, etc.

Homework: 1) Pelvic floor lifts: 10 each, 5 times a day from any position: sitting, standing or laying down. 2) Heel lifts or toe taps: 5-10 on each side making sure to keep the pelvis stable and neutral and maintain an easy breath.

Previously: Restoring and Rebuilding your Inner Core Part I - Finding Mula Bandha. Visit this post to read the benefits of pelvic floor and pelvic girdle work and to learn or review Exercise 1.

Up next: More exercises to improve your core.

Inner Space Yoga Makes Yoga Practice More Colorful

2011-12-26T08:51:00.000-06:00

Angela from Inner Space Yoga contacted me recently about her colorful, quality, and domestically made props. I had a look at her website and loved all the fabric choices - plus, there is the added bonus that she is a small business and sources things locally. As a side note, my grandma owned a fabric store when I was growing up and I always loved going to visit her to play in the rows upon rows of fabric. So much potential!

If you didn't get what you wanted for Christmas, have a look at Inner Space Yoga's yoga and meditation supplies.

Check out these awesome fabric choices!

About Inner Space Yoga:

Inner Space Yoga was created in 2007 by Angela McWilliams, to meet the need for quality, domestically manufactured yoga props. All designs were developed and refined with the input of Angela’s teachers and fellow yogins, with the goal of creating yoga props that are durable, well-made, supportive and, above all, beautiful. Many of the materials, such as the cotton batting, are sourced locally, and the products are sewn by either Angela herself, or local sewers.

Bio: Angela McWilliams began practicing yoga in 2006, studying Iyengar yoga with Cindy Dollar. She is a graduate of Asheville Yoga Center’s 200 hour teacher training, and is pursuing her 500 hour certification. While still primarily a student of Iyengar yoga, she does enjoy exploring other styles of yoga and takes advantage of the many opportunities to study with world-class yoga teachers who offer trainings here in Asheville. She also studies extensively with local teachers Steph Keach and Lillah Schwartz.

Restoring and Rebuilding your Inner Core Part I - Finding Mula Bandha

2011-12-19T07:00:00.022-06:00

In my previous posts I spoke quite a bit about the inner core. But what does this mean exactly? It's not just your abs - yoga doesn't care if you have a 6-pack. The important thing is to have a calm, strong, and steady center. Inner core work is vital to this process. Below, I detail the first exercise to help you start to rebuild and strengthen your core.

Exercise 1: Finding Mula Bandha (pelvic floor engagement) and Uddiyana Bandha (lower abdomen engagement)

Setting up:
Start by laying on your back on the floor with your knees bent (Constructive Pose). Find a neutral pelvis - hip points and top of pubic bone are on the same plane. Do a couple of pelvic tilts and tucks to find neutral. Use extra padding (folded blankets) as needed under the bum or under the neck/head for comfort.

Find a regular, steady breath. Notice how the inhale causes the respiratory diaphragm to press down into the organs which in turn press down into the pelvic floor (this is subtle - don't worry if you can't feel it yet). The exhale returns the respiratory diaphragm to its resting "umbrella-like" position under the rib cage.

Working in the pose:
After establishing your breath, begin to exaggerate the movement of the belly and pelvic floor. On your inhale, relax everything and let the belly rise. On your exhale, pull your belly toward your spine without moving your actual spine - keep your pelvis neutral. Now you are engaging the transverse abdominus and Uddiyana Bandha. Inhale and soften again. Take a few rounds of this breath. Inhaling and relaxing, exhaling and engaging.

Adding on, we will start to find the pelvic floor muscles. On your exhale I want you to engage the pelvic floor muscles (these are the muscles between the tailbone and pubic bone and from sit bone to sit bone) and the belly muscles (transverse abdominus). Pull the pelvic floor muscles up toward the area behind your belly button and pull your lower belly back toward the spine. Don't worry if you can't figure this out at first. It takes practice. On the inhale, relax everything again. Take a few rounds of this type of breathing. Inhale and relax, exhale and engage belly and pelvic floor.

If you can imagine your muscular engagement as a dial, practice your engagement at different levels of engagement. Try about a 3, then dial it up to a 7; try a 10 (completely engaged) then dial your engagement back to a 1 or a 2. Practice these different levels to become familiar with the amount of effort it takes to engage. Why? Because you don't need to dial up your engagement to a 10 if you are only picking up a water bottle. But what if you are picking up a toddler or a heavy rock? Then you need more muscular engagement.

Finishing:
Let yourself completely relax after working Mula Bandha and Uddiyana Bandha. Take any finishing movements that you like: a long stretch, a bundle roll hug, gentle twist, etc.

Benefits of Pelvic floor work:
Helps reverse or prevent incontinence; Can assist in reversing or preventing prolapse; Improves sexual functioning; Improves your fluid movement and connection with your inner core.

Benefits of Pelvic girdle work:
Creates stability in the pelvis; Reduces back pain; Reduces SI pain; Creates a center that is unshakeable; Improves posture and stability from the inside out.

Previously: My Story Part IV: Restoring my Inner Core
Up next: More exercises to improve your core.

ps - Just 5 minutes a day of these exercises can help you. You don't even have to lay down and take time out of your day (although you should give yourself a break). You can practice your inner core engagement while you are sitting at your desk, waiting for a stop light, doing dishes, or any time you think of it.

Winter Wonder Yin

2011-12-12T07:00:00.005-06:00

I'm taking a little break from writing about the inner core to bring you a bit of info about keeping healthy and stress-free over the winter and the holidays. The following article from Yoga Journal explains the TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) perspective on winter, the holidays, and learning to keep rhythm with our body's natural cycle.

An acupuncturist explains why the final month of the year, an inherently yin season, is not the time to indulge in yang activities like shopping, partying, and staying up late. By Laurel Kallenbach

The final few months of the year often find us in a frantic state of shopping, decorating, traveling, and other high-energy activity. Yet instead of having fun, we often end up feeling ill, anxious, or depressed. The reason, according to Taoist philosophy and traditional Chinese medicine, is that the action-packed schedules we keep at this time of year fall out of sync with the earth's natural cycles.

"We naturally have less energy to burn during the winter," explains acupuncturist Carolyn Cohen, L.Ac., who teaches at Yo San University, a college of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in Santa Monica, California. "So when we engage in behaviors more appropriate for summer—staying up late and dashing around town—it's no wonder that the forced cheer of the holiday season can wear a bit thin."

Taoist philosophy conceptualizes universal balance in terms of yin and yang, complementary forces that govern the universe. Yin characteristics are cool, wet, slow, feminine, and quiet, whereas yang is the opposite: warm, dry, fast, masculine, extroverted. Winter, the yin season, is a time for storing and conserving energy in the way a bear retains fat by hibernating, or a farmer stores food for the cold months ahead.

In agrarian cultures, people spend the shortest, darkest days indoors by the fire, eating warm, slow-cooked, nourishing food and sharing stories with their families. The incongruity between winter's restful, introspective, yin nature and the frenetic way many Americans spend their holidays can contribute to seasonal affective disorder, depression, exhaustion, and other manifestations of what is known in TCM as shen (or spiritual) disharmony.

"Winter solstice, just three or four days before Christmas, is the darkest, most yin day of the year," says Cohen. "Instead of turning inward, we're celebrating with excess and yang activity. This artificiality creates stress, and many people dread the season as a result."

To stay balanced during winter, suggests Cohen, conserve your yang energy. Restorative yoga, tai chi, qigong, and walking are best suited for yin season, as they safeguard your energy reserves. "Think of these practices as an investment of your 'energy paycheck,'" says Cohen. "Don't use up what little winter energy you have with overactivity and added stress."

Eating cooked, spicy yang foods provides another good way to replenish energy. Prepare yang-strengthening soups, slow-simmered stews, beans, roasted root vegetables, and warm drinks. Add yang spices such as garlic, ginger, black pepper, cloves, and basil to increase the warming effect. Minimize your intake of yin foods such as raw vegetables, salad greens, and cold drinks.

If you find quiet, more modest ways to celebrate the holidays, you'll stay in tune with the season and feel less need to release tension by overeating or rampant spending. You'll also have more time and energy to connect with close friends and family. If you're out of sync with the mall mobs with maxed-out credit cards, chances are you'll find yourself in step with the quiet, nurturing yin nature of winter.

My Story Part IV: Restoring my Inner Core

2011-12-05T07:00:00.096-06:00

Restoring my inner core has been my mission ever since teacher training. My exploration of the inner core and learning to deepen my awareness began in TT. I continued this learning-path with extended studies specializing in the inner core with my teachers, Ann Maxwell and Susi Hately Aldous, and I dedicated two 40-day practices to the inner core.

I had two signs that there was some change happening in my pelvis, sacroiliac joints and inner core: 1) my left SI joint moved for the first time ever. Now this didn't feel good, but I still took it as a good sign because at least both of my SI joints were moving instead of one stuck and one hyper-mobile. And 2) my outside-to-inside kick in Tang Soo Do (a Korean martial art) became so much stronger that I was able to kick the training pad out of my teacher's hands. Sounds like a funny way to measure change but I knew my body and I knew that I was making a difference by practicing deep inner core work.

Image from Wikipedia

This work is quiet, mindful and can make me want to scream. I had to learn how to find, use and move my pelvic floor, transverse abdominus, multifidi, adductors, and abductors, and I had to breathe while I did all this concentrating.

All this work has not eliminated my SI joint instability but it has become manageable. When I keep up on my work (as little as 5-15 minutes a day of inner core work) I can manage my pain. When I get lazy and don't do my work, instability comes sneaking back into my body. But now, after 3-4 years of work I can bring back stability in a short time. And at least I know I have the option of helping myself get out of pain.

Previously: My Story Part III: Teacher Training and More
Next up: I will detail some of the exercises I did that helped me strengthen my inner core and regain some control over my life by reducing my pain.

My Story Part III: Teacher Training and More

2011-11-28T07:00:00.006-06:00

I signed up for teacher training in 2007 through Yoga North, the studio where I was starting to learn about the inner core, good alignment, and not pushing too far. I wanted to learn to use yoga to help my pain and to strengthen my body the way I needed. The 200 hour teacher training met one weekend per month for 6 months. The weekends were quite rigorous. The hours were something like this: 1pm-9pm on Friday, 7am-9pm on Saturday and 7am-6pm on Sunday. In addition to the weekend trainings, we had homework: studying philosophy, writing papers, doing a 40-day practice and journaling our experience, completing take-home tests, and teaching practice classes to a willing participant or two (read: family, friends or co-workers) so we could hone our new skills.

When I went through teacher training, Yoga North was in process of becoming more therapeutically focused, expanding on the Inner Core and Anatomy and Movement Principles from Susi Hately Aldous: move in a pure range of motion; move with the spine in mind; move from the larger joints first; when you are on your mat don't move into pain and if you are already in pain don't move into more pain; less is more. These were exactly the things I needed to learn in my body and in my practice.

Some of the inner core exercises we did seemed so simple I didn't believe they could help. We did things like laying on the floor with bent knees and squeezing a block between the thighs, tightening a belt/strap around the thighs and pressing out into it, and practicing pelvic floor lifts. We did awareness practices too like closing our eyes and barely moving into a pose using all of our awareness to focus inside. This is how I found out that Triangle was hurting me. I felt the tiniest of twinges at my right SI joint and realized, "Oh my gosh, that twinge was in the exact spot where I get the stabbing pain when I walk! I think Triangle is hurting me!"

This is about as far as I can safely go
in Triangle. Yeah, it's tiny but
I'm not in pain later.

This was revolutionary. Now that I knew what was hurting me I could avoid it. I was regaining control over my pain. OK sure, doing Triangle in such a tiny fashion that I barely moved was a bit of an ego-buster but I would do about anything to avoid the a-knife-is-stabbing-me-in-the-butt-pain I had been experiencing for at least 5 years during every walk I went on.

Of course the down side to this awareness is that now that I knew what tiny twinge to look for (future pain indicator) I found it in places I didn't want it to be: pigeon, extended side-angle, revolved head to knee pose, revolved seated wide angle, any and every forward fold, any and every back bend. Yeah, that's right, everything hurt.

So basically I had to go backward to go forward in my practice. I had to relearn the basics: core strength (block and belt work, pelvic floor work, transverse abdominus work), alignment principles (move in a pure range of motion; move with the spine in mind; move from the largest joints first), and less is more (when you are on your mat don't move into pain and if you are already in pain don't move into more pain).

Working with these tiny movements and this deep awareness made me feel like I was in "pre-yoga" class. For a long time I felt like I wasn't doing enough, I couldn't feel enough in my postures, I wasn't getting a good enough stretch. But these devious ideas lead us to do more than we should, push too hard, deplete ourselves with no cause, and quite possibly, cause ourselves pain.

Previously: My Story Part II: Yoga's Dirty Little Secret
Next up: Restoring my inner core and building stability.

My Story Part II: Yoga's Dirty Little Secret

2011-11-21T07:00:00.062-06:00

When I found yoga I started to feel much better. My back and neck did not hurt so much, my mind felt brighter and I felt more in control of my emotions. I didn't have near as many monthly ups and downs.

But what was this new pain? What was this horrible, stabbing pain at the base of my spine that plagued me when I walked? Why did it hurt so much after shoveling snow or vacuuming the house? I was just done with a 4 year stint of working in Antarctica and traveling the world (where I shoveled and walked plenty). How could shoveling, vacuuming or walking be hurting me now? I didn't have this particular problem before. (Just all the other ones - ha ha.)

I continued practicing yoga. I even found a real, live class - not just yoga to a TV show. I got a lot of compliments on how flexible I was. My ego liked this so I pushed harder, stretched further, went deeper. And, no surprise, continued to have pain. I could not figure it out. I did not hurt while doing yoga; only while walking. I was pretty sure I was going to end up hunched before my time.

Fortunately, we moved and I had to switch studios. My new teacher, Ann Maxwell at Yoga North, was into teaching about the inner core, moving in a pain free range of motion, building awareness, and retraining forgotten muscle groups. She had been studying with Julie Gudmestad and Susi Hately Aldous and she shared what she learned with her students.

I learned that I did not have sciatica, I had SI joint dysfunction. I started to notice that the asymmetrical, hip-opening poses that I loved - triangle, pigeon, easy seated forward fold - were not the best poses for my body. I was instinctively stretching the part that hurt (my hips and SI joints) but by stretching, I was pulling myself more and more out of whack.

I was starting to take pre-walk ibuprofen to mitigate the feeling of stabbing pain in my behind. Nothing ruins a walk more than feeling like you have a knife in your back. Finally, I saw a chiropractor. Even though yoga had been helping with my back and neck pain, I still had tons of misaligned bones. My neck curved the wrong way, my occiput was jammed, and my hips were uneven. I had good results with Chiropractic. I had fewer headaches and less pain walking. But my bones slid back out of alignment so quickly it was like they were greased.

I knew yoga was both helping and hurting me but I loved yoga. I didn't want to give it up. As a matter of fact, I wanted to learn more. I signed up for teacher training and started to learn how to strengthen my inner core from the arches up.

Previously: My Story Part I: 10 Years of Pain
Next up: Teacher Training, the Inner Core, Therapeutic Yoga and the concept of Less is More

My Story Part I: 10 Years of Pain

2011-11-14T09:47:00.005-06:00

Some of you may know that I had multiple car accidents as a teenager, including a roll-over. I totaled 3 cars in 3 years and had a number of other fender bender type accidents as well. I don't know why. I don't feel like I was overly reckless (although I may have been), but certainly I was an inexperienced and unlucky driver.

After my 3rd car total (the roll-over), the insurance company put its foot down and said, "We will no longer insure you." This turned out to be ok. I grew up in the country but had just started college and wanted to live in town anyway. So, a friend of my mom's helped us find a rental room in another friend's house which was close to school and I moved right away.

Now in those days, I had never heard of yoga, chiropractic, acupuncture or really any kind of preventative medicine. So after each of my accidents (whiplash and all) I did nothing. I saw no doctor and did not receive any kind of treatment.

By the time I was 20 I was in chronic pain. I cracked my back and neck constantly which only brought momentary relief. I got massages but the muscle knots would return within a day. I didn't know what to do. I just figured that I would be in pain for the rest of my life. In addition to back and neck pain, my feet, knees and hips ached constantly. Often I had to take ibuprofen just to fall asleep at night.

In 1999 I found Yoga. By this time I had been in pain for 10 years. I was amazingly weak to start. I couldn't do down dog or plank. I could hardly hold my arms out for Warrior II for more than a few breaths. But I continued. I practiced yoga every morning with Yoga Zone.

This 1/2 hour show was a life saver for me. The stretches and the strengthening were amazing. But the real lifesaver was the subtle stuff: breath work, mindfulness practice, building awareness, learning the philosophy that nothing is permanent, learning to notice what I am clinging to.

Yoga did not "cure" my aches and pains, but it was a first step of taking control of my pain, my body, my mind, my thoughts, and my breath. But it also caused a few problems which I'll share in my next post.

Champion Clothing Review

2011-11-07T07:00:00.001-06:00

I received a request from Champion to review a few items in their new clothing line, Shape Activewear. Here's what Champion says about their new product line:

Champion recently launched a new athletic wear line called Shape which is perfect for the woman who wants to both look good and be comfortable while practicing yoga. The new Shape wear is designed to gently smooth and shape your body giving you a flattering silhouette yet never restricting your freedom of movement.

I tried two of their tops: the Champion SHAPE™ Women's Smoothing Long Top with Inner Sports Bra and the Champion Double Dry® Ultra-Fem Long Top with Inner Sports Bra. The Shape top (L) definitely had a nice fit - snug without binding, doesn't gap in the front when you do a forward fold or plank pose, and allows plenty of arm movement. The Ultra Fem Long Top (R) is super cute with a funky back (click on the link to see a picture of the back) but doesn't fit me quite right. It's a bit too loose in the bust.

I also tried both regular length and capri length Shape pants: the Champion SHAPE™ Women's Smoothing Pants and the Champion SHAPE™ FITTED Women's Smoothing Knee Pants. The regular length Shape pants (L) were about 4 inches too long even though they were a size small - the story of my life. Aside from the length, I liked the way they fit. The waistband did not bind or roll over and the pant's construction material was thick (read: not see-through when you do Plow pose). If I were taller I would wear these pants.

The Shape Knee-pants (R) were of a similar construction to the long pants but were high calf length and fitted all the way down. I didn't think I would like these (too self conscious to wear something so fitted) but I found them comfortable and not too revealing. Again, the belly and waist comfort was good - no binding, rolling or "plumber's butt."

My favorite product however, is the workout skirt/shorts (which I suppose is a skort): Champion Double Dry® Training Workout Skort . Again Champion got it right in the waist band - very comfortable and never binds. The skirt hit me mid thigh and included little under shorts with a tennis ball pocket which I used to carry my phone around. I found myself throwing this on on warm days just to hang out. I loved it.

Yang-Yin Class Re-cap

2011-10-31T17:09:00.000-05:00

Yang-Yin class was another great time. Kristin and I co-teach this class about twice a year at Yoga North. It's one hour of Vinyasa followed by one hour of Yin. Folks seem to really enjoy the combination and the double-length class.

I've put up some pictures below and there are more from class on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/DoRestorativeYoga.

We plan to offer this class again in February. Watch Yoga North's website for details.

Benefits of Prenatal Yoga

2011-10-24T07:00:00.001-05:00

The below article was written by guest blogger, Allison Gamble. She says,

Prenatal yoga is the relatively new concept of practicing yoga to benefit the health of a pregnant mother and her in-utero child. While many women practice yoga to reduce stress, stay active, or practice religion, the first studies on the effectiveness of prenatal yoga have just begun to emerge. Current research from medical and psychology degree programs suggests prenatal yoga may be beneficial in reducing depression, improving sleep, reducing pain, and lessening birth complications.

Prenatal depression is a common condition associated with a number of negative symptoms and outcomes for mothers and infants. While treatment of prenatal depression is critical, many mothers-to-be avoid antidepressants, naturally concerned about taking drugs during pregnancy.

Prenatal yoga offers a drug-free alternative therapy. Yoga improves physical, mental, and spiritual health through controlled breathing, meditation, and specific posturing of the body. Because of its lower risks and natural basis, many pregnant women may prefer prenatal yoga to synthetic interventions for depression.

A study in the journal Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care suggests prenatal yoga could be a promising option for treating mild to moderate feelings of depression during pregnancy. According to the study's characterization, prenatal yoga is "particularly gentle in nature and emphasizes techniques to help women ease their labor and birth experience, build comfort with their changing body, and develop a strong bond with the infant."

The researchers also note yoga has an inherent positive force in that it simply seeks to enhance well-being, rather than treat a disorder, by emphasizing a whole body approach. Because prenatal yoga is nonverbal, and requires no therapist, yoga may better suit women who are uncomfortable openly discussing emotional or health problems.

Prenatal yoga also has the benefit of being relatively inexpensive, especially compared to drug treatments for depression. Yoga is already widely practiced around the world, and specialized prenatal programs have followed as its popularity has grown. You can also find plenty of prenatal yoga videos.

A study in Biological Research For Nursing Pregnancy also suggested parental yoga may help improve sleep in some pregnant women. Pregnancy invokes vast hormonal and biological changes, combined with the profound emotional adjustments that occur in anticipation of childbirth and parenthood. Among other resulting symptoms, many women experience sleep disturbance, which can also contribute to unstable mood and other issues.

The findings from the study are the first to suggest prenatal yoga in the second trimester can improve sleep as pregnancy progresses. Overall the study found that healthy women in the second trimester experienced better sleep with fewer awakenings and less wake time after going to sleep. These results are significant because doctors typically expect sleep will worsen as a pregnancy advances. Sleep during pregnancy is valuable as it may indirectly contribute to labor outcomes. Reduced time in bed and increased wake time during the night have been associated with longer labor and increased risk of cesarean birth in first-time mothers.

Various suggestions have been made as to why yoga helps reduce depression. The simplest may be that yoga helps to increase physical activity level and promotes mindfulness. Physical activity has been shown to improve sleep, and exercise might also be an effective preventive treatment strategy for back pain related to pregnancy.

Pregnancy is a stressful and taxing period of time for most women. Mothers want to ensure they're doing all they can to keep themselves and their babies healthy. Prenatal yoga is a great natural way to maintain health and well-being during pregnancy without recourse to drugs. Current research promisingly suggests prenatal yoga may help with prenatal depression, improve sleep, reduce pains and aches, and promote a healthy birth when the time comes.

Allison Gamble has been a curious student of psychology and its intersection with yoga since high school. She brings her understanding of the mind to work in the weird world of internet marketing with psychologydegree.net.

Free Yoga Nidra Practice

2011-10-17T07:00:00.006-05:00

Yoga Journal is offering a free Yoga Nidra Practice by Richard Miller. YJ says,

Yoga nidra is the practice of conscious deep sleep. It's extremely effective for reducing anxiety and stress, and for facilitating deep relaxation. Practice this yourself with this 13-minute audio recording, and then share it with your class.

Enoy!

Schedule Update: Yoga Nidra, Yang Yin and Restorative Stations

2011-10-13T09:43:00.000-05:00

Lots of opportunities for Restorative Yoga this month.

I am teaching these 3 classes at Yoga North. Please visit their site or call them at 218-722-YOGA to sign up. Each class generally fills to capacity so I recommend that you sign up early.

Thursday, Oct 13 is Yoga Nidra/Deep Relaxation: Class will consist of a variety of relaxation techniques including guided meditation & imagery, breathwork, and restorative postures. In the state of deep relaxation, tension is released from the body on a physical level, and the mind completely switches off. The relaxation response brings your system into balance. When practiced regularly, you will reduce your everyday stress levels and boost your feelings of wellbeing. You will also build deeper awareness and bolster your health with deep relaxation. All levels welcome.

Saturday, Oct 22 is Yang-Yin: A combo class I teach with Kristin about 2 times per year - once in the fall and once in the spring. We start out the class with an invigorating hour of Vinyasa (by Kristin) and follow up with a restorative hour of Yin (by me). Some yoga experience is helpful.

Thursday, Oct 27 is Restorative Stations: A relaxing, meditative class which uses props to allow a gentle opening in the body. Most poses are experienced while laying or sitting on the floor. I set up the room before hand with 4-5 stations. To see examples of class flow plans click here. All levels welcome.

Video of Camp Amnicon's Hermitage Cabins

2011-10-03T13:46:00.000-05:00

Whenever we do a retreat people often ask what the Hermitage cabins are like. There are two Hermitages at Camp Amnicon and generally the teachers stay in them. They are available to rent for personal retreats throughout the year (very reasonable rates). I usually do a little group tour while we are there but this time I also took a video.

Recapping the Return to Center Fall Retreat

2011-10-03T10:40:00.002-05:00

Last January during the Winter Reflection Retreat many people expressed an interest in doing a two day retreat instead of (or in addition to) the one day retreat. Molly and I took this to heart and booked reservations at Camp Amnicon for both a 2-day fall retreat (Oct 2011) and a 1-day winter retreat (Jan 2012).

We just completed the 2-day fall retreat and I am now wondering, "How will we ever go back to the 24-hour winter retreat? How will we have enough time?" Well, I'll worry about that later. For now, a few pictures of the lodge, the hermitage cabins where Molly and I sleep, and the retreat group all together in the dining hall with Bonnie the Cook and Kelly the Camp Host in the back.

The entrance to the lodge.

Inside the lodge, the circle is set (until we go wild with all of our yoga props).

The "Sunrise" hermitage cabin (Molly stays in "Sunset"). The cabins are available to anyone for a very reasonable rate.

The inside of the "Sunrise" hermitage. So sweet.

The retreat group in the dining hall, mouths watering in anticipation of Bonnie's delicious cooking.

Overall, another wonderful retreat with fantastic weather, great learning and sharing, fun hikes, canoes and campfires, and much relaxing and eating. Thank you everyone for showing up and being present. Until next time, Sara Duke and Molly McManus

ps1 - Look for more pictures and video on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DoRestorativeYoga.
ps2 - Look for future retreat dates at www.YogaNorthDuluth.com/events.

DVD Review ~ Yoga for Total Back Care

2011-09-26T07:00:00.010-05:00

Yoga for Total Back Care features vinyasa flow teacher Annie Carpenter.

This DVD features two 45-minute sequences which target the back's major problem areas: one for the lower back and one for the upper back, neck, and shoulders.

The first sequence I tried was for the lower back. I had been working on a few different house projects through out the day: painting in the morning and then hauling, mixing, and pouring concrete for a couple hours in the afternoon. My low back was really feeling sore and stiff and I knew I needed to do some yoga. So, I decided to try out this DVD.

Carpenter started us on our backs with pelvic tucks and tilts, eased us into Supta Padangustasana and then led us into some core work. She brought us to upright and we did a few long held lunges with down dog transitions and then moved into standing poses like Warrior I, Revolved Side Angle and Wide Leg Forward Fold with a twist. She emphasized keeping a level pelvis and keeping our breath steady and smooth. We finished on the floor again with some block-assisted Bridge Poses, gentle twists and a hip stretch.

After Savasana I felt great. My low back was not hurting me at all. After carrying all that concrete I was worried but this sequence helped me get out of pain.

I tried the Upper Back, Neck, and Shoulders sequence the next day after painting for about 6 hours. My right arm, shoulder and neck were very tight and I was getting a headache on the right side too. I try to paint with both hands to bring balance but I can only manage to use my left hand about 20-25% of the time.

This sequence focused on noticing the differences that you might have between the right and the left side, building strength and releasing tension. We started out on our backs again and rolled our heads slowly from side to side which felt great. Then we worked on some shoulder stability with blocks, transitioned into table for cat-cow, down-dog and hanging fold. From there, we moved into slow flowing postures: sun breath + chair, WII + Extended Side Angle, and Plank to Down Dog flow. We came down to our bellies for a Belly Boat flow and ended with some seated arm stretches - Cow's Face arms and Eagle Arms. After a gentle twist we settled into Savasana.

I didn't connect with this sequence as much as the first one. But perhaps that is because it was more challenging and I felt like relaxing, not working. I know I need more strengthening though because I often have ribs out of alignment in my upper back which tells me I don't have enough stability.

I was a little worried that this would be too vigorous a practice for me to enjoy but I was pleasantly surprised to find a smooth, calm, and flowing practice that really did make my back feel better - especially the low back sequence. Over all, I liked the DVD and would recommend it.

Book Review: Sideways on a Scooter

2011-09-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

I am signed up for the Duluth Public Library's Daily Book Review (click here to see the categories you can sign up for). I receive a book review every day by email and if I like the look of it I can go on line and request the book to be held for me. When the book is in, they send me an email and I have a week to pick it up. The DPL is the best!

Anyway, "Sideways on a Scooter ~ Life and Love in India" piqued my interest and I requested it (but not quick enough - at least 4 people were in line before me). This book is a memoir of/by Miranda Kennedy in the years she worked as a foreign correspondent out of India.

I guess I was expecting something more romantic and "happy ending" - more like "Eat, Pray, Love." But what I got was the gritty truth about the enigma that is India. Kennedy explores race and class/caste issues in depth and left me feeling quite uncomfortable with the juxtaposition of yoga and yoga's origins. Kennedy does not even explore yoga (well, there is a Women's Fitness Center where there is a yoga class but the women really just go to the center to socialize and get away from the prying eyes of men), but I am struck by the "all people are equal and we are all divine" message of Western yoga and the reality she saw of complete caste inequality; of Indians purposely keeping the castes in place and being happy about it; of women purposely keeping other women down. Ms. Kennedy does a great job of diving in to Indian culture and helping us understand it. She appears to be very uncomfortable in her situation but she sticks it out, learns, and shares her learning with us.

I am still reeling from the book which to me says that this is one we all should read - especially if we have a romanticized notion of the roots of yoga, which apparently I do since I am stunned by the book.

DVD Review ~ Yin Yoga

2011-09-12T07:00:00.003-05:00

I am always on the look out for new Restorative, Yin and Deep Relaxation information. I recently purchased "Yin Yoga," a DVD by Kim Eng with an introduction by Eckhart Tolle.

The DVD features two practices plus a lecture/introduction with Eckhart Tolle. I came away from the introduction with the reminder to stay present in the practice, notice if you have discomfort or if your mind wanders. Bring the mind back to the present, time and time again. Do not run from discomfort; explore it.

Ms. Eng offers two practices: The Full Practice - Complete Yin Yoga (75 minutes) and the shorter Daily Practice (60 minutes) which is a copy of some of the poses from the full practice. Each practice is soothing and well presented. The style is voice-over set to Ms. Eng's practice in a beautiful garden. She did offer modifications and talked about using props but did not often show the props or use the props herself. I find in my classes that maybe one person per 15 does not need props - everyone else does. But I know that "no props" is more in the Yin style so I was not expecting to see any props or even talk about using props so I was pleasantly surprised.

There was no information pamphlet / table of contents in the DVD jacket which is a disappointment, but this seems to be the norm these days. However, this is definitely a DVD that I will watch / practice with again. I really enjoyed it. If you want more info, there are quite a few reviews on Amazon - some of which are very detailed and helpful.

Fall Reflection Retreat ~ Best Price Deal Extended

2011-09-02T08:06:00.005-05:00

Return to Center Fall Reflection Retreat the weekend of September 30th

Think... camp... for adults.

This weekend retreat at beautiful Camp Amnicon, which is just 30 minutes from Duluth, will include many opportunities for group yoga daily, deep relaxation & meditation, lecture & conversation, hiking, sauna, rest, good food, & great community.

There will also be a guided Amnicon River Canoe trip, fall color hike, bonfires and opportunities for outdoor contemplation or worship. Makes an excellent gift for yourself or a loved one.

Led by Molly McManus & Sara Duke

Arrive: 6 pm Fri, Sept 30th
Depart: 4 pm Sun, Oct 2nd

Cost*: $225.00 or $202.50 if you register yourself online before the deadline. Use the promo code "10fall" when you check out online to receive an additional 10% off your enrollment.
$240.00 starting September 12th.

*Price includes Saturday and Sunday meals, daily yoga classes in postures and philosophy, guided canoe trip and the use of Camp Amnicon facilities.

Sign up online at Yoga North by clicking here or call the office at 218-722-YOGA.

Still Struggling?

2011-08-29T07:00:00.004-05:00

Still struggling to find ease in looking deep into yourself and seeing your truth? Here's a few links to help:

Many Meditations
The Practice of Surrender

And if you really want to go nuts, how about going to India for the Kumbha Mela - the biggest spiritual gathering on the earth. Check out the Himalayan Institute's website for more info.

A Practice of Noticing

2011-08-22T07:00:00.006-05:00

Continuing on with our truth-seeking and self reflection....

I found an insightful article by Sally Kempton talking about how to delve into your own feelings and peel back the layers of emotions wrapping the heart. Here's the exercise she details:

Start with Yourself. If you want to practice with intense energies, a good way to start is with your own feelings and moods, and to start small. Stephen Levine once wrote that working with heavy emotional issues can be like getting into the ring with a 500-pound wrestler—if you haven't trained for it, the wrestler will throw you in the first clench. One of the best ways to train for working with energy is to practice during private moments of meltdown.

One of my favorite times for this kind of practice is the onset of road rage. Like many otherwise reasonable people, I have an inner road warrior who emerges only when I'm alone behind the wheel. He's mouthy, cynical, easily offended—a cross between a New York City cabbie and one of those eccentric hit men from a Quentin Tarantino film. There's a lot of energy in this persona, however. So when I notice myself having snarly private dialogues with a driver who has cut me off at an exit, I try to use the occasion for exploring the energy inside my anger.

You can do this too, anytime. First, take a moment to remember one of your characteristic heavy emotions or the last time you were very angry, grief-stricken, or scared. When you've found the feeling you want to work with, here's what to do:

Acknowledge your feeling. Notice and identify the fact that your inner world has been rocked by an intense, primitive feeling. This is especially important when you've been ambushed by an emotion. It helps to say clearly to yourself, "I'm feeling angry," or, "I'm sad," or, "I'm upset." You don't have to analyze the feeling or even think about where it's coming from.

Pause. Stop yourself from acting on the feeling. To do this, focus on your breathing, following your breath as it moves in and out through your nostrils.

Get grounded. When we're experiencing strong emotions, we often lose touch with our physical body. To get grounded inside your body, bring your attention to the sensation of your feet on the ground; if you're sitting, feel the contact between your buttocks and the cushion or floor.

Bring your awareness into your heart. Once you're grounded, find your center in your heart—not your physical heart but your inner heart, the subtle energy space in the center of your body. If you touch your finger to the spot on your breastbone right between your nipples, you will probably find that there's a slight hollow there and even an achy feeling. Behind this little hollow lies your inner heart. Drop your attention into this center, using your breath as an anchor. Breathe in and out as if you were breathing in and out of your heart. Do this for a few minutes.

Explore the energy in the feeling. Once you have found your center like this, focus again on the feeling you are working with. Where is it in your body? How does it feel? This is not an analytical process; it is more of an exploration. You are giving yourself permission to fully feel and explore the inner sensations created by anger, sadness, injured pride, or fear. Feel whether the emotion is hard or prickly in your body. Notice if there's a color field around your mood. Someone told me that his depressed feelings actually feel grayish.

Let go of the story line. At this point, you'll notice that certain thoughts are attached to your particular emotion, thoughts that frequently begin "How could he?" or "I always..." Acknowledge these thoughts and then let them go, keeping your attention on the feeling rather than getting caught up in your personal story line.

Some people ask, "Suppose there is content in my feeling that needs to be dealt with psychologically or practically? Am I supposed to just let it go?" For the moment, yes. For this particular process, it's important to let go of believing the story that your thoughts and feelings are telling you. If you sense that something in these feelings or in the situation that provoked them needs specific action or attention, take note of it! You'll come back to it later on.

Hold the feeling inside your heart until it dissolves into awareness. Consciously bring the feeling-sense of your emotion into your heart. Hold the feeling inside the energy space in your heart. As you do, let your heart space expand, gently and slowly, until you have the sensation that there is real space around your feeling. Now notice what happens inside you, how the energy inside your anger or grief shifts. It might become sharper and more intense for a while, or it might begin to soften around the edges, to become less specific, less prickly or swampy.

It's important to realize that you aren't just trying to make yourself feel better. You are in a process of shifting your perspective about this feeling. Your intention is to explore its energy and to let that energy resolve itself back into its root, into the core energy of every feeling.

When we bring our heavy emotions into our heart space, it is as if we are bringing them into a place where they can be safely cradled. Psychologist Rudy Bauer has a great way of describing this. He says that holding our intense feelings in our consciousness is like holding hot coals in a basket. The basket contains the coals and allows heat to build up so that we can warm ourselves by their fire, but it also keeps the coals from burning us.

In this way, we can harness the energy inside our intense emotions and use it as a vehicle to move beyond our ordinary mind and toward the source, the Self, where we are powered and supported by something much larger than ourselves—something impersonal and yet loving, something that has no content and yet is full of wisdom. Abiding in this place, we understand what Rumi really meant when he said that fighting and peacefulness both take place within God. Whatever the quality of the times we live in, when we know how to enter the energy of intensity, we have discovered a doorway to the infinite.

Sally Kempton is the author of The Heart of Meditation. She also teaches Awakened Heart Meditation workshops. (For a schedule, visit www.sallykempton.com.)

If you want to read the entire article click here.

More Truth

2011-08-15T07:00:00.017-05:00

I'm still contemplating the ramifications of truthfulness as I was discussing in the last post. What if we don't like what we see when we look inside ourselves? Or what if we are so scared to admit that we have value that we cannot look inside ourselves? What do we do then? Well, we keep trying. We use the Yamas & Niyamas to guide us and we practice non-harming (to self and others) and tapas (staying in the heat of the fire, i.e. staying with the discomfort and examining it). And we practice surrender - we go with life instead of fighting all the time.

Here's a little exercise. Ask yourself these questions:

1. What am I most afraid of?

2. If I could do anything at all, no restraints on time and money, what would it be?

3. What do I love most about myself?

Usually the 1st one is pretty hard to answer because most of us have to admit a fault here like, "I'm afraid everyone will see that I am a fraud. I don't really know what I am doing." The 2nd one can get pretty wild, "I'd travel the world, I'd quit my job, I'd learn another language," etc. Now the 3rd one, that's a doozy. How many of us can admit that we like anything about ourselves at all? Much less that we love something about ourselves.

Go ahead, jump in the fire and admit to yourself how many things about yourself are great. I'll start you off, "I love that I laugh a lot, I love that I'm learning to really see myself, I love that I am creative." Go on, keep on making your list.

ps - Here's an article from Yoga Journal to help you along a bit: Polishing the Mirror - the Practice of Self-Reflection.

Seeking the Truth in Yourself

2011-08-08T15:57:00.001-05:00

Image from Wikipedia

I recently watched the movie Invictus, a portrayal of Nelson Mandela, acted by Morgan Freeman, set in the 1990's, the time period just after Mandela's release from 27 years of unjust incarceration. Mandela was elected president by the first truly free election, the first multi-racial democracy, in 1994.

Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent resistance, satyagraha ("truth force"), influenced Mandela's approach to ruling in South Africa. This was portrayed wonderfully in the movie. Mandela's ability to see the truth in himself--his greatness, his flaws, his prejudice, his desire for revenge, his desire for peace--allowed him to rule from a place of equanimity. His ability to look beyond himself and ask, "What is the best course of action for all people of South Africa?" made him an incredible leader.

Since watching this movie I have been wondering what would happen if we could all be so fearless? What would happen if we could all look inside ourselves and see both the greatness and the smallness that makes us who we are? Could we recognize what hooks us if we could see ourselves with perfect truthfulness? Could we find love and forgiveness in our hearts for ourselves and others the way Mandela (and Gandhi) did?

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti. Peace, peace, peace.

Many forms of Meditation

2011-08-01T07:00:00.006-05:00

Defining meditation is an elusive thing. I think it's hard to define because there are so many styles. There is not just one way to meditate. Frank Jude Boccio does a good job giving a brief explanation of a few types of meditation in his article Meditation for Everybody. I love how he explains meditation here:

A good deal of mystique has grown around meditation, yet it is one of the most natural of our human capacities. You've no doubt had moments in your life when you were not thinking or analyzing your experience, but simply "going with the flow." In these moments, there was no past or future, no separation between you and what was happening. That is the essence of meditation.

Contrary to a common misunderstanding, meditation is not a limiting or narrowing of our attention so much as it is a focusing on what is relevant. Our attention can be narrow, as in observing our breath, or broad, as in cooking a five-course dinner. When the mind is able to focus on what is relevant to what is happening now, we experience ourselves as being at one with what we perceive. This experience is deeply joyful, as we become freed from the illusion that we are separate from everything else in the universe. In fact, meditation isn't a withdrawal from life but a deeper, fuller presence in life.

Read his article in Yoga Journal to understand a bit more about a multitude of meditation styles.

Grounded in Gratitude

2011-07-25T07:00:00.003-05:00

A few years ago I wrote an article called Finding Contentment about a gratitude practice I like to do. Today, I read an article by Frank Jude Boccio which talks about this and more. Here's a little excerpt:

On the surface, gratitude appears to arise from a sense that you're indebted to another person for taking care of you in some way, but looking deeper, you'll see that the feeling is actually a heightened awareness of your connection to everything else. Gratitude flows when you break out of the small, self-centered point of view—with its ferocious expectations and demands—and appreciate that through the labors and intentions and even the simple existence of an inconceivably large number of people, weather patterns, chemical reactions, and the like, you have been given the miracle of your life, with all the goodness in it today.

If this speaks to you and you want to read the rest of the article, visit Yoga Journal.

Yin Style Reclining Hero's Pose ~ Supta Virasana

2011-07-18T07:00:00.003-05:00

Enjoy Yin Style Hero's Pose

Restorative style Virasana, as explored in the previous post, is a great place to start lengthening your quads. But at some point your body may be open enough to try Yin style Virasana, known as Saddle Pose. One of the beautiful things about Yin is that there is not a huge need for props like there is with Restorative. But still, there is some prep work involved.

Setting up for the pose:
For this version of Virasana, I like to start by laying on my back. Some folks are limber enough to sit on their shins with their bottoms on the floor and then lay themselves down backward but for most folks that is a bit much to start with.

Coming into the pose:
So, laying on your back, roll a bit to one side, bend your top leg's knee and pull that foot toward your bum. Try to roll back to the floor. This is Half Saddle or Half Reclining Hero's Pose.

As you linger here, you may find yourself wanting to pull your other leg in and open like so:

If these both seem crazy but you want a bit more stretch than the Restorative style Hero's Pose is giving you, then I recommend trying Supported Bridge Pose with a quad stretch:

This is nearly the same effect, as far as stretching the quads, but it gives you more space to tuck the foot towards the same side hip since the bum is off the floor. You can turn the foot under (toes point toward the same side shoulder) or you can draw the ankle toward you and keep the toes pointing away. Do one side at a time and try to maintain good alignment: shoulder, hip, knee in the same line. This video by Kira Ryder details the process.

While in the pose:
Keep breathing, keep observing the pose in your body, and allow the body to open at its own rate. Commit to the stillness but do allow yourself to adjust your body as you settle deeper in. Breath into any places where you habitually grip and try to soften. Stay as long as you are comfortable.

Coming out of the pose:
If you are in Supported Bridge Pose, lift your bottom, slide the block out from under you and come to rest on the floor. If you are already on the floor, roll to one side slightly and untuck one foot and then the other. If you were practicing 1/2 Hero's take the 2nd side. After the second side you can be done or you could try the full version of the pose. Take a few sacrum circles and then Little Bridge Pose to bring back stability.

This posture was super hard for me at first. I thought I had knee trouble but it turned out it was just tight quads. After a few months of practicing this posture regularly - starting with the Restorative style supported Hero's and eventually working to the Yin style Hero's - my knee discomfort has gone away.

Supported Reclining Hero's Pose ~ Supta Virasana

2011-07-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

Enjoy Supported Reclining Hero's Pose

Hero's Pose can be a very tricky posture to come into for anyone with knee issues, tight quads or low back/SI joint problems. Luckily, with props, this posture can be made available to most people--comfortably--not just to "get through it."

Setting up for the pose:
Gather a number of different props: a few pillows/bolsters, a few blankets, and a couple of blocks. Test your ability to sit on your shins with your bum on the floor between your feet. If this does not happen for you in an upright, seated position, it is not going to happen in the reclining version either. You need support.

Set up a bolster or a thickly-rolled blanket behind you lengthwise. Place a block, bolster, or additional pillows under the end of the bolster where your head is going to lay to create a ramp set-up. Like so:

This bolster set-up is good for Reclining Hero's Pose or for Reclining Bound Angle.

Coming into the pose:
Sit in Dandasana (sit on your bum with legs straight) in front of your bolster ramp. Get very close to your props - let your back body touch the bolster. Bend one leg and tuck your foot by your outer hip. Carefully lower your body toward your bolster ramp, coming into Supported Reclining Half Hero's Pose.

If this feels ok and you want to go for full Supported Reclining Hero's Pose, come back to seated and tuck your other foot next to your other hip and repeat the careful laying down process.

If your knees are saying "NO WAY" then you need more propping. Give yourself something to sit on - like a folded blanket or a small bolster and make your bolster ramp higher. With these modifications, most folks should be able to do this pose. I've only ever had one student who absolutely could not do it.

While in the pose:
Keep breathing, keep observing the pose in your body, and allow the body to open at its own rate. Commit to the stillness but do allow yourself to adjust your props and your body as you settle deeper in. Notice if you are gripping the knees, quads, hips or back (or of course the usual places like the jaw, forehead or shoulders). Try to let these parts soften. Stay as long as you are comfortable.

Coming out of the pose:
To come up, support the torso with the hands on the floor, and either push yourself to a seated Hero's Pose or roll to one side slightly and untuck your feet, one at a time. If you were practicing 1/2 Hero's take the 2nd side. After the second side you can be done or you could try the full version of the pose.

This posture is great for creating length in the quads. There may be discomfort in the knees to start but by lengthening the quads this problem can go away - at least for me it did. However, if the knee discomfort is sharp, stabbing or causes you to hold your breath, I would recommend doing this pose only with supervision.

Happy Exploring!

Do Restorative News

2011-07-04T07:00:00.004-05:00

I've got a number of schedule updates for the week of July 4-11. Here goes...

1. As stated in my previous post, Do Restorative Yoga is finally on Facebook. Come on over and "like" the page to get updates on the newest postings, upcoming events, schedule, reviews and more.

2. No class at Maurices on Thursday, July 7th due to Sidewalk Sales. We will resume normal schedule on Tuesday the 12th.

3. I'm subbing for Kristin's Vinyasa class on Thursday, July 7th at Yoga North: 5:30-6:30 pm. I know I'm not Vinyasa trained but I know how to do Hatha Flow so I think it will go ok.

4. I'll be teaching a Yin yoga class at 3 pm at the Twin Port Bridge Festival on Saturday, July 9th. Lot's of great stuff going on down at Bayfront for this fest: music, yoga, kids activities, motivational speakers, snacks, great lake views and more. Visit Laughingstock Design for more details.

5. I'll be subbing for Dorothy at the Duluth YMCA on Monday, July 11th for the 5-6 pm class. I will probably teach a combo class - Therapeutic and Yin.

Hope everyone has had a fun-filled 4th of July weekend.

Finally on Facebook

2011-07-01T08:44:00.001-05:00

Do Restorative Yoga is finally on Facebook. Come on over and "like" the page to get updates on the newest postings, upcoming events, schedule, reviews and more.

See you there.

Supported Reclining Bound Angle

2011-06-27T07:00:00.002-05:00

Blanket-foot Bound Angle

I've detailed other versions of Bound Angle and Reclining Bound Angle before (here and here). But this version is one of my favorites. It's easy to do at home or at yoga class. All you need are two medium-thick or thick blankets (three if you want one more to cover up with).

Setting up for the pose:
Roll one of your blankets into a small bolster and place it behind you lengthwise. It should be long enough to support your whole torso and your head. The blanket roll should be right up against your sacrum and when you lay on it your head should not be hanging off the end.

Fold your second blanket into a hotdog fold (fold in half lengthwise) and lay it down at the end of your mat by your feet (perpendicular to your mat).

Coming into the pose:
Sit in front of your bolster-rolled blanket with bent knees and your feet on your hotdog folded blanket. Fold the "hotdog folded" blanket over your feet making a "foot sandwich." (Now your blanket is folded twice, lengthwise, with your feet inside).

Pull the ends of your foot blanket toward you, tucking the feet in snugly.

Lay down on your bolster-rolled blanket and get comfortable. Your behind should be on the floor but the rest of your back and your head should be on the blanket roll. Let your knees fall open to the sides, tucking the ends of your "foot sandwich" blanket under your knees and/or hips to support the bound angle opening.

While in the pose:
You can experiment with what feels the best to you. If your head is tipped way back or you feel unsupported in the neck, place a folded blanket under the head and neck - not so thick that your head tips forward. Your head should be level with the body or slightly tipped back.

If your inner thighs feel too stretched, wad up your support blanket a little more and give your knees more height.

Send your arms out to the sides, palms up to encourage the heart center to open. If you feel too much pulling across the chest or through the arms, put a folded towel or blanket under each lower arm, supporting all the way to the fingertips.

If any other place in your body feels uncomfortable or unsupported, experiment with more props until you feel at ease.

Keep breathing, keep observing the pose in your body, and allow the body to open at its own rate. Commit to the stillness but do allow yourself to adjust your props and your body as you settle deeper in.

Coming out of the pose:
To come out, you can either help the knees come back together or you can send your legs straight out to stretch. Either way, roll to one side to rest before coming back to seated. A nice follow-up pose is a Supported Side Reclining Twist.

Enjoy!

DVD Review ~ Yoga for Morning, Noon & Night

2011-06-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

Yoga for Morning, Noon & Night features Jason Crandell, a contributing editor for Yoga Journal who also teaches at YJ conferences and leads workshops and retreats around the world.

This DVD includes three yoga sequences of about 20 minutes each - perfect for sneaking a bit of yoga into your day, even on a busy day.

The first practice is a gentle wake up session featuring Half Sun Salutations (Sun Breath) plus a nice shoulder opener, side bends, and core strengtheners. I loved the pace Crandell led. I felt very taken care of.

The second practice picks up the pace a bit, using Sun Salutation A, standing poses and back bends. Even though the practice was more vigorous than the first one, I never felt rushed. I was able to keep my breath deep, smooth and steady. In a faster paced class I think it is easy to forget your breath but Crandell did not let us do that. Maintaining relaxation and breath awareness during a flowing practice is something I really appreciate.

The third practice took us down to the floor for seated and supine poses. Mostly we worked on hip and hamstring openers plus twists and back bends - with a few down dogs thrown in there as decompression after back bends. I felt very relaxed after this practice.

Over all I enjoyed this DVD quite a bit. Crandell's voice was soothing, his pace (even in the faster paced session) was spacious, and I appreciate his emphasis on paying attention to your body and not pushing yourself beyond your edge.

I watched his interview after the three sequences were over and found out that he had had a serious back injury in the past. Perhaps this is why I felt so comfortable with his teaching: he knows what it is like to be in pain and does not want his students to ever go to that place.

Feeling the Bliss

2011-06-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

The article below was written for Do Restorative Yoga by Diane Kistler, a yoga teacher from Philadelphia, who teaches at Moyo Yoga. Diane writes:

I am just coming off the glow of an amazing Restorative series that we offered at Moyo Yoga in Skippack, PA. I can only hope that the students are sharing this same glow. While exhausting to put together each classes lesson plan, practice and take photos of each pose, and then post the class on the Feeling the Bliss blog, it was well worth the effort.

I digress a bit. My interest in Restorative Yoga began quite innocently. I took a summer retreat at Kripalu with Jillian Pransky. It was titled "Yoga and Nature" or something like that. I was immediately drawn to this practice during the retreat. I continued to study with Jillian in the fall at Yogaworks with her Restorative Teacher Training Level I & II. Her influences are Erich Schiffman, Judith Lasater, Donna Farhi, Integrated Yoga Therapy, Dr. Ruella Frank, Dr. Herbert Benson and the Relaxation Response and so on. She has a very nurturing, down to earth approach to this practice but is steeped in much knowledge and experience.

Following the training, I was super psyched to try this practice out on others. Luckily, a few wonderful students at the studio volunteered. We spent several weeks one on one trying out poses, getting feedback, and adjusting where we needed to. I am grateful to those first few students who trusted me as a newbie. Now I needed to take more classes myself and feel the practice first hand. I came up with close to nothing in the Philadelphia area in late 2010. A few classes but too far away. I really didn't want this learning and practice to get too far out of my range. In early spring of this year (2011), I noticed that area yoga studios were now offering weekly classes and monthly workshops. I've now been able to supplement my training with the experience of the practice itself. I feel fortunate that there are so many offerings.

I knew the time was ripe to begin a class at Moyo. Moyo has been offering more and more series so the students can build upon their practices in things like alignment, prenatal and beginners yoga. A series in restorative yoga is the perfect platform because this practice requires building upon "Remembered Wellness" tapping into the Relaxation Response. We organized it to run for 4 weeks with a one hour class each week. We had 10 participants all with a varied health history.*

I drew up lesson plans for each class and my assistant, Carmen, and I practiced the poses prior to class. Carmen and I set up 10 stations along the wall (students did not move to other stations). We had the necessary props for the poses that day. In addition, we usually had extra blankets, cushions, even Webkinz stuffed animals to place in hands. Currently, we are somewhat limited in props! A typical class was comprised of a reflection on the practice, a breath, 3 poses and savasana (ideally). I followed up with an email to students pointing them to the blog, so they could practice at home. The blog had the classes poses, the breath, recap of a concept like sankalpa (which they set at the beginning of the series), seva, or gratitude journaling and links to useful information.

Not everything was perfect. A few poses were challenging for some students body types, or spinal issues. After the first pose, the room began to resemble a slumber party as props were moved here and there. The limited prop situation challenged us. By far, the biggest complaint from students is that the series was not long enough! As teachers, Carmen and I learned a lot about observation and letting go. After getting students settled in a pose, the more active adjustment, we would hang back and observe the students. When we saw, tension in various areas of the body or someone clearly not comfortable, we may softly say to that person, "Can I do something to make you more comfortable?". Or sometimes, we did not, because we felt that they wanted to be left alone. We noted the discomfort, and moving forward would adjust or set-up a pose differently. All the while storing this information in. We learned so much about our students and about ourselves along the way.

We just completed a Memorial Day workshop and will begin a June series on the 7th. Just like yoga, this practice and our teaching is always evolving. Never a dull moment. Our studio is very interested in continuing a Restorative and Therapeutic program, which I will develop and lead supported by an awesome team.

A major "shout out" to Sara Duke whom without her heart filled love and joy of Restorative Yoga, I wouldn't have found an awesome model to go by. I really appreciate that you have provided so much to your students and to fellow teachers.

*Note: for future series, we will request a health history prior to start to customize classes and adjustments to any conditions.

Diane's bio: I've been teaching yoga for over 5 years and a student of yoga for over 13 years. My "niche" is teaching gentle Hatha yoga to many populations. I also teach restorative yoga, senior chair yoga, and prenatal yoga. I've been fortunate to have been able to share my love of yoga with women who've been abused physically, mentally and emotionally. And sometimes my two girls join me in some fantastic yoga adventures at Kripalu. I'm in a really good place now and what a journey it has been. I love what I do and I do what I love. Isn't that cool?

Visit Diane's blog at: Restorative Yoga - Feeling the Bliss.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

2011-06-06T07:00:00.022-05:00

The meaning of Om Shanti Shanti Shanti as found at amritapuri.org.

The mantras chanted in Amma's ashrams at the end of arati and archana are called shanti mantras1. Therefore to conclude each one, "shanti," which means "peace," is chanted three times. As a spiritual aspirant, one chants shanti in desire for the occurrence of circumstances conducive to a spiritual education. But these mantras can be chanted for peace in a general sense as well. Shanti is chanted thrice not for emphasis but because disturbances are of three distinct categories. In Sanskrit, these are referred to as adhi-daivikam, adhi-bhautikam and adhyatmikam.

Adhi-daivikam literally means "mental disturbances that come from God"—i.e. things that are utterly beyond our control: hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, tsunamis, etc. We have no control over these types of disturbances. So when we say the first shanti, we are praying, "O God, may we be protected from these obstacles that are beyond our control."

Adhi-bhautikam literally means "disturbances that come from the world." That means anything stemming from the world around us—mosquitoes, noisy neighbors, barking dogs, the phone ringing, family arguments. As opposed to the first category, we have some control over this second category of disturbances. We can use mosquito repellent, we can call the police on our neighbors, we can turn off the phone, we can leave the place altogether, etc. So this shanti means, "O God, may we be protected from the people and surroundings."

The third type of disturbance is the most powerful and, at the same time, the only one over which we have total control. Adhyatmikam means "disturbances stemming from the self." For one who is still identified with the ego, the people, places and things of this world stimulate one of two reactions in the mind—attachment or aversion. Whether we physically see someone we consider our enemy as we walk down the street or remember him during meditation, the mental turbulence that results is the same. Lust, jealousy, anger, sorrow, and hatred destroy our peace. During meditation, pleasant memories also distract us. Hearing the sound of a jet plane flying overhead may mentally carry us off to a fabulous holiday we once took. Only after 10 minutes of daydreaming do we realize we have lost focus on our object of meditation.

In fact, Amma says that the ego is the only true obstacle to mental peace. This third shanti is therefore the most important one, because even if we are free from outside disturbances, if the inner realm is not calm we will never know peace. Conversely, once we have found inner peace, no external force can ever disturb us. So chanting this third shanti is akin to praying, "O God, please remove all the inner obstacles."

There is one more element to the three-fold chanting of "shanti," and that is the silence that follows each repetition. If chanted properly, this silence is the emphasis: shanti... shanti.... shanti....

This silence is representative of true peace, the peace of an Enlightened One like Amma. For the spiritual seeker, peace is the goal. For an Enlightened One peace has been realized as his very nature. To have be have equipoise in every situation in life verily is realization.

Memorial Day

2011-05-30T09:30:00.001-05:00

It's Memorial Day and it's raining and gray. I am in the middle of a two week break from teaching. Of course, being on vacation from work means house projects! Dave and I are fixing up our entry way hall/stairs. Everything needs to be redone. Stripping, re-staining, varnish, plaster repair, cleaning, priming, painting, sand the floor, refinish the floor. Ugh!

Well, there is no work to be done today. The rain and damp have invaded the house, creating a non-drying effect on the Polyurethane. We have one more coat to go on the woodwork but are in forced relaxation today instead. It is just as well. It is a national holiday after all. So here I am, thinking and remembering.

Over the winter, Dave methodically stripped all the layers and layers of paint and varnish off of the woodwork. Our house is over 100 years old so there is plenty of build up. I'm thinking that we (people) are just like our house, layering on shells, building a thicker and thicker armor over time, obscuring our true beauty underneath.

Yoga is the antidote. Yoga helps us remove this deadening coating. With our breath and our awareness, we delve deep into our thoughts, our habits, our patterns and we see them for what they are: constructs of the mind and the ego. With mindfulness and loving kindness we remember who we are, we accept what we see, we forgive ourselves, we move on.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti. Peace.

DVD Review ~ Yoga for Your Pregnancy

2011-05-23T07:00:00.013-05:00

Yoga for Your Pregnancy featuring Kristin Eykel and published by Yoga Journal & Lamaze is a well designed, well presented, and well thought out production. The lighting, color and photography is superb.

The DVD offers two main practices for prenatal (30 minute Rejuvenating and 15 min Relaxation) plus an additional 16 minute postnatal practice. Other bonus tracks include Pranayama (7 min), Guided Meditation (5 min), Yoga in the Birthing Room (5 min), Lamaze philosophy overview plus interview with Carol Penn-Erskine (5 min) and a meet the teacher section (5 min).

The two prenatal practices showed variations for propping including using a chair but did not always offer alternatives if a pose was impossible in the body. For example, one of the poses offered was Camel. Now, as a therapeutic yoga teacher, I can say that maybe 1 or 2 of my 100+ students can do this pose without pain in the knees or the sacrum. Most of the folks I teach do not have the flexibility required for propless, high-test poses like Camel.

If an option for setting up blocks by the feet were presented, or an option for sitting on the chair and clasping the hands behind the back or at the chair-back while back-bending over the chair were presented, I would feel more comfortable recommending the DVD. But as a therapeutic teacher, I felt very uncomfortable with a few of the omissions.

On the other hand, I know that the focus was on yoga for pregnancy and not every option can be covered in one DVD. The teacher seemed very knowledgeable about pregnancy, had been through a pregnancy herself and the other demonstrators on the DVD were pregnant themselves. I enjoyed learning more about Lamaze and since the teacher has a Kundalini background, I enjoyed the Kundalini-Hatha hybrid she presented.

One other curiosity: not once was Mula Bandha or the pelvic floor mentioned - not even in the postnatal practice. After birthing, I know pelvic floor exercises are a must-do to regain the tone required to avoid incontinence and to keep all the organs in place. I don't know a lot about pregnancy yoga so maybe someone can help me out here. Shouldn't a prenatal yogi practice Mula Bandha (kegel exercises)? Or is that too much upward energy before giving birth?

Are You a Bad Napper?

2011-05-16T15:02:00.000-05:00

My partner is a bad napper. He hates to take naps because he always wakes up feeling grumpy, groggy and slightly nauseous. Of course sometimes taking a nap is the only thing your mind and body are going to let you do. Forget about focusing on a project or getting any work done - the eyes just won't stay open.

So I suggested that a little bit of Yoga Nidra might be just the ticket. Normally Dave is not overly enthused about yoga but last week after not getting enough sleep on Monday night and a guarantee of another night of not enough sleep on Tuesday night, on Tuesday afternoon he was willing to try anything.

I set him up in supported Savasana in my calm room (yoga room) with Yoga Nidra & Meditation by Katie Meehan and Kimberley Roberts. I thought about only playing the short Yoga Nidra practice but then I decided to just start the CD from the beginning and let Dave do (or not do) the whole thing. The CD includes:
Pranayama - Abdominal Breathing
Heart Meditation
Short Yoga Nidra
Long Yoga Nidra

Dave ended up listening to the whole thing (about 70 minutes) and "woke up" totally refreshed, cheerful, and not nauseous. He says he doesn't remember anything, that he thinks he was asleep though the whole thing. But something was different for him. This was not a regular nap. This was a yogi nap.

Go Yoga Nidra!

ps - Yes, Petra did Yoga Nidra with him. She loves Yoga Nidra and the calm room.

Complementary Success ~ Yoga and Cancer

2011-05-09T10:07:00.002-05:00

The article below was written by Krista Peterson, a recent college graduate who has a strong interest in spreading awareness of such issues as cancer and chronic illness.

More and more people are seemingly taking up yoga these days. The benefits from an exercising and physical health standpoint are second to none. The benefits of yoga are also being taken advantage of by patients of cancer and other terminal illnesses. While yoga may not cure diseases, it’s commonly being used as a complementary option in the therapy process.

Yoga’s major help to these patients often involves its ability to have an impact on lessening the side effects of traditional treatment therapies. A therapy process like chemo can be long and exhausting, while often times bringing on bouts of nausea and diarrhea. Yoga can help to reduce the pain and exhaustion that comes along with chemo and has often been shown to reduce nausea as well.

Yoga’s breathing and stretching exercises have been shown to improve sleep patterns and cut down on the dependency on sedatives. Yoga allows these patients to return to something that may have been common in their everyday lives. A 2010 study by the American Society of Clinical Oncology tested over 400 participants who all showed great benefits from routine yoga time added onto their normal treatment schedule.

Even though evidence has mounted toward the success of yoga as a complementary therapy option, health insurance and government programs still don’t provide financial support for patients looking to take part. Continued research looking for scientific evidence is being invested to further the push towards some kind of support system, even if it’s small at first.

Yoga’s effect has been felt and used by myriad patients with diabetes, arthritis, leukemia, mesothelioma and other cancer types. It has been a help to arthritis patients with their flexibility and total range of motion. Overall it can provide a time of peace that is rare in treatment. This time of tranquility and peace can often be extremely valuable. For some patients, this time of peace can play an extra important role. Because there is no mesothelioma cure, these patients often value yoga as a time to reflect, find peace of mind, relax, and experience tranquility in some of the closing stages of their lives.

The full impact of yoga on terminal illness patients has yet to be felt. Increased studies and research will hopefully signal more support and access to yoga for patients of all diseases. Given its ability to have a positive effect on both the physical and mental scale, yoga is certain to continue to gain popularity as a complementary treatment.

Krista's Bio: Krista Peterson is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer. As a health and safety advocate, she shares a strong passion for the wellness of others in her community. Krista has been practicing yoga for 3 years and loves to encourage others to do so as well. Through her writings, she helps to spread awareness of such issues as cancer and chronic illness and how they can be treated. Contact her at krista.peterson925 (at) gmail (dot) com.

Do Restorative News

2011-05-04T08:08:00.010-05:00

Restorative Stations & Deep Relaxation

Join us for this master class!

This 1.5 hour class is designed to get you relaxed for the weekend and beyond. Class begins with restorative stations-- rotating through stations where props are ready to ease the body into restorative poses. Sara sets up the stations ahead of time, and then assists students to find maximum comfort and relaxation. The class will conclude with a guided Deep Relaxation session (body awareness, breath practice, guided imagery and guided meditation) of about 20-30 minutes.

You do not need to bring your own mat or any other props except a personal eye pillow (if desired). Wear warm, stretchy clothing.

Location: Yoga North
Date: Saturday May 7th
Time: 7:30-9:00pm
Price: $15.00 - space is limited - register in advance to secure your spot!

Sequence featured on The Joy of Yoga Blog

Emma from The Joy of Yoga reposted my YMCA Yin sequence. Her blog is a great place find ideas for sequencing classes. In addition, she is looking for class sequence donations for a book she is working on. Visit her blog here: wwww.thejoyofyoga.blogspot.com for more information.

Book Review - Radical Healing

2011-05-02T07:00:00.001-05:00

When I was asked to review the book Radical Healing (2nd edition) by Rudolph M. Ballentine, M.D., I thought, "Sure, why not? That shouldn't be too hard and it sounds interesting too." Then I received the book and was a bit taken aback by the size and scope of this 600-plus page tome.

Topic covered include: Nature's Medicinals - Herbal Traditions, Homeopathic Remedies and Cell Salts, Flower Remedies; Self-Assessment - The Meaning of Diagnosis, Body Maps, Techniques for Self-Diagnosis, Multilevel Diagnosis and Constitution: What's Your MInd-Body Type (Ayurveda); Foundation Stones - Nutrition, Detox, Movement and Exercise; Energy and Consciousness - Energy and Breath, Healing as Transformation, Reweaving; and Resources - Self-Help Index and Home Medicine Kit, Guide to Further Study of Holistic Medicine, Products and Services.

The idea behind Radical Healing according to Dr. Ballentine is to present a comprehensive vision of medical care - one that brings together the various holistic modalities (Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Naturopathy) and integrates their insights and skills.

I love the personal tone Dr. Ballentine sets in his intro. We get to learn a bit about his background and hear some patient stories as examples. The reading is easy and interesting. It draws you in. And, as soon as the chapters start, there is practical information: like how to create your own homeopathic remedy for ragweed allergies. Cool!

I found myself wanting to go more in depth with each chapter. My interest was really peaked with each subject. I think each topic could be expanded into a book in its own right.

Although I have not yet read the book cover-to-cover, I am very pleased to have this book in my library. I know it is something I will reference time and time again.

The book is available through the publisher, Amazon.com and other retailers for $19.95 or less.

Published by the Himalayan Institute, www.himalayaninstitute.org, March 2011 by Rudolph Ballentine, M.D., a pioneer of the holistic health movement. Drawing on more than 40 years of study, medical practice, and research, Dr. Ballentine presents a comprehensive, practical system of dynamic healing. Our ultimate objective is to expand our self-awareness on all levels, and guides us toward our ultimate objective—a restoration of wholeness. The result is transformation. The result is radical healing.

Restorative and Yin at the YMCA

2011-04-28T09:41:00.001-05:00

I subbed or "guest taught" at the YMCA last night and had a lovely time. It was great to see so many of my former students (and meet new students too). The Y is finally done with their renovations and the new Mind-Body room (yoga room) is very nice. Quiet, meditative, and nice paint colors.

I subbed for Thomas's Yin class but of course my style of Yin is more like Yin-Therapeutic-Restorative so I'm sure it seemed like a very different class for folks who are not used to my teaching style.

I started everyone off in Legs-up-the-Wall,

added in a #4 hip stretch

and then flowed into Hand-to-big-toe at the wall.

From there we scooted ourselves off the wall

so we could take in Supported Bridge Pose with a quad stretch.

Some folks did 1/2 Hero's Pose (reclining) instead of Supported Bridge with quad stretch (same effect - just using a block or not).

We rested in Child's Pose but added in Yoga Mudra (hands clasped behind the back, roll onto the crown of the head and let hands reach towards the floor over the head (sorry no image for that one yet).

Our final active pose was a true Yin lunge -

low, deep and long-held.

This image is from Camp Amnicon Winter Reflection Retreat 2010.

I let everyone do their own thing for a few minutes and then we finished with final relaxation.

Being the non-traditional teacher that I am, I encouraged everyone to find their own final pose, whether it was Savasana, Reclining Bound Angle, laying on their belly, or whatever.

It was lovely to see everyone at the Y. The class has really grown.

Wrap up for Restorative Stations

2011-04-22T07:53:00.000-05:00

Last night (Thursday, April 21st) was my regularly scheduled, one-time-monthly, Restorative Stations class. I've been experimenting with different class flow plans for a few months now. See this post for reference. This month I tried the "4 station" plan (click image to see larger):

Row 1 was Reclining Bound Angle
Row 2 was Supported Bridge Pose
Row 3 was Side Seated Reclining Twist and
Row 4 was Legs-up-the-Wall Pose

The pose times increased to about 12.5 minutes per pose, including transitions. When I have 5 stations I allot 10 minutes per pose, including transitions (for a 75 minute class). This means that last night poses were held about 10.5 minutes compared the the usual 8 minutes.

Most folks seemed fine with staying longer and one student told me after class that she really liked the longer time spent per pose. But I also observed a few students during class who seemed a bit distressed in the pose (squirmy, coming out of the pose early, scrunched foreheads, etc.). I encourage people to never "get through" a pose. I want them to come out early and head to Savasana if they are feeling discomfort. So I was glad to see that folks were heeding that advice, but it made me wonder if the pose times were too long for some people.

Well, I think I will keep experimenting and hopefully I will get some feedback from my students on what they like and don't like, and we will keep refining the class.

Join the National Foundation for Cancer Research and Stretch to the Cure

2011-04-18T14:38:00.000-05:00

Stretch to the Cure 2011 Just Announced: September 19 - 25!
Some run, some walk, but the bold STRETCH their way to the cure!

The National Foundation for Cancer Research is calling on all yoga and Pilates stretchers to commit their practice to support Research for a Cure for all cancer types, by joining their local studios in the Stretch to the Cure Campaign.

Join us as we Stretch to the Cure! For the week of September 19 - September 25, 2011, yoga and Pilates studios across the country will donate the proceeds of their classes to cancer research. Discovering the root driver of actions and relationships is a critical part of the journey as a stretcher as well as a cancer researcher. Much like the unique voyage of one's body and mind through the practice of yoga and Pilates, the National Foundation for Cancer Research follows the path of distinct molecular variables that can create and prevent cancer. In our respective practices we address the important issues at the source, uniting us to work together on the Stretch to the Cure.

Do you own or operate a yoga or Pilates studio? Visit the Studio Page and review the Stretch to the Cure Proposal to register today.

Any questions about getting involved? Contact the National Foundation for Cancer Research at stretch@nfcr.org.

Birthday Relaxation

2011-04-15T07:46:00.000-05:00

My friend Emily shared a tip with me a few years ago: plan your own birthday and you will never be disappointed. Well, duh! Why didn't I think of that? Since hearing her wise words I have been an active participant in my own birthday planning. Last year, I turned 40 and decided that, yes, it was a momentous occasion and it should be marked. Being from Minnesota, I thought it would be fun to have a hotdish potluck.

This year however, my birthday fell on a Monday and 41 isn't that special so I opted for no party. Instead, I scheduled a massage for the morning and a hair cut for the afternoon. In between, Dave took me out to lunch at a local Thai restaurant and in the evening we had popcorn and a movie. Overall, a very relaxing and fun-filled day.

Go ahead, treat yourself well for your birthday.

Wrap up for Deep Relaxation Workshop

2011-04-05T16:34:00.000-05:00

The Deep Relaxation workshop went very well on Saturday. I had 15 students which was perfect for the amount of props on hand. We used just about everything from both studios: all the blankets, bolsters, mats and zafus. I think everyone was pretty comfortable.

We started out talking about Sankalpa: what is it, why do you want one, how do figure one out for yourself and what do you use it for. Everyone was game to try even though this requires digging in to your most personal feelings and then verbalizing what you want in a way that says that you already have it or you already are it. It's a super hard exercise. We are taught from a young age to belittle ourselves and developing our sankalpa is a reversal of this years-long process.

After working through the sankalpa development process we practiced a few breath techniques and then everyone got snuggled in with all their props to the most supported Savasana possible. I talked them through a long Yoga Nidra practice - about 45-50 minutes and we ended with a short gratitude meditation.

For folks who are looking for links to more Yoga Nidra, I suggest looking at my 40 Day Practice write ups. I detail quite a few relaxation CDs/ mp3s there. Also, you can visit my resources page for books and relaxing music.

Thanks everyone for making it out to the workshop. Best of luck in your relaxation journey.

Meditation 101

2011-03-30T07:00:00.002-05:00

I thought I had already re-posted this meditation overview article from Yoga Journal but I can't find it on my blog so here it is (again?). One of my favorites is to listen to the sounds of life. I was introduced to this concept first though Elesa Commerse and The Deep Calm. She has a nice meditation CD called Sit Comfortably Meditation Timer CD (pictured right). The funny thing about the below article is that I feel like deep listening is a combination of the 1st four ideas: just sit, listen to the sounds of life, practice bare attention and follow the breath. Really, this is being acutely aware of the present moment. Anyway, I recommend the CD and here's the article from Yoga Journal too.

Meditation 101
In the classical yoga tradition, hatha yoga is practiced as preparation for seated meditation. So over time, you might naturally find yourself drawn inward toward more contemplative practices.

By Claudia Cummins

To give meditation a try, sit comfortably, set a timer for 10 minutes, and explore one of the following strategies. And consider yourself forewarned: Meditation is a delightfully simple practice, but that doesn't mean it's easy!

Just sit. Commit to doing nothing more than sitting quietly and watching what happens. Don't pick up the phone, don't answer the doorbell, don't add another item to your to-do list. Just sit and observe the thoughts that arise and pass through your mind. You will likely be surprised by how difficult it is to sit quietly for 10 minutes. In the process, though, you may learn something important about the qualities of the restless mind and the ever-changing nature of life.

Listen to the sounds of life. Close your eyes and tune in to the sounds percolating both within and around you. Open your ears and adopt a receptive attitude. At first, you'll likely hear only the most obvious noises, but over time, you'll discover new layers of sounds that you had previously tuned out. Challenge yourself to observe what you hear without clinging to it or resisting it. Notice how the world feels more alive as your awareness of the present deepens.

Practice bare attention. Notice the raw sensations of the present moment—feelings of warmth and coolness, hardness and softness, pressure and ease. Which parts of your body are in contact with the earth? How does the shape of the body shift with each inhalation and exhalation? How does your experience change over time? Cultivating an awareness of the present moment will foster a more serene and attentive mind, one that is able to settle into the here and now.

Follow the breath. Attach your mind to the breath. While you're breathing in, note that you're breathing in, and while you're breathing out, focus on the exhalation. Don't manipulate the breath in any way; simply watch it with your mind's eye, just as you would follow a tennis ball bouncing from one side of the court to the other during a particularly engrossing match. When you find that your mind has strayed, as it inevitably will, gently refocus it on the breath and begin again.

Use a mantra. Choose a favorite word, phrase, prayer, or fragment of a poem, and repeat it slowly and softly. Let its rhythm and meaning lull you into a quiet, contemplative state of ease. When you notice that your mind has wandered off to other thoughts, simply redirect it back toward the words you've chosen as your touchstone and rededicate your awareness to them.

Practice kindness. As you sit quietly, focus your inner attention on someone you know who might benefit from an extra dose of kindness and care. In your mind's eye, send this person love, happiness, and well-being. Soften your skin, open the floodgates of your heart, and let gentle goodwill pour forth.

Claudia Cummins practices happiness and teaches yoga in central Ohio. A selection of her essays can be found at www.claudiacummins.com.

Deep Relaxation Workshop ~ Saturday April 2, 2010

2011-03-28T10:30:00.000-05:00

Join me for Deep Relaxation

Rest your body, rest your mind, renew your spirit, relieve stress, build awareness & bolster your health with deep relaxation.

In this workshop we will discover our sankalpa and practice breathwork, relaxation techniques, guided meditation & imagery.

Settle into the quietude of deep relaxation. Practice deep relaxation on Saturday, April 2nd from 10:00am-12:00 pm at Yoga North.

$25 in advance ($30 at the door). Advance Registration Encouraged.

A Letter from a Reader

2011-03-24T07:00:00.006-05:00

The following is a letter from Karen Paulson who has read my blog and shared great tips on Yoga Nidra CDs that I didn't know about. She has taken her own relaxation journey and I have asked her to share her story with us.

Karen says:

I first became interested in Yin Yoga, and then Restorative shortly after that, two years ago when my friend and yoga teacher mentioned it to me as a possible way to relieve muscle tension and the stress that causes it. She loaned me a book by Sarah Powers, "Insight Yoga," and a DVD by Paul Grilley, "Yin Yoga: The Foundations of a Quiet Practice." I fell in love with the long, slow poses and the quiet contemplation they encouraged. For my birthday, she gave me Richard Miller's book & DVD, "Yoga Nidra: The Meditative Heart of Yoga," and I immediately incorporated that and yin into my weekly rotation of asana practice.

Life is so YANG! With sons in the military and college and another one in high school (where I also work), a husband whose job demands travel and long hours, it seems like I'm often struggling to catch a long, slow, deep breath! Throw menopause in there and my brain and body are often caught up in a confusing, spinning vortex of activity and fatigue. I have found that these practices are helping me to cultivate a calm, positive energy. Indeed, that is the heart of my sankalpa...that intention I set for myself... when I lie down for a restorative session.

When Sara took on her 40 day challenge to rest and restore every day, it encouraged me to find time for a little every day, not just once a week. I jumped in with her around day 25 and enjoyed reading about her experiences and sharing impressions of the different personalities and styles we encountered in the recordings. I found that even on my busiest days I could fit in a 15 - 17 minute session with Katie Meehan or Vicki Hansen after work before running to a late afternoon Jazzercise class. In fact, I found that short lie-down to really give me the energy for the dancing and weight training we do in Jazz. On days where I stay in for the evening, I'll choose a longer session by Amy Weintraub, Richard Miller or Winter Robinson.

I attended a weekend workshop at The Asheville Yoga Center in February about using yoga to manage your mood. The workshop was led by Weintraub and she explained that she does Yoga Nidra every day without fail. She usually does it while still lying in bed in the morning. She just reaches for her earbuds and ipod and switches on one of a few different recordings she has. She explained that doing it in the morning is nice because it's easier to stay awake. I've found that to be the case, too. My favorite mornings are those where I rise at 4:30, do a short kundalini morning warm-up, 11-minute meditation, and then end with a 20-minute yoga nidra recording. I find myself energized and ready to greet the day.

When I began my meditation practice, my mentor said, "It's 11 minutes! Everybody can find 11 minutes!" She's right. And now I find that I also feel that way about Yoga Nidra. Everyone can find time for a short practice. You just have to keep your mind open to those little spans of time where nothing is going on. And then? When you find it? Lie down with a recording and do nothing!"

Karen's Bio:
My husband, Bob, and I live in Indian Land, SC, which is just outside Charlotte, NC. We have three boys: Nate (college student), Riley (Army guy), and Taylor (sophomore in high school). I have two blogs: one about my yoga journey, The 8 Limb Path, and another about food and family life called No Food Left Behind

Fell off the Wagon of Relaxation

2011-03-21T08:46:00.000-05:00

When I started my 40 Day Relaxation Practice I was fairly certain that I would be able to make it. And I did. But what I didn't expect was to keep on doing it for 8 more days. Then, since I had kept up my practice, I was a bit arrogant thinking to myself, "This is so easy. I can keep on and on." No. I can't. I fell off the wagon on Friday. It's always Friday that messes me up. The time that I like to relax happens to be exactly when I teach Yin (which is relaxing for me but not the same as receiving a relaxation practice). So, I missed Friday, then Saturday, then Sunday. As we say in Minnesota, Oof-da! I know I'll get back on the relaxation wagon, but it's been interesting to observe how easy it is to let a good habit slide.

Report on New Restorative Stations Class Flow Plan

2011-03-19T08:55:00.001-05:00

The new class flow pattern worked quite well on Thursday. I think it was easier for my students to move from one station to the next when all they had to do was roll over. I used this flow plan (click image to enlarge):

But I had slightly different stations.
Row 1 was Supported Reclining Bound Angle,
Row 2 was Supported Side Reclining Twist,
Row 3 was Laying on the Therapeutic Spinal Strip,
Row 4 was Supported Forward Fold of your choice (i.e. Supported Child's, Wide Angle, Bound Angle, etc.) and
Row 5 was Legs on a Chair.
Click any of these links for more details on the pose.

Restorative Stations coming up Thursday

2011-03-15T18:05:00.000-05:00

So, as I mentioned before, Yoga North got rid of their cushy carpet over the winter holidays. I really loved that carpet for restorative class. I basically used it as one, huge, whole-class prop. When the carpet existed I didn't need to use any mats and all the people were totally comfortable. But, things change and we have to change with them. (Do I sound bitter? I'm trying to let it go. I really am. I am almost over it.)

After the carpet left, Yoga North bought a bunch more props - bolsters, blankets, etc. which has been super great! I have taught Restorative Stations twice since the changeover and it went ok but people had a hard time moving from station to station. The floor is too hard for most folks to crawl on so most people ended up getting up and walking to their next spot. This usually meant walking and chatting with your neighbor which can be disruptive to calming energy.

So I've been thinking about some new layouts for Restorative Stations. I remembered what Satyam said about his "wave" style restorative so I thought I could try a variation on that. He had to have people pass their props to the next row because everyone brings their own mat. But I can set up the mats in advance and also set up the stations (like I normally do) but this time I'll try a different flow pattern that will be easier.

Here's what I used to do. This is an example of flowing around the room. Click on the image to see larger.

I talk about this quite a bit in this post: Leading a Restorative Class: Part Three.

Here's a couple of my new ideas:

First: Keep on doing 5 stations but re-work the flow pattern as seen below - click on the image to see enlarged.

Second: Reduce the number of poses to 4 and hold each pose longer - click on the image to see enlarged.

I'll probably try the first option this time and the second option next time and see what works best and what everyone likes.

At any rate....

Join me for Restorative Stations on Thursday - St. Pattie's Day

Class is held 1 x monthly.
Scheduled Dates: Mar 17, Apr 21, May 19
Time: 7–8:15pm - please pre-register with Yoga North
Cost: Drop-in rate/ punchcard*

*Please pre-register. This class requires tons of set-up and I need to know how many people will be attending. Sign up online or call the Yoga North office at 218-722-9642.

40 Days of Relaxation - And More

2011-03-12T16:16:00.000-06:00

So my final day of relaxation was on Wednesday but on Thursday I found that I really craved my relaxation time. I had to take a break in the afternoon to practice Yoga Nidra. Same thing Friday. Today (Saturday) I don't really feel the need for formal relaxation since most of my day has been spent relaxing with my book anyway. However, it is getting to be the time of day that I usually want to take my break so I'm thinking of heading to my calm room as soon as I finish this post.

What I tend to discover when ever I do a 40 day practice (I've done 3 or 4 now) is that the habit that is formed through the discipline of doing something every day whether you want to do it or not, is one of the greatest benefits. I suppose this is the point of the 40 day commitment.

Unfortunately, it has been hard for me to keep up with my inner core practice since I was using the time to relax instead. Without maintaining my core stability, I have been having some difficulty with my SI joints slipping in and out of alignment. I think I need to find a better balance between relaxing and doing strengthening practices.

One of my students said, "I'm a Libra and I'm always happiest when I find balance." I like that lesson. I'm really happy that I did the relaxation practice and I want to continue to incorporate more relaxation and meditation into my life but I need to remember to maintain my balance between strength and yielding.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 40

2011-03-10T08:58:00.001-06:00

Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - Day 40

Well, I made it! 40 days of relaxation. I spoke with my sister yesterday and she wondered if I felt any different or if Dave noticed any difference in me. It's hard to tell. Dave thinks the added stress of blogging about the relaxation might have offset any benefits. He's right, it was stressful to be so accountable. But accountability was also the benefit. It kept me honest. Each day brought new challenges and with relaxation I was able to examine my resistance to giving myself this gift. Most days I enjoyed taking a break for relaxation. But I noticed that on my super busy days and on my nothing-to-do days I had more resistance to taking the time to do my practice.

A funny thing happened on the final day of my self-imposed challenge. I worked til about 4:45 pm and my knitting group was coming over at 7 pm and I had committed to making dinner too so I had to do a short relaxation. I tried a new Yoga Nidra mp3: Maureen Lewiston - Yoga Nidra. It was well led and lasted about 20-23 minutes which was the amount of time I thought I could spare. Interestingly, I found myself feeling a bit robbed. I wanted more relaxation. I hadn't really felt this before but I took it is a good sign. My body and mind needed to relax more and I was getting the message. So after my guided practice I continued to lay in my calm room for another 15 minutes or so, just settling in and being quiet. My timing worked out fine. I was able to make dinner, eat dinner and get ready for my knitting group all by 7 pm.

I'm curious to see if I will continue my practice. I think I will but I think it will change a bit. I probably won't practice everyday but I will remember that on my busy days I really do need to take some time out for relaxation.

Thank you to everyone who has followed along with me. Your support and comments are much appreciated. If anyone has a relaxation story to share I'd be happy to put it up as a guest post. Write to me at sara (at) dorestorativeyoga (dot) com.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 39

2011-03-08T18:09:00.002-06:00

Tuesday, March 8, 2011 - Day 39

I taught my two regular yoga classes today and then went to the chiropractor. I haven't been adjusted for about 5 weeks. I had thought about making an in-between appointment because my SI joints kept slipping out of alignment which causes quite a bit of back pain. But then they would go back in and I'd think, Oh, I'm fine. Well, I probably shouldn't have put it off because I had so many things that needed adjustment - SI's, multiple ribs, neck, upper back, plus multiple fascial restrictions - that I am wiped out now.

But, since I was so tuckered out after my adjustments, I felt no guilt at "wasting away" the rest of my day doing relaxation. I tried a new Yoga Nidra practice by Amy Weintraub (thank you for the recommendation, Karen) called Life Force Yoga Nidra. I think I liked it. I say "think" because I can't remember much about it. I do recall hearing myself breathing and hearing her talking at the same time. Obviously I was relaxed.

I listened to all three tracks, Long Yoga Nidra, Short Yoga Nidra and Relax Into Sleep. I didn't really care for the Relax Into Sleep track. She started chanting her instructions as if she was Om-ing them and it didn't work for me. Plus she did quite a bit of whispering the word "relax" in a semi forceful manner which was a bit weird. But I'll give it another try. Maybe it will grow on me. At any rate, the CD was a super good deal since I downloaded it from Amazon for just 99 cents per track. So I do not feel bad about preferring two out of three tracks instead of three out of three.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 38

2011-03-07T19:47:00.000-06:00

Monday, March 7, 2011 - Day 38

Well, I have come full circle on this Relaxation for Tooth Pain journey. I had my follow up dental appointment today. I am not having sensitivity like I was a month ago. I can breathe without the air hurting my teeth, which is pretty nice. But, my dentist thinks I need a mouth guard. A $900 mouth guard. Ugh! She sees signs of wear on my teeth - probably from clenching or grinding - and I have a small chip in the enamel of my left, lower, rear molar which is part of a possible fracture in the tooth. She does not recommend a cheaper Walgreen's version of a mouth guard because wearing such a guard can do funny things to your bite and to your jaw muscles since it is not fitted for your mouth. This makes sense to me. But I still do not want to get the super expensive mouth guard.

On an up note, my hygienist thinks I have excellent oral hygiene. And I don't have any cavities. So, I am going to wait on the mouth guard. I am going to keep up with my awareness building and stress reduction regime in hopes that I can solve this problem myself. On a down note, my dentist says she has never seen anyone be able to break the habit of night time grinding because we don't even know we are doing it. But I am hoping with Yoga Nidra I can be more and more aware while sleeping and be the exception to the rule.

For today's relaxation I listened to James Jewell's entire CD, first the long version of Yoga Nidra and then I followed it up with the short version. I needed the extra long relaxation after going to the dentist. It's hard to hold your mouth open for an hour.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 37

2011-03-07T11:26:00.000-06:00

Sunday, March 6, 2011 - Day 37

I had such a do-nothing-stressful kind of day that I put off my relaxation til bedtime. Here's my day: read the paper and drink my tea, eat breakfast, do a bit of clean up after our wine ed group meeting last night, loll around, walk the dog, eat lunch, loll around some more, go to my friend's house for our randomly annual clothing exchange, go directly to Good Will afterward to drop off the clothes that no one wanted to reuse/repurpose (finally! I have been trying to get someone to take a few of my items for about 5 years now - I decided it was time to let it go), come home and read my book for about 3 hours and lastly, do my relaxation right before bed.

I listened to Dr. Louise Montello's Autogenic Training again and danged if I didn't have the best night of sleep I've had in a while. I made it through most of the practice with awareness but dropped off right at the end (of course it 11 PM by that time - past my bedtime). But I was able to put away my headphones without getting too tangled in the cords and I slept great. Thanks Dr. Louise.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 36

2011-03-06T11:38:00.000-06:00

Saturday, March 5, 2011 - Day 36

Today Dave and I visited my mom for breakfast, took a relaxing walk afterward and generally visited away the morning. When we got home we had to get to cleaning the house because it was our wine education group get-together night at our house. We had quite a bit to do with cleaning, setting up the space (getting enough chairs to fit in a fairly tiny room) and getting food ready. Plus we had to eat, shower and get a bit of rest and relaxation in too.

Thankfully I had a long relaxation time yesterday because I only had about 20 minutes today. I listened to the short Yoga Nidra track on Yoga Nidra II by Robin Carnes. I was determined to stay fully alert and aware. I thought I was doing a pretty good job but then when she got to the breathing and counting part I guess I lost my alertness because I suddenly woke up to silence. The practice was over.

It's a funny thing but when I first started practicing Yoga Nidra I never missed anything. I did not fall asleep or drift in and out of conscienceness. I did feel rested afterward but I had not slept. But now (I could be making excuses for myself here) I find myself in that in-between conscienceness state quite often and I wonder, Isn't that good? Isn't that the state we are going for with Yoga Nidra? I kind of love that feeling of being aware enough to hear the Yoga Nidra instructions but at the same time my brain is so completely relaxed that it's almost as if my brain and body don't exist. It's super cool.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 35

2011-03-04T16:21:00.000-06:00

Friday, March 4, 2011 - Day 35
Wow, I can't believe I am on day 35. My dental office called today to remind me that I have an appointment on Monday. Which reminds me that I started this 40 day practice because of tooth pain.

I am happy to report that I am feeling pretty good in the teeth. I can eat things straight out of the fridge without cringing. I can can even sip water straight from the tap if I am careful (Duluth water comes from Lake Superior which is frozen right now so our tap water is pretty dang cold). I can drink hot things no problem at all and I can chew hard or chewy things without pain too.

Of course my 40 day practice is not scientific since I am both relaxing and using a special paste that I have to put on my teeth and let it sit for a while. So I can't unequivocally give credit to relaxation for the decrease in tooth pain. But I do think the practice has helped me reduce feelings of stress, which in turn has reduced my jaw clenching. I am more aware of feeling stress and then dealing with it by taking a break. Even though I had a bit of a downer week, it was nothing compared to times past. I'm very happy to be on this relaxation journey.

Today I listened to both the long Yoga Nidra practice and the short Yoga Nidra practice on Robin Carnes's second Yoga Nidra album. I was in la-la land and came back quite refreshed.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 34

2011-03-04T16:06:00.002-06:00

Thursday, March 3, 2011 - Day 34

Today's relaxation was lead by Margaret Harstad who is a co-worker of mine over at Yoga North. Margaret also has her own business: Muggy Moose Massage. She does all kind of massage but specializes in Thai Yoga Bodywork. I believe she is the only one in Duluth who practices this style.

For her class, she combines restorative style poses with Thai Bodywork. Here's how it works: she limits her class to 12 people so there are enough props to go around. She sets up individual stations around the room. We pick out a spot and stay there. She instructs us on how to get into the pose then once we are settled she comes around and gives us all a bit of individual attention, using Thai massage techniques on different parts of our bodies.

Last night we got back rubs, assisted back bends, shoulder rubs, neck and head work, and assisted happy baby pose or all the way into plow depending on flexibility. It was super great! I was so relaxed by the end. Plus, to make things even better, my friend Emily was signed up too and she picked me up and brought me home. It was so nice to be on the receiving end of a nourishing class.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 33

2011-03-03T14:19:00.000-06:00

Wednesday, March 2, 2011 - Day 33
It was another hard day for me. It's that time of year where other places are warming up but Duluth is getting colder. Spring equinox is just around the corner but over night we had temps down to -10. Ugh!

I didn't have to teach today but Dave and I had our final Northeast Entrepreneur's Fund "Be Strategic, Grow Your Business" class tonight. We had walked to this class all winter but gave up on walking for our final class because it was so dang cold out (in March!).

I know I am much less bothered by weather and lack of sunlight than I used to be before I had yoga but I still get down when it's cold, dark and should be spring but it isn't. So again, I am grateful for this practice that is "forcing" me to relax and take time out for myself. I listened to Robin Carnes's 1st Yoga Nidra album, longer Yoga Nidra track. It was very soothing and a good mental pick-me-up.

For tonight's practice (Thursday) I am going to Margaret's "Thai Restoration" class: Thai Yoga bodywork combined with restorative postures. YUM!

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 32

2011-03-01T18:04:00.001-06:00

Tuesday, March 1, 2011 - Day 32
Last night I took my Tang Soo Do brown belt test. Class went from 6:30 pm - til almost 9:00 pm (I passed). This morning I taught two classes in a row and then went to the acupuncturist. Dave had lunch waiting for me when I got home from teaching and from being needled, but just the same, I'm exhausted.

I tried a new Yoga Nidra practice today. I downloaded Yoga Nidra ~ Blissful Relaxation for Mind and Body by Vicki Hansen and Dana Gifford on the recommendation of Karen (frequent commenter on this blog). I listened to both the short and long track. Short track first which was good since it took me at least half the practice to settle myself and my dog in. The speaker is either Kiwi or Aussie - Kiwi I think - and it was fun to listen to her accent. She has a very soothing style and says a number of "feel good" type of things which was kind of funny but kind of ok too. She had music in the back ground of both tracks. Sometimes I was a bit distracted by it (birds tweeting, new-agey sounding riffs, etc.) and other times it was nice.

I am pretty sure I missed a big chunk of instruction because I could hear myself breathing (ok, tiny snores) but I could hear her talking at the same time sooooo, I don't know - maybe I didn't miss anything. I'll have to listen again to find out.

Anyway, I am grateful to have this relaxation practice. After two days with lots of physical activity, I seriously needed to relax.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 31

2011-02-28T16:14:00.000-06:00

Monday, Feb 28, 2011 - Day 31
We walked the dog a good long way today over lunchtime so it was very easy to lay down and relax afterward. We probably walked about 3 miles which is standard fare in the summer but like I said before, winter walks tend to be short and hurried. I listened to James Jewell's longer Yoga Nidra practice again. I found myself thinking and planning for about the first 5-6 minutes so I started the track over to give myself more time to settle in.

Near to the end of the practice I heard my calm-room door open a bit but I didn't get up. Turns out Dave had looked in to see if I was done but since I was "asleep" he didn't want to bother me. I told him I wasn't asleep and that I heard him, but in truth, I may have been asleep. Or rather, in that place of in-between. That dreamy but aware state where your mind is free to wander but your Self doesn't follow it, where your whole body is relaxed and you might not even be aware that you have a body any more. It's like your body and mind are asleep but a deeper part of you is awake and aware and following along with the Yoga Nidra instruction.

I hope that this deep experience of relaxation that I just had can follow me into the rest of my day. I take my brown belt test tonight in Tang Soo Do. The more relaxed I can be, the easier it is to remember the language (Korean) and how to do the moves and forms.

Ayurveda for Your Best Health and Skin

2011-02-28T09:58:00.001-06:00

OK - this isn't a post for my 40 day relaxation practice but it does relate. Within this article you will read about how our daily life practices (of stress or of relaxation) affect our doshas, our health and our skin. Plus, I just finished my 30 Days of Ayurveda and I am interested in how Ayurveda and relaxation go together.

Here's the article:

Ayurvedic Solutions for Stressed Skin
The ancient science of Ayurveda can help minimize the effects of stress and improve the health of your skin. Yoga, which promotes relaxation, can also keep your complexion in balance.
By Eva M. Herriott

You've probably heard the old adage: Until a person hits 40, she (or he) has the face she got from her parents; after 40, she has the face of the life she has lived. This truth is often good news for those who've made stress-reducing measures like yoga part of daily living. Not only will asanas nourish the internal organs, but they benefit skin health and complexion as well. But beyond yoga, what else can we do to keep aging skin looking healthy?

"Our face and complexion are the physical manifestation of all that we think and do—an exacting mirror of the soul," notes Pratima Raichur, in her book Absolute Beauty—Radiant Skin and Inner Harmony through the Ancient Secrets of Ayurveda (HarperCollins, 1999). "If you want to change your appearance, you must first change the thoughts, emotions, and habits where stress and aging originate."

The good news, then, is that we have a considerable amount of influence over how our largest organ will look and function in the long run. If we lead a life filled with pressure, inadequate nutrition, and too little sleep, the stress these habits bring to the body will eventually be transposed onto our skin. Conversely, if we tune into our body's needs and learn how to adopt a healthy lifestyle, our skin will age gracefully.

According to Ayurveda, a major factor influencing the deterioration of the skin comes from ignoring the needs of our unique body types. Each of us is born with a certain mind-body constitution, determined by the degree of dominance of the three doshas—vata, pitta, and kapha—in our body. All three body types experience different challenges and age differently. Paying attention to the needs of our personal constitutions is the first step in maintaining healthy skin.

Those with a predominance of vata dosha will reflect the qualities of vata in their psychophysiology. They'll tend to be of a light build, their hair will be thin, frizzy, and dry, and their skin will be fine and delicate with a tendency towards dryness, premature wrinkles, and a dull, lackluster appearance. If vata is dominant in your body, your main beauty focus should be rehydration and nourishment—both from inside and out. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Adopt a diet of warm, sweet, and unctuous foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables are also very beneficial, but never eat them ice-cold.

Pitta types have very sensitive skin. As a result, people of this body type are more prone to wrinkles, aging spots, and freckles caused by sun exposure. Pittas are also extremely sensitive to chemicals in personal care products, which may cause rashes or other types of breakouts. If you are a pitta type, take extra care to use only 100 percent natural care products with no preservatives, petrochemical derivatives, or artificial scents. In addition, take care to avoid direct sunlight and pacify pitta by maintaining regular eating habits, eating lots of sweet juicy fruits, and avoiding hot, spicy foods.

Kapha types tend to age more slowly than the two other body types. Their skin is thicker, which makes it less prone to wrinkles. The main challenge that most kapha individuals face is their low digestive power, which often causes them to accumulate ama, or chemical waste products, in the body. This can impede the circulation of nutrients to the skin and create oily, rough, dull-looking skin with enlarged pores. Kapha types should focus on regular detoxification, using natural scrubs and masks to detoxify the skin. Exercise regularly, as this is both a great way to detoxify and to counteract a kapha tendency towards lethargy. Avoid heavy, cold, and sweet foods, as these are hard to digest and will tend to generate toxic waste products in the body. You will also benefit from following a detoxifying diet for a few days on a regular basis.

Once you've given some thought to your skin's unique needs, it's time to take a closer look at the stress in your life—both the stress from your environment, and the stress of daily living. "Stress is one of the biggest causes of deterioration of the skin and premature aging," says Dr. Rama Kant Mishra, one of India's foremost experts on Ayurvedic self-care and current director of research at Maharishi Ayur-Veda Products International in Colorado Springs, Colorado. "It affects the balance of the doshas and the delicate process through which nutrients are transformed into bodily tissue, including the skin. Anything you do to diminish stress will not only reward you with enhanced beauty, but will increase your health and vitality as well."

Many of the changes in the skin that we consider a normal part of aging, such as wrinkles, pigment changes, or brown spots, are caused by environmental stress factors, and are therefore quite preventable. Pollution, sunlight, alcohol, cigarette smoke (even if you are just exposed to it from others), and chemicals in toiletries and water all compromise the skin.

While taking steps to avoid these negative influences seems relatively straightforward, managing daily stress can be a bit more tricky. When the body is under stress, it releases a number of stress hormones, a response which is useful for short-term stressful situations, but harmful if sustained over longer periods of time. Hormonal changes can cause a number of specific skin problems, such as hair loss, acne, thinning of the skin, itching, excessive sweating, and premature wrinkles, or skin disorders such as psoriasis, hives, or shingles. "Through the language of hormones," notes Raichur, "the skin and immune system 'know' exactly what we think and feel at every moment, and reflect our thoughts through their functioning."

Prolonged stress will result in a number of long-term changes in both skin and hair. The body will redirect nutrients from the skin to the vital organs, such as the heart, brain, and lungs, a process which over time will deprive the skin of the nourishment it needs. Extended periods of stress also affect metabolic functions, slowing down the renewal of skin cells, causing the skin to look dull and gray. Stress furthermore upsets the body's fluid balance, making the skin sag and look dehydrated.The stress response also increases free radical production and the associated damage to vital cellular structures and functions of the skin. Free radical damage not only shows up in our appearance, it puts us at risk for the gradual deterioration of body structures and functions—the source of most chronic diseases, from heart disease to cancer, autoimmune disorders, and arthritis.

One of the biggest commitments you can make to reduce stress is simply keeping up your yoga practice. Yoga postures induce deep relaxation, helping you to prevent fatigue and strain. Deep breathing normalizes blood pressure and helps release tension-related conditions such as headaches, backaches, sleeplessness, and stomachaches. Meditation brings another skin-care bonus, according to Dr. Mishra. The deep relaxation often obtained during meditation helps balance several of the subdoshas of vata involved in blood circulation. Long-term meditators' skin often develops a particular glow and radiance. The key is to find and maintain the type of meditation that suits you. A good teacher can make a real difference in terms of answering questions and helping you overcome initial obstacles to regular practice.

By creating a self-care skin routine that suits your Ayurvedic constitution, and by managing the impact of environmental factors on your skin, you can enjoy the outer radiance that reflects a deep inner state of balance and overall well-being.

Eva Herriott, Ph.D., is a freelance writer and psychologist specializing in mind-body health.

Sara's note: This article has been re-posted from an on-line Yoga Journal posting. Link to the original article here.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 30

2011-02-27T16:59:00.000-06:00

Sunday, Feb 27, 2011 - Day 30
Hey, if I was doing a 30 day challenge I would be done today. But I'm not. So I have 10 days left to go. No problem.Well, actually, I am doing a 30 day challenge through Yoga North: my Ayurveda class. I didn't realize I was doing two challenges at once. Huh. Well, I'm a pitta-vata. What can I say?

I had a very relaxing morning: chat with Dave over coffee, read the paper, eat breakfast, walk to the lake, come home and relax in my calm room. Nice! I listened to James Jewell's longer Yoga Nidra practice and I liked that one much better than the shorter version. In the short version I felt quite rushed but in the long version I felt like I had time to breath and settle in. Now I am off to the shower so I can be presentable for my final Ayurveda class.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 29

2011-02-27T16:35:00.000-06:00

Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 - Day 29

Yea the weekend again! This morning I co-taught the Yang-Yin 2-hour special at Yoga North. Kristin taught the 1st half (Vinyasa) and I taught the 2nd half (Yin). This was the second time we have offered this combo class and it definitely ran smoother. We had quite a few repeat students so that helped but also Kristin slowed down her class a bit to help the new-to-Vinyasa students and I planned a practice that did not involve too many props to help the new-to-Yin students. A benefit to each of us of having a smoother class is that we did not have to be assisting so much for the other teacher which meant that we each got to participate in most of each other's class. It was a fun morning.

After my fun morning I came back home, had a bite to eat and then Dave and I watched an episode of Big Love. Anybody watch that? It is soooo crazy. We are on to season 4 (via Netflix) and I think I am starting to have less tolerance for watching stressful shows. I mean why can't Bill just relax? Why does he always want more? Now he wants to be a politician but he is hiding that he is a polygamist. What the...?

Anyway, that left me feeling a bit grumpy (stressed maybe) and then we took the dog for a walk around the neighborhood. Well the sidewalks have become very icy again and the wind was biting. We only went a short way and by the time I got home I was definitely grumpy! My regular "I hate winter" theme song was running in my head. I just don't like feeling like that. Thankfully, I have my relaxation.

After we got home I practiced my relaxation. I listened to the longer Yoga Nidra practice on Robin Carnes's first Yoga Nidra CD (about 45 min) then followed it with another 30-45 minutes of restorative poses while listening to Steven Halpern's CD, In the OM Zone II. I felt so much better by the time I was done. I was warm, relaxed and my adrenalin was not racing like I think it had been after watching Big Love. Yes, I know it is just a TV show but watching people lie and leap from crisis to crisis is stressful. But now we are just a few episodes away from finishing the season so I think I'll just keep on. What a kook.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 28

2011-02-25T15:18:00.001-06:00

Friday, Feb 25, 2011 - Day 28

Deep Peace Wellness Studio

Tonight I teach Yin which I do find to be relaxing but which I cannot count as my relaxation since I will be teaching. So, today I treated myself and attended Jodi's noontime Relax and Renew class at Deep Peace Wellness Studio. The studio is in a lovely space in downtown Duluth. It has huge windows which let in plenty of sun and light. Very nice to come in to after the icy winds outside. She was playing Tibetan Bowl gonging music with running water sounds in the background. It was so soothing. It was like being in summer for a brief respite.

Jodi taught a lovely and restorative therapeutic spine class with multiple heart openers and spine releasing poses. We did a lot of work with the therapeutic spinal strip which I think was good for me because I am a bit sore after attending the Back Arch class at Yoga North last night. "Multiple" makes it sound like we were rushed but we weren't. We spent around 10 minutes per pose (I'm guessing) and really settled in.

This class was a little bit early for my relaxation since I am usually choosing to relax between 4-8 pm. I felt pretty alert and even kept my eyes open some of the time. I didn't feel distracted though. The ceiling had pretty beams which I enjoyed looking at. Of course, I didn't have my glasses on so pretty much everything is a blur. Very soothing - like a Monet painting.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 27

2011-02-24T11:22:00.000-06:00

Thursday, Feb 24, 2011 - Day 27
I took a break from my computer to relax and listen to Richard Miller's free on-line Yoga Nidra practice after reading Namaste from Duluth's blog post, Challenges and Being Present, about pinging around from one thing to another and back to the first again. This post talks about how fragmented we are: email, phone, blog post, work, school, hobbies. How many can you do at once?

Relaxation is about getting away from of all of that. Centering the mind, developing one-pointed focus, calming the thoughts and remembering to breathe. Even though I had some trouble with my practice yesterday I still feel like things are changing for me. My body is liking the idea and the actual feeling of laying down and taking a break. I think my mind likes it too, it just doesn't want to admit it. Maybe by the end of the 40 days my mind will have given in as well. It will start bossing me around, "Hey, get downstairs to your calm room and take a break already!"

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 26

2011-02-24T09:50:00.001-06:00

Wednesday, Feb 23, 2011 - Day 26
Just yesterday I was saying how much I was starting to like this practice of doing nothing. Well naturally that means that my Wednesday practice fell apart. I couldn't lay still, couldn't stop checking the time and the dog didn't want to lay by me so she sat by the door staring at me instead.

You know how you can tell when someone is looking at you? It's the eye vibe or something. Well, it's the same with a dog - maybe worse because they have no Miss Manners to teach then that it is not polite to stare. So in my fidgetyness I would glance up, see her staring, lay back down and then shortly later I was compelled to look again. And sure enough - she was still staring. She was like a staring statue: no blink, no movement. Arrrgh. To her credit there was no whining or scratching at the door either. It was really about me. I just couldn't settle.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 25

2011-02-23T08:43:00.000-06:00

Tuesday, Feb 22, 2011 - Day 25
For my practice I tried to do nothing again. I laid in my calm room and stared at the ceiling trying not to think or do anything. I am really starting to like this practice. Remember when you were a kid and you would do nothing? People (parents) would come by and say, "What are you doing?" and you would reply, "I dunno, nothing." Usually that "nothing" involved laying upside down, hanging from your bed or the couch, or maybe you were sitting in some small cozy space just hanging out. Why don't we do that as adults? I guess my calm room is my adult fort.

Yoga is a funny thing. We talk about cultivating the beginner's mind, remaining curious, and working towards "not doing." I'm starting to think that we all already know how to do this. Or rather, we knew how to do this when we were kids. Yoga seems like a process of remembering what we already knew, what already came naturally to us as children.

Go ahead, crawl into your cubby and do nothing.

Image from Banana Head Kids in Brisbane.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 24

2011-02-21T18:01:00.000-06:00

Monday, Feb 21, 2011 - Day 24
Last night in my Ayurveda class one of my class mates said that her husband can sit and do nothing. Most of us in the class are more Pitta and Vata so we were all like, "What do you mean 'sit and do nothing'?" She said he can sit on the couch and look out the window, take long slow walks for no purpose, or just sit and do nothing. This was a bit unfathomable to me but then I remembered that in the summer I can do this too. I can sit and do nothing for hours if I am sitting in the sun. I love to sit in the sun and do nothing. Making up for cold Minnesota winters I guess.

So, for my practice today I sat and did nothing. Well actually I laid down and did nothing. I went to my calm room, laid on the floor and did not listen to any deep relaxation exercises, did not do any postures, and did not do any breath work. I just relaxed my body and let my mind follow it's own course - to a point. If I noticed that my mind was edging too much towards work or worry then I nudged myself back to doing and thinking nothing.

It was a little bit hard to stay awake though. I noticed that a couple of times I started having that feeling that you get just before you drop off to sleep. You know that feeling that you are existing in two worlds simultaneously? And you are about to fall out of wakefulness and into sleep? I caught myself a few times at that precipice. So I would open my eyes and stare at the ceiling and do nothing. I recommend trying it. It's interesting. It felt good to relax and do nothing.

I just read a quote recently (can't remember where or by who): Why are you doing something? Just sit there!

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 23

2011-02-21T08:29:00.000-06:00

Sunday, Feb 20, 2011 - Day 23
Here's how my mind was working:

1st Mind, "I don't need to do relaxation today. I am already relaxed. Look, I am reading a novel and not doing any work. What's more relaxing than reading a book for fun?"

2nd Mind, "You know you have to do your relaxation exercise. You committed to 40 days. Besides, it's not just that you have to, you want to."

1st Mind, "Yes, yes, I know. But seriously, I am so relaxed right now. I'm not thinking about anything."

2nd Mind, "You know that zoning out with a good book is not the same as relaxation. Relaxation is about focus. Learning one-pointed concentration. Softening the jaw. Remember? I bet your jaw isn't soft while you're reading."

1st Mind, "OK, you're right. I'll do my relaxation. I'll just do it in a little while. I'll read just a bit longer."

2nd Mind, "Fine. I'll check back in."

OK - that all sounds a bit crazy but it was like that in my head all dang day. I think it's funny. When I am busy, I don't want to take time to relax even though I know I should, and when I am having a lazy and relaxing day, I don't think I need to take time to relax. What is up with this tricky mind?

I finally compromised between my two voices. I did a short relaxation after I came home from my Ayurveda class and before I picked up my book again. I listened to to Deborah Adele's CD, The Art of Relaxation, track number 3, Systematic Relaxation. It's a short track - just under 15 minutes. I do kind of feel like I cheated on my practice by relaxing such a short time. But on the other hand, isn't my 1st Mind right? Taking a day off to do not much of anything is relaxing.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 22

2011-02-19T17:33:00.001-06:00

Saturday, Feb 19, 2011 - Day 22

Yea! The weekend! I love lounging around in my yoga room and taking all the time I want to relax. I call my yoga room "the calm room" because the colors are very soothing (see right - I had just finishing up the painting but the carpet hadn't been installed yet). Three walls are a light indigo color and one wall is a darker purple. The carpet is light green and the ceiling is white. When I lay down in that room I feel like I am in/on a mini-earth world: the carpet is the grass, the walls are the sky, and the ceiling is puffy white clouds. It's so great. I feel relaxed the minute I go in there. I have a little heater I bring in and I shut the door and heat it up to about 80. This might sound hot but the rest of the house is rarely over 65 so for a short time 80 feels pretty dang good.

Today I listened to Richard Miller's full Yoga Nidra practice. Well, almost the full practice. Now I remember why my Ipod has doubled tracks. I had a hard time getting the Yoga Nidra track to copy to my Itunes so I tried loading it a couple times which means I have two of each track except the Yoga Nidra track. That track is a bit garbled and static-y at the end of the practice. It didn't matter though. I was super relaxed. After the Yoga Nidra practice I stayed in the calm room and listened to Steven Halpern's, In the Om Zone II, for a little while and did a few restorative postures.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 21

2011-02-18T16:01:00.001-06:00

Friday, Feb 18, 2011 - Day 21

I tried a Yoga Nidra CD that I don't listen to that often: James Jewell. He has a soothing voice and I think he must be British. I always enjoy listening to an English accent. He has some cool breath visualizations. His body scan is pretty fast though. Maybe that's good? I didn't have time to let my mind wander that's for sure. But I also felt a bit rushed.

I found myself feeling teary all the sudden and I realized that rushing through the body scan felt the same as my life right now. Dave and I are coming up with ideas right and left for new ways to take the company. We're on to so many ideas I think my head might spin.

Thankfully, I teach my Yin class tonight and that is always centering and relaxing for me. I never worry about my lesson plan or how the class will go. Yin is just a natural fit.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 20

2011-02-18T10:05:00.001-06:00

Thursday, Feb 17, 2011 - Day 20
So I had a little case of the grumps on Wednesday and then I didn't write my Thursday post on Thursday but I did do my relaxation practice. I am still on track for completing the 40 day practice. As a matter of fact, I am half way there. Yea!

I had started Richard Miller's yoga nidra practice again -the one that comes with his book, The Meditative Heart of Yoga. For some reason it is doubled up on my ipod so I listened to track 1 and 2 twice and track 3 once on Wednesday. I continued this practice on Thursday, listening to track 3 (once) track 4 (twice) and track 5 (once) - about 30 minutes. The interesting thing about having these tracks doubled up is that when I listen the 2nd time I can absorb more of what he is saying.

My every day life has had a reintroduction of one of my favorite activities this week: walking. It has been very warm in Minnesota this week (well, warm for us - highs in the upper forties) and Dave and I have been able to take the dog for long walks on the lakewalk. I forget how much I miss this until we can do it again. We start taking short, neighborhood walks when it gets too cold for the dog to handle a long walk or when it gets too salty on the sidewalks and roads. Her feet get burned by the salt. I have developed I lift kit for her so we can at least go for some distance but the cold gets to her pretty quick in the winter.

Petra's lift kit: I made a custom, double-breasted,

wool felt coat for her and then added the bow-shaped handle

for lifting and carrying over the salty roads.

Anyway, taking long walks really helps both me and Dave clear our minds and solve problems. It also gives us a lot of time to talk. We end up talking about all sorts of things but since we own our own business we do often talk business strategy and ideas. This might not sound relaxing, but it is. Getting that long paced walking rhythm frees your mind, especially compared to the mincing, please-don't-let-me-fall steps we normally take while winter walking. It's cold again today but the sidewalks and roads are melted out, dry, and fairly salt free. I think we can go to the lake again even though the wind gusts are up to 50 mph. It will be an adventure.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 19

2011-02-16T17:11:00.000-06:00

Wednesday, Feb 16, 2011 - Day 19
I've hit the doldrums of the 40 day practice. I know I'll get through it because I have done multiple 40 day practice's in the past 3 years and I always get through. I'm very disciplined and determined. Probably why I need to relax in the first place. I mean honestly, who needs to give themselves a time-out to relax? Well I do and I guess I know lots of other people who would benefit too. I guess I am feeling grumpy about it though. I think it's because I don't want to take time out of my day to relax but I can't do it at night because I have so dang many activities every stupid night of the week. Hmmm. Maybe I need to cut back a bit.

Well, grumpiness aside, I did have a very nice relaxation today. I listened to Richard Miller's yoga nidra practice again -the one that comes with his book, The Meditative Heart of Yoga. For some reason it is doubled up on my ipod so I listened to track 1 and 2 twice and track 3 once. That was about 40 minutes. Which was about 20 minutes longer than I meant to lay down so now I have to skip my shower before my class tonight. Oh well. There's always tomorrow for a shower. It sure did feel good to relax though. What am I so grumpy about?

BTW, I did not puff up from my acupuncture treatment and I also did not catch a cold after waking up with a sore throat yesterday. Petra (my dog) skipped relaxation today. She wanted to watch Jeopardy instead. It was an historic match between 2 of the smartest men to ever play Jeopardy and a robot named Watson. Watson won.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 18

2011-02-15T18:32:00.001-06:00

Tuesday, Feb 15, 2011 - Day 18
I scheduled a second Acupuncture appointment today for right after I finished teaching. (My first appointment was on Day 4.) I like having my "self-care" appointments on Tuesday afternoons because once I am done teaching my Tuesday classes I don't have to teach any yoga classes until Thursday. So I feel like whatever adjustments I get will have time to settle in before I get all active again.

I woke up with a sore throat this morning. I wonder if it's because I finished the website redesign? You know how you can be doing all these stressful things and be fine, and then as soon as you stop, that is when you get sick? Well, I'm not sick but I don't feel 100%. Jodie, my acupuncturist, said that my skin was really tough today and that that is a sign that the body is fighting something off. She called it the "way" or something like that. She had a hard time getting the needles to go in around my jaw due to tough skin. Weird, huh? Also, I felt very tired and I think I fell asleep during my session, which I never do because I'm afraid I'll move and stab a needle deep in where it doesn't belong. Or I'll move and fall off the high table. But neither of these things happened and I feel better after treatment.

Tonight, I did the longer Yoga Nidra practice with Robin Carnes, Yoga Nidra II, 2nd track - Yoga Nidra with Healing Sounds (about 48 minutes). In addition to body awareness and other sensing practices, she does a Chakra balancing practice. I think I must have fallen asleep part way in though because I was suddenly aware that we were doing this Chakra exercise and we were in the middle of the practice and apparently the practice is towards the end of the track. Oops. Well, now I can listen again and be pleasantly surprised.

One thing that struck me was that at the beginning of the practice Ms. Carnes recommends letting go of any agendas or goals that you may have entered the practice with - even the goal of being relaxed. It makes sense. If we come at something from a place of lack then we are already saying that we don't have that thing. So if I want to relax I need to just settle in to where I am and tell myself that I am relaxed, or that I embody relaxation. This is the idea behind Sankalpa too. I re-posted a great article called Inspired Intention ~ The Nature of Sankalpa that talks about this in depth. If you are interested in "working on yourself" without starting in lack, please have a look at this article.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 17

2011-02-15T18:02:00.000-06:00

Monday, Feb 14, 2011 - Day 17 - Happy Valentine's Day - not that I observe such holidays or even remember them. Dave had to remind me what day it was.

I'm writing this Day 17 post on Day 18 so it's hard remember much about my relaxation. I should've probably told Dave about it yesterday so he could remind me today. Ha ha.

I listened to Robin Carnes, Yoga Nidra II, 3rd track - short Yoga Nidra. I did not catch myself trying to clench my teeth at all during my relaxation. I finished a major project yesterday - redesigning our main business website - and I think finishing that was a huge stress reliever. I didn't clench while sleeping last night either. Well, I didn't catch myself clenching. Anyway, I enjoyed the short Yoga Nidra practice. I felt rested and ready to go to my Tang Soo Do class after relaxing.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 16

2011-02-13T17:35:00.000-06:00

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 - Day 16
I listened to Richard Miller's CD from The Meditative Heart of Yoga again today. He really does have such a soothing voice. I heard things I hadn't heard before. This is one of the things I love about Yoga Nidra. No matter how much you think you are awake and aware and hearing everything, you never hear it all. You can't. It seems like whatever I need to focus on the most is what I hear. Or maybe it's just that my mind wanders. I don't know.

I do know that my dog's mind wandered today. She was thinking about the dog cookies I forgot I had in my pocket and then she was thinking about how it must be her dinner time because it is 5 o'clock and her stomach clock knows it and don't I want to get up and feed her right now dang it.

We lasted a bit longer but she wasn't happy about it. Of course she wouldn't leave the room unless I was leaving too since I'm the one with the fingers which can open the food bin. Good thing she's so dang cute. Guess I need to plan our relaxation session times a bit better. Ha ha.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 15

2011-02-13T15:26:00.000-06:00

Saturday, Feb 12, 2011 - Day 15

I think I forgot to mention yesterday that in addition to Yoga North getting a bunch of new props, I bought one each of the Pranayama Cotton Bolster and the Small Round Bolster (see them here). So for Saturday's practice I played around with my new props, trying restorative poses with this new feeling of different height bolsters. I used the Small Round for a wide kneed child's pose, the Pranayama bolster for a heart center opener like the one I teach here - except with the bolster it was a bit more intense. And I did a few other poses as well. I listened to Steven Halpern's CD, In the OM Zone II, while I laid around. This album was recommended to me by Sharon from Path to Stillness Yoga Studio in Lindsay, Ontario. It's a very relaxing album containing Om songs which run from 3-6 minutes each. Some of the songs have other sounds in the background occasionally (like ocean waves on a beach). Every few songs there is a 30 second Tibetan bowl chiming session. You can download this album from Amazon, Itunes and probably other places as well.

As far as how my teeth are doing with all this relaxation, it's hard to say for sure. I am still very sensitive to cold food/drink. And by cold I mean anything cooler than mouth temperature. I have a hard time eating fruit from the fruit bowl because it is just too cold (the fruit bowl sits on the counter, the fruit is not in the fridge). I still have to warm up my cold cereal in the microwave for almost a minute each morning so I can eat it without pain. And I still notice the cold air on my teeth when I breath. BUT, the good news is that I am not so sensitive to hot things any more and this is more normal for me. I can drink hot tea, eat hot soup and eat my dinner before it cools off so this is all very nice.

What I am really noticing about this practice though is how many people grind and/or clench their teeth. I'm going with 80% of the people I tell about my tooth pain, also have tooth sensitivity and/or clench or grind their teeth. It's weird! How can so many of us be clenchers and grinders? Is it normal?

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 14

2011-02-12T08:59:00.000-06:00

Friday, Feb 11, 2011 - Day 14
I didn't have time to do my relaxation during the day Friday and I have been wanting to offer a freebie extended class after Yin for a while now so I invited my Yin class to join me in a relaxation exercise after the regular class time. I knew some of my students were planning an outing after class and they had even invited me but since I am on this 40 day practice, and I couldn't get to it during the day, I had to do it after class - either alone at home or in company at Yoga North.

I was joined by one of my students who is really more of a peer as she has also taken teacher training and multiple in-depth studies. We listened to Dr. Louise Montello's 2nd track of her Relax into Wellness, Vol. 1 CD, Autogenic Training. I think we were both in la-la land. Plus, Yoga North ordered new props - the Pranayama Cotton Bolster, the Small Round Bolster, and a whole pile of fuzzy fleece blankets - so we could really prop up and settle in.

I used the Pranayama Cotton Bolster, which is 25'' long x 3'' high x 6'' wide, under my back for a low reclining bound angle and propped up my knees with cushy fleece blankets. The bolster is a very nice height for laying on. I did notice after about 20 minutes (the relaxation is about 30 minutes) that my back started to feel it. And today (Saturday) my upper back is a bit sore. I definitely got some opening through the extended laying around.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 13

2011-02-10T15:38:00.001-06:00

Thursday, Feb 10, 2011 - Day 13

I don't have a lot of time for relaxation today so I chose a shorter practice. I listened to Deborah Adele's CD, The Art of Relaxation, track number 8, 61 Points. I really like her version of this practice. It is just under 15 minutes so for a busy day, it is perfect.

Both yesterday and today I tried my relaxation laying flat on the floor, no props. I found that I had a very hard time keeping still. My knees especially became stiff and uncomfortable. Surprisingly to me, my SI joints were ok. In the past they have bothered me if I have no props. Of course I was on thick carpet so that must have been enough. Looking forward to the weekend and longer relaxation time.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 12

2011-02-09T16:31:00.000-06:00

Wednesday, Feb 9, 2011 - Day 12
When I wrote this morning about my practice for yesterday I wrote that I had found a free yoga Nidra practice on-line. It's by Richard Miller, the developer of the iRest System: http://www.irest.us/mp3/Yoga-Nidra-meditation.mp3. I started to listen to it this morning but then I got distracted and worked my behind off all day trying to get this website finished. Erika from Yoga North just wrote and asked me how my relaxation was going.This made me realize that I had a massive stinger in my left shoulder and my jaw was quite tight. I realized it was time for my relaxation.

I decided to try the free practice from Richard Miller. It's a lot longer than I thought it would be. It's about 30 minutes. Did I mention that it is free? What a good deal. Anyway, I consciously relaxed my jaw, my breath, my face, my thoughts as he took me through sensing different parts of the body, emotions and thoughts. I feel a lot better.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 11

2011-02-09T09:29:00.003-06:00

Tuesday, Feb 8, 2011 - Day 11

I listened to Richard Miller's yoga nidra practice that comes with his book, The Meditative Heart of Yoga. I know he is one of the main yoga nidra practitioners and the developer of the "iRest" program (Integrative Restoration) but his style is very different from Robin Carnes. He doesn't use much imagery or body scans. He asks you to feel in your body and mind what it would be like and where would you feel it if you felt a certain way. For example, where do you feel guilt, shame, remorse? How does that make you feel? What would it be like if you did not feel those feelings? What is it like if you feel whole, healthy and happy? Things like that. It seemed like the whole practice was like that but who really knows? I could've been asleep for all I know. It was very soothing. I'll keep on trying his practice for a few more days to really get a feel for what his style is.

I did the practice included in the book around 6 pm - earlier than the night before when I listened right before bed. But both nights (Mon and Tues) I found myself dreaming, dreaming, dreaming - can't stop dreaming!

Monday night I dreamed that there were a bunch of programs on my computer and they were taking over my bandwidth and I couldn't get my work done (this is after adding Skype I should note).

Tuesday night I found myself dreaming about my hair. It was very long and I thought to myself, "Wow, my hair really does grow fast!" (People always tell me how fast my hair grows but I think it grows at a normal rate of 1/2 inch a month.) I have been thinking of getting a haircut and I guess it is a bit stressful for me. If I cut it, I have to keep getting it cut, or go through the whole process of growing it out again. If I don't cut it, I have plain old long hair - no style really - just pulled back in a bun or ponytail. It's a bit dull.

Also, I caught myself trying to clench my teeth overnight a few different times. I am very aware of this habit now and I have been catching myself both day and night trying to clench. It just feels so good. Dang it! Hopefully this awareness will bring change.

I just found a free practice by Richard Miller on line: http://www.irest.us/mp3/Yoga-Nidra-meditation.mp3. This practice seems a bit different than the one included in his book/CD. It's more of a body scan. Have a listen.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 10

2011-02-08T07:05:00.003-06:00

Monday, Feb 7, 2011 - Day 10
I waited until this morning to write my post for yesterday because I wanted to experiment with listening to a relaxation track right before I went to sleep. Not sure if last night was the best night to experiment though. I had my Tang Soo Do class til 8:30 pm so I didn't get home til about 8:50 pm. And of course I was starved after such a long class with no dinner before hand so I ate around 9 pm - right before bed. I already know this is not the best idea for me (or anyone). My stomach felt very active all night and I had so many dreams I feel like I was in an alternate universe.

Anyway, the relaxation details: I listened to to Dr. Louise Montello's Relax into Wellness, Vol. 2, Track 2 (which Dr. Louise calls Yoga Nidra). This is the one I have been having trouble paying attention to when I listen during the day. She specifically recommends listening to it in the day though and not for a sleep aid. Oops. I found I could do the practice better when it was dark and I was warm under the covers. I did not fall asleep during the practice but I fell asleep right away after the track ended. Listening to her version of Yoga Nidra (really, the Sweeping Breath) while in bed, made me like the practice a bit more.

I think I am done with Dr. Louise (for now). I'm going to move on to some of my other relaxation CD's.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 9

2011-02-06T21:03:00.002-06:00

Sunday, Feb 6, 2011 - Day 9
Remember that song, "It's just another manic Monday. Wish it was Sunday. That's my fun day. My I don't have to run day." That's how my Sunday was too. Even though I worked this morning (still coding the website), I didn't put any pressure on myself to accomplish anything in particular. Plus I did some fun stuff like talked to my sister on the phone and my Dad, his wife, my other sister and her partner on Skype. First time Skyping and it was pretty cool. Very Jetsons.

This afternoon my relaxation practice was all me. No other instructions, no music, no dog. Just me and my props. I did a bit of hanging out on my back-bender, little bit of Seal pose, Child's pose, supported side seated twist, and finally a supported side lying stretch. I don't have any images up for this one but I'll work on getting something up soon. Probably after this 40 day practice.

I was in blissville. I felt very relaxed the whole time. My mind did not ping out in all directions. Oddly, I had weird sensations of watching TV inside my head but I did not recognize the characters but I think I was one (or all) of them. But this did not detract from my relaxation. I think I was in that funny state between awake and asleep. It was kind of weird and kind of fun.

This evening I went to my Ayurveda class and we talked about the properties of food and how we can identify these properties so that we know what we are taking in as we eat a particular food. I am such a beginner at understanding this but it is super interesting. I would recommend taking an Ayurveda class if you get a chance.

Also, I am no longer puffy. I am now thinking I was all puffed up from pms and this was exacerbated by the acupuncture. My sister once told me that a person should never be needled before or during their period. Apparently this is a very sensitive time and can cause extreme reactions. Although I am no longer puffy (thank you!) I am still feeling sort of loose-jawed and at the same time a bit tense. I am afraid to shut my teeth together because I don't want to clench them. I have caught myself clenching my teeth 3 times now during my relaxation time. It feels good. I like the pressure. I think I need pressure therapy - like Temple Grandin's Cow Hugging Machine. I'm serious. Being smooshed feels good. Here's a picture of a hugging machine and a link to build your own: http://hugmachine.org/. I don't have one of these but I'm thinking they are pretty cool, right?

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 8

2011-02-05T16:27:00.002-06:00

Saturday, Feb 5, 2011 - Day 8
Thank goodness for the weekend! I can take time to relax without feeling pressured to get to work (self-pressured since I work for myself). I goofed off all morning, chatting with family, catching up on yoga blogs, etc. After walking the dog around noon I settled myself into Supported Savasana with heaps of pillows and listened to Dr. Louise Montello's 2nd track of her Relax into Wellness, Vol. 1 CD called Autogenic Training (yes, again - I like this one) and followed it up with Track 2 of Relax into Wellness, Vol. 2, (which Dr. Louise calls Yoga Nidra). I did this one yesterday and found it difficult to pay attention so I thought I would try it again today after listening to a track that I know I like.

I swear I was listening to a different CD for the Autogenic Training. It wasn't anything like I remembered it. I could've sworn that throughout the whole practice she asked us to imagine waves on the beach timed with our breathing and heartbeat matching the waves. Well that isn't it at all! It starts that way but then moves on to imagining your body is heavy and warm and relaxed - which I remember doing before but only as an afterthought to breathing with the ocean waves. I guess I was on my own little journey those other times I listened to this track.

At any rate, I liked it again. I couldn't get my body to be warm though. I guess my mind isn't powerful enough yet. Ha ha. The Yoga Nidra track (Sweeping Breath) was still a bit hard to pay attention to. I was not settled at all as we worked our way up the body but I was able to focus and settle in as we worked our way back down the body.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 7

2011-02-04T20:36:00.002-06:00

Friday, Feb 4, 2011 - Day 7
Today's relaxation wasn't very relaxing. I couldn't stop wiggling. Many reasons: I have been working on the company's website again and can't turn my mind off (what if I made the margins 15px instead of 10px, should the logo be bronze, blue or what?, why is that div behaving like that...argh); the house was cold; the dog was licky and wiggly; I slept poorly last night; I didn't allot enough time between my two jobs; I was anxious about getting to Yoga North on time to teach my Yin class. Classic "can't relax" syndrome. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

Relaxation details: I listened to Track 2 of Relax into Wellness, Vol. 2, which Dr. Louise calls Yoga Nidra. The practice is a sweeping breath from soles to crown to soles, ankles to crown to ankles, knees to crown to knees, etc. through the whole body and back down again. I have not run into anyone else calling this breath practice Yoga Nidra but Dr. Louise says that is what Swami Rama (founder of the Himalayan tradition) calls it. I took my teacher training in the Himalayan tradition so it's weird to me that I haven't heard this until now. I have listened to this track before and found it deeply relaxing so I'll have to try it again when I don't have time constraints like I had today.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 6

2011-02-03T17:13:00.001-06:00

Thursday, Feb 3, 2011 - Day 6
During my noon class today I taught a variation of Dr. Louise Montello's 2nd track of her Relax into Wellness, Vol. 1 CD called Autogenic Training. My students seemed to enjoy it - some even fell asleep they were so soothed. So I decided to listen to that practice again today. It's so awesome (and you can download it from Amazon for 99 cents).

I wanted to continue to relax after the Autogenic Training was over so I also listened to Track 1 of Relax into Wellness, Vol. 2, which is called 61 Points. I first heard this relaxation practice at Yoga North from my teacher, Deborah Adele, who also offers this same practice on her Relaxation CD. I find that I can follow Deborah's version a little better. I'm not sure why. Anyway, I feel refreshed after relaxing and I seem to be a bit more alert. I'm still a bit puffy in the eyes but at least my hands are no longer stiff and swollen. Also, my dog joined me again today for relaxation.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 5, part II

2011-02-03T09:26:00.003-06:00

Wednesday, Feb 2, 2011 - Day 5 (part 2)
I attended Thomas's Yin class last night at the Y and it was LOVELY! I am so happy to know that there is another teacher in town who is teaching Yin. I love to be the student in a relaxing class.

I realized that I have not been teaching a true Yin class, which I guess I already knew. I combine styles: Yin, Restorative (lots of props), Therapeutic and Deep Relaxation. It works for me and for my students but I enjoyed the purity and the challenge of the Yin practice Thomas lead. Part of my deal with not teaching a "pure" Yin class is my fear of hurting myself or my students. I definitely bumped up against my fears of hurting myself last night. I'm afraid I will go too deep in a pose and then have SI joint pain later. I have a hard time telling the difference in my body between deep pressure and discomfort/pain. But today I feel fine - no back pain.

Oddly though, I am all puffed up again. I feel like I can barely open my eyes because my face is so puffy and my fingers are stiff and swollen. I suppose both Acupuncture and Yin release toxins into the system which could cause all this puffiness. I did not eat a big bowl of salty popcorn last night and I tried to stay hydrated all day yesterday. If anyone has any thoughts on reducing fluid retention I'd love to hear them.

In addition to this 40 day relaxation practice, I am taking a 30 day "challenge" Ayurveda class at Yoga North. Our first class was on Sunday, Jan 30th. We'll meet for 5 weeks. The first night we tried to figure out our doshas. Turns out I am mostly Vata and Pitta, not so much Kapha. Something the teacher said cracked me up. She said, "A pitta person will not just take a walk, they will take a walk to get somewhere." This is me all over. I'm not just going to relax to reduce inflammation so my teeth don't hurt, I'm going to relax for 40 days and blog about it! What a goofball (I say about myself in a loving tone).

Want to know your dosha? Here's a few links I found to some quizzes:
Yoga Journal:
http://www.yogajournal.com/health/498
Banyan Botanicals:
http://www.banyanbotanicals.com/constitutions/index.html
Chopra Center:
http://doshaquiz.chopra.com/

I'm sure there are more resources out there but these three are a good start.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 5

2011-02-02T12:33:00.002-06:00

Wednesday, Feb 2, 2011 - Day 5
Wow - I am exhausted today after my acupuncture appointment yesterday. I must have had some serious energetic stuckness going on because today my jaw is sore, I feel super tired and a bit weepy and I'm all puffy. Well, the puffy part could be from the salty popcorn I ate last night I guess.

Today's relaxation is going to be a Yin class, led by Thomas from the YMCA. I have heard very good things about his class so I am very excited to be the student and receive the teaching today. Too bad I can't bring my dog. I guess she'll miss out on day 5 of relaxation. Of course she dozes most of the day in the office and most of the evening on our bed and most of the night in her kennel so I guess she is pretty relaxed already.

Here's what Thomas said when I told him I would be attending his class:

I was sorry to read about your tooth pain in your blog although your "cheeky" tone eased the pain. My prayer is that your experience on Wed night will be healing and medicinal for you; consider it your "ibuprof-yin."

Isn't that cute? Ibuprof-Yin!

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 4

2011-02-01T17:55:00.004-06:00

Tuesday, Feb 1, 2011 - Day 4
Today I went really nuts with relaxation. OK that sounded weird but here's what happened. After my sister, who is in school to become an Acupuncturist, read my blog post, Relaxation for Tooth Pain, she emailed me some images from her Acupuncture textbook which show some key points to help relieve pressure and tension in the jaw. Here's what they look like:

Images from: A Manual of Acupuncture
Authors: Peter Deadman and Mazin Al-Khafaji

Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications; 2 edition, June 25, 2007

And here's what my sister wrote me to do:

Hi Sara,
I just read your post about your teeth pain and what your dentist told you. Just relax Sara. haha! But seriously, not fun at all. Teeth pain can be horrible.

I clench my teeth in my sleep and I find that if I spend a few minutes massaging certain points before I go to bed, it helps me not clench during the night. Additionally, I massage them for relief from tight jaw muscles. I have attached a document with some jpegs from my main acupuncture book to show you the points that would be good for you.

On the first page, the one that has a ton of points on it, the ones that would be good for you are the 3 that are in a vertical row in front of the opening to your ear. So would the one right under your earlobe named SJ-17.

On the second page, all of those would be good for you.

On page 3, there is a point named AN MIAN/PEACEFUL SLEEP - The name tells you what it does. It is on the mastoid process but more toward the back edge of it on the same horizontal line as SJ-17 which is right under your earlobe.

I hope that this well be helpful for you. Plus, I don't want you taking more ibuprofen than you have to!!!

Well, this all got me thinking that I needed to make an appointment with my local L.Ap., Jodie Cope. I've been meaning to get in to see her for a while now anyway for my weird cold left foot problem. She was able to get me in today right after I got done teaching my second yoga class (which happens to be right across the street from her office - very convenient). Anyway, she treated all the points that my sister had recommended plus my usual ones for the cold left foot and some others that are a mystery to me. I know she got some good ones though because all the points were so tender.

When I got home I was exhausted. I ate, crawled in bed and watched TV for a while, and then listened to track 2 of Relax into Wellness, Vol. 1 (about 26 min). The practice is called Autogenic Training. It was super great! I was so relaxed. The practice basically consists of imagining your breath and your heartbeat to be in time to waves on a beach and then telling yourself that your body parts are heavy and warm. Well since I was under the covers with my electric blanket on high I had no problem imagining the heavy and warm part. And I loved the imagery of my breath and heartbeat going in time to the waves. I felt quite a bit more alert by the end of the practice.

I'm a bit tuckered out still from the treatment and I have some discomfort in my jaw and in my hands (points in the hand lead up to the jaw) but my jaw feels very loose which is nice. I am glad I went to see Jodie and I think I will go see her again within a few weeks.

Oh yeah - my dog is on day 4 in relaxation too. Hee hee.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 3

2011-01-31T17:29:00.002-06:00

Monday, Jan 31, 2011 - Day 3
I could hardly tear myself away from my computer to take a 1/2 hour relaxation break. I am working on our business webpage redesign and I felt like I was finally getting somewhere. But I made myself a promise that I would relax so I got myself situated in my yoga room (with my dog) and listened to Relax into Wellness, Vol. 1, Track 1. The practice is called "Progressive Relaxation" which is basically tense and release. This is not my favorite relaxation exercise because I tend to over-tense my muscles but I decided to do it anyway. Dr. Louise has a very soothing voice. I think I'll try track 2 tomorrow.

Oh yeah - my teeth. I tried a banana this morning (room temp = sortof cold) and it was only mildly painful instead of shockingly painful like it was last Monday. I only had to microwave my cold cereal for 45 seconds instead of a minute to get it to a tolerable temp. I feel like I'm making progress.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 2

2011-01-30T16:33:00.004-06:00

Sunday, Jan. 30, 2011 - Day 2
I did my own practice today. I listened to a healing sounds CD and rested in Supported Reclining Bound Angle, Supported Side Reclining Twist, Supported Child's Pose and then I woke myself up a bit at the end with Supported Reclining 1/2 Saddle (Hero) Pose. It took me longer to feel relaxed when I had to rely on myself but by about 1/2 way through the practice I was totally into it. My mind was quiet and so was my body.

As an aside, I think my doggie is going to do the 40 day practice too. She loves going in my yoga room when I am in there doing a slow practice. I'm not sure if it's the heat, the vibe or the carpet but she loves it. She is on day two too.

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 1

2011-01-29T16:00:00.004-06:00

OK. So I need to relax according to my dentist. Well, luckily I have all the tools I need, right at my finger and brain tips. I have tons of relaxation CD's and of course I'm pretty good with restorative postures. So I am going to self-impose a 40 day practice of Deep Relaxation.

Saturday, Jan. 29, 2011 - Day 1
I propped myself up in Supported Savasana with the small room heater blowing on my feet and listened to the 2nd Yoga Nidra practice (track 3) of Robin Carnes first Yoga Nidra album. It's about a 45 minute practice.

I could feel my jaw loosening up as soon as I laid down. The Yoga Nidra practice is super soothing. So soothing, I think I fell asleep for part of it. But I swear it felt like I was awake. At any rate, at the end of the practice I felt great. Refreshed, cheerful, and relaxed.

I think my dentist is on to something. This relaxation stuff really works. Ha ha.

Relaxation for Tooth Pain

2011-01-28T11:50:00.003-06:00

I have developed some serious tooth pain this week after a few weekends of lots of activity. (Bear with me while I set the scene.) Two weekends ago Dave and I took a trip to visit friends (Jan 15-17) and last weekend (Jan 21-22) I co-led the annual Winter Reflection Retreat at Camp Amnicon with Molly from Yoga North. This was our second year in a row being the facilitators and we had a great group.

Being the teacher of relaxation and reflection is a funny place to be though. I am not "zen" enough to be totally relaxed while I am teaching relaxation, which I think is a bit funny. But teaching is not the same as receiving. So while the weekend was lovely, it was not 100% relaxing for me.

Molly and I each had our own little hermitage cabin, which are the cutest little dwellings you ever did see. Cabins: about 12 x 16 with a gas "fireplace" furnace, well appointed double bed, glide rocker, writing table, eating table, a lamp for each sitting place, mini-fridge, microwave, bread-maker, water jug, tiny sink (with a bucket for plumbing) and heated out-house. Lovely space. I didn't do much sleeping in it though. My mind wouldn't turn off and neither would the lovely, warm and flickery fireplace (it was very cold out side and the furnace had to keep up).

The second day of the retreat, my partner, Dave (who also brought our dog), and Molly's partner, Jason, joined us. We had decided to try to stay a second night this year so we could get some relaxation post teaching. We had a great time, snacking by the lodge's huge hearth, having a glass of wine, and hiking in the morning. Again though, deep sleep eluded me. We left on Sunday and I was somewhat exhausted.

Monday morning I took the dog out, took a deep breath of cold fresh air and had a searing pain in my upper right jaw/teeth. OK, my teeth are sensitive anyway so I thought, "Wow, must be really cold out." But then I went in, made myself a big cup of hot tea (generally not a problem for me to eat or drink hot things), took one sip and BANG! another huge searing tooth pain. Not good! I determined that I could only eat mouth-temperature food. Nothing hot, nothing cold.

I've had some tooth pain trouble before so I knew that I should try a few days on ibuprofen to see if I had any inflammation that would go down. Two days later, still have the tooth pain and now I have a stomach ache from all the ibuprofen too. Great. So I finally make a dentist appointment and I am able to get in on Thursday - 4 days now of tooth pain whenever I eat anything warmer or cooler than the inside of my mouth.

I was sure all my teeth would have to be pulled and I'd have to get dentures (maybe a bit dramatic but that's how much it hurt). The dentist performed some kind of ice-cold, metal rod, tooth sensitivity test. Guess what? My teeth are off the charts sensitive. But the good news is that I don't have to have any teeth pulled nor do I need a root canal (my nerves are very much alive, thank you). I might be a night-time jaw clencher or grinder, which can cause inflammation and sensitivity, and would require a mouth guard to break the habit and reduce sensitivity.

But here's the kicker: my dentist told me that I needed to relax. How do you like that? A restorative yoga teacher who is prescribed relaxation. It's a bit ironic but it makes sense. I've had two very busy weekends in a row with not so great sleep. Good sleep and relaxation help reduce stress which helps the body to fight inflammation. Inflammation can irritate the nerves in the mouth and cause tooth pain. So, I am back on ibuprofen, I have a special paste I have to put on my teeth before bed, and I have to relax more if I want to avoid the mouth guard and further pain.

Yoga teacher, heal thyself.

Inspired Intention ~ The Nature of Sankalpa

2011-01-24T07:00:00.017-06:00

I am so happy to have run across this article by Kelly McGonigal in Yoga International. This is one of the more in-depth articles I have found about setting your Sankalpa and practicing Yoga Nidra. There is more to the article - the actual magazine includes sidebars and helpful hints (you should go find a copy) - but the article below is excellent even without the extras. Visit this link to view the article at Yoga International.

Inspired Intention
The Nature of Sankalpa
The yoga tradition offers a profound formula for realizing your heartfelt desires—without asking you to change who you are.

By Kelly McGonigal

Almost every New Year’s resolution starts with two words: “I will.” We summon our willpower and pledge to change not just what we do but who we are. We set goals and imagine how happy we will be when we get what we want.

But if there’s one thing yoga teaches us, it’s that there’s a world of difference between “I will” and “Thy will.” Most New Year’s resolutions spring from the misguided desires of the ego, senses, and conditioning. They almost always fail because they start from the assumption that who you are is not good enough, and reinforce the mistaken belief that your happiness depends on acquiring what you want.

The yoga tradition offers a refreshing alternative to the New Year’s resolution: the practice of sankalpa, or resolve. A sankalpa practice starts from the radical premise that you already are who you need to be to fulfill your life’s dharma. All you need to do is focus your mind, connect to your most heartfelt desires, and channel the divine energy within.

Beyond Resolutions
Rod Stryker, founder of ParaYoga, explains that the chief architect of life is the mind. To create the life we are meant to live, we must draw the mind again and again to our dharma, our deepest intentions, and the qualities of the Divine within.

A sankalpa is a statement that does this for us. Stryker explains that kalpa means vow, or “the rule to be followed above all other rules.” San, he says, refers to a connection with the highest truth. Sankalpa, then, is a vow and commitment we make to support our highest truth. “By definition, a sankalpa should honor the deeper meaning of our life. A sankalpa speaks to the larger arc of our lives, our dharma—our overriding purpose for being here.” The sankalpa becomes a statement you can call upon to remind you of your true nature and guide your choices.

While the typical New Year’s resolution is abandoned within weeks, if not days, as enthusiasm and willpower run out, a sankalpa requires none of the ego-driven willpower we typically summon to make changes. According to Richard Miller, PhD, a clinical psychologist and teacher in the Advaita Vedanta and Kashmir nondual traditions, a sankalpa arrives with everything needed to fully realize it. This includes iccha (tremendous will and energy), kriya (action), and jnana (the wisdom of how to deliver that action). “These are all aspects of the Divine, and they live within us. When the true sankalpa comes in, we awaken these three qualities of the Divine,” Miller says. “You don’t have to ask where you’ll find the will to do it. The energy and will is already there. The sankalpa informs us of the action we’re willing to take into the world.”

Two Types of Resolve
A sankalpa can take two forms. The first is what Miller calls “the heartfelt desire,” a statement that reflects your true nature. This type of sankalpa is far more all-encompassing than a New Year’s resolution, and requires no change or action. It is literally and simply a statement of who you are, such as “I am already whole, and already healed,” or “I am peace itself.” According to Miller, it doesn’t come from the intellectual mind. “The resolve comes from deep within us, directly out of the mystery of who we ultimately are. It then informs our mind of a particular direction that we need to take, or are taking in our life.”

A sankalpa can also take a second form—that of a specific intention or goal. Brenna Geehan, a certified ParaYoga instructor in the San Francisco Bay Area, explains, “When you discover your purpose, not everything happens all at once. To live your soul’s mission, you need to reach milestones.” Setting specific intentions can help you align your moment-to-moment choices with your heartfelt desire. Geehan suggests looking forward into the next year and asking yourself what specific things need to happen to move you forward on your path. Your specific sankalpa will describe what you need to do, and where you need to direct your energy, to make progress on your larger life goals.

Discovering Your Sankalpa
Discovering your sankalpa is a process of listening. Your heartfelt desire is already present, waiting to be seen, heard, and felt. It’s not something you need to make up, and the mind doesn’t have to go wildly searching for it.

Miller describes three stages of the listening process delineated in the Vedanta tradition. The first, sravana, is the willingness to hear the message of the heartfelt desire. It can take courage to listen to the heart, and a quiet, settled mind—one cultivated through meditation—will best be able to hear this innermost call. The second state, manana, is the act of turning to and welcoming the messenger in. When you hear the call, you must be willing to sit with it, feel it, and deeply reflect on it. The final stage, nididhyasana, is the willingness to do what the heartfelt desire requires of you. “It will call you into action, into the world,” says Miller. “You must be willing to respond.”

What if you sit down to listen, and don’t hear anything in response? Or what if the answers you hear—new car, new job, better relationship—sound more like the endless desires of your ego, senses, and conditioned mind than like the wisdom of your heart?

Anne Douglas, a yoga therapist in Banff, Alberta, specializes in navigating her students through the sometimes difficult process of answering the question, “What do I really want?” She encourages students to simply start where they are. Douglas has found that any goal can be an entry point, including a typical New Year’s resolution. “Even a desire that might be interpreted as simple or shallow can lead you to the heart’s desire. It might arise out of conditioning, but if you trust the practice and keep following the heart’s desire, it will take you to the essence of your being.”

To get to that deeper yearning, work with whatever goal arises, but also ask yourself what’s underneath it. For example, one of the most common goals Douglas hears in our culture is, “I want to get fit” or “I want to lose weight.” When working with her students, she asks them to imagine how life will be, and how they think they will feel, as a result of losing weight and getting in shape. Is it a sense of self-love, physical well-being, or freedom? What is the feeling they are striving for? What is the longing in the heart that is pointing them in this direction?

Another common intention is to quit something, such as smoking, shopping, or eating meat. To investigate the heartfelt desire behind this kind of intention, ask yourself what desire that behavior is currently trying to satisfy. Are you seeking peace of mind, freedom from pain, or the feeling of being accepted? “See if you can find a deeper hunger, a longing that’s asking to be nourished,” Douglas encourages. That hunger may point you toward what the heart really yearns for. “If someone starts with, ‘I want to quit smoking,’ as they work with it, they’ll start to feel a deeper desire, such as, ‘I want to take care of my body.’ Even further down the road, the sankalpa might become, ‘I love my body,’ or even ‘I am love itself.’ It’s an evolution, but it still has that feeling of the initial intention to quit smoking.”

Stating the Sankalpa
It’s natural to identify a desire as “I want” and an intention as “I will” or “I won’t.” But these phrases lack the truth of the commitment that comes from heartfelt desire and connection to one’s dharma. “A sankalpa isn’t a petition or a prayer,” Miller says, “It is a statement of deeply held fact, and a vow that is true in the present moment.”

For this reason, your sankalpa—both the heartfelt desire and the specific intention—should be stated in the present tense. For example, rather than saying, “I want to be more compassionate,” your sankalpa might be, “Compassion is my true nature” or “I am compassion itself.” Rather than setting the intention, “I will not eat meat,” your specific sankalpa might be, “With compassion for my body and for other beings, I eat a vegetarian diet.” Stating your sankalpa in present tense acknowledges the tremendous will, energy, and truth that arrive with the discovery of your heartfelt desire. It also reminds you that whatever is required of you is already within you.

Planting the Seed
The core practice of sankalpa is remembering. By bringing the statement to mind, you strengthen your resolve and honor your heartfelt desire. But simply reciting the sankalpa is not enough. “As soon as you say you want something, a part of you recognizes that you don’t have it,” Stryker explains. “By repeating what you want, you reinforce the belief that you don’t have it.” When the unconscious mind operates from a place of lack or perceived inadequacy, the energy that supports your resolve is weakened.

Stryker points to the Tripura Rahasya, a tantric text which teaches that the quality of the mind reciting the sankalpa determines its effect. To fully realize your resolve, the mind must shift from dualistic thinking to nondual awareness. This is why meditation is the most fertile ground for sankalpa practice. It returns the mind to a state of present moment wholeness. “The longer we are able to effortlessly rest in that place of oneness, the more rapidly we are able to fulfill our sankalpa,” explains Stryker. “The mind becomes a more powerful agent to help us fulfill our intentions.”

The most supportive state of mind for remembering your sankalpa is the direct experience that you are already open, timeless, and perfect—what nondualism describes as the state of pure being. “If that’s not in place, ego gets involved,” Miller says. “You will come at the intention from a place of ‘there’s something wrong with me that I need to fix.’ You must connect to the quality of being that is already complete and whole.”

One of the most powerful practices for finding this state and planting the seed of sankalpa is yoga nidra. While nidra means “sleep,” it is actually a process of awakening to your true nature. Yoga nidra systematically relaxes the body and mind and guides you into deep awareness. You are aware and awake, but you experience a disidentification from the body and mind. In this way, the confusion between prakriti and purusha dissolves, and you come to rest in the peace, wisdom, and love of your true nature. Anne Douglas explains, “In yoga nidra, we discover a profound level of openness. Our self-imposed limitations dissolve, and we are pure being.” When you recall your sankalpa in the waking state, it might trigger doubts or the ego’s striving. “When you recall your sankalpa in yoga nidra, the heartfelt desire arrives as a felt sense in the body-mind. It is absolutely alive and true in that moment.”

Nourishing Your Resolve
Once you have identified and planted the seed of your sankalpa, you can begin the process of strengthening sankalpa shakti, the energy to take the action required by your resolve. According to Geehan, every choice you make either supports or undermines your resolve. This is true even for the decisions that don’t seem directly related to your specific intention. “Let’s say you’re aware that sugar disrupts your energy and sleep. But time and time again, you ‘forget’ this awareness and eat sweets anyway. Each time you do this, you reinforce the part of you that says ‘screw it’ to awareness and intention. You’re giving power to the part of you that goes against your consciousness.”

On the other hand, every conscious choice you make is an opportunity to strengthen sankalpa shakti. This is the basis for a ParaYoga practice called “the departure point.” The instructions are simple: pick something nonconstructive that you do on a regular basis and commit to not doing it for 40 days. Biting your nails, drinking coffee, watching television—it doesn’t matter what you choose, as long as it’s habitual. It could be related to your sankalpa, but it doesn’t have to be.

This might sound a lot like the typical New Year’s resolution, but the departure point practice isn’t ultimately about the habit you’re trying to break. When you come to that moment of impulse, instead of following your usual instinct, bring your sankalpa to mind. In this way, the habit becomes a reminder that points you back to your resolve.

In the space between the impulse to act and reciting your sankalpa, it’s important to pause and invite the mind to settle into a state of oneness. Enjoy a few mindful breaths, and find the pause between the breaths. “Take a moment to remember your true self-nature. In that state—a place of wholeness and unity, not a place of confusion or lack or even hope—remember your sankalpa,” Stryker says. This is the key to the departure point practice. “The sankalpa is not being reintroduced to a mind that thinks it doesn’t have what you think you want to have. It empowers the sankalpa in a completely different way.”

Even instances when you forget your intention can be transformed into support for your sankalpa. Anne Douglas uses the memory of these missed opportunities to prepare students for future choices. “Go back in time to a point where you lost it. Go back to that sensory feeling of compulsion, reimagine it, and recreate the moment.” Once you’re fully in that feeling, imagine not giving in to the habit. Pull up the power of your sankalpa, and let yourself feel the heartfelt desire in your whole body. “Then go back to remembering the feeling of compulsion. Surf back and forth, making the feeling of the heartfelt desire stronger each time.”

You can apply the same approach not just to the behavior you choose for the departure point practice but for all of your choices. Miller advises a daily review of your actions from the perspective of your resolve. For example, let’s say that your heartfelt desire is, “I am filled with divine compassion,” and your specific sankalpa is “In every encounter, I treat myself and others with kindness.” Looking back over your day, ask yourself: How was I unkind, mean-spirited, or hard-hearted? Conduct this review not with harsh self-criticism but with a sincere interest in seeing how it happened. What was the situation? What were your thoughts? How did it feel? What did you say and do? How did that feel?

Miller doesn’t refer to these missteps as failures, but simply “moving away from yourself.” The momentary lack of compassion isn’t who you are. “The sankalpa really describes who we are and how we move in the world when we’re in harmony with ourselves.” Life just happens to be the process of learning how to align with that true nature, which means we occasionally lose our way.

Once you see how you moved away from yourself, imagine how you could have responded. What might you have thought, said, and done that would be more consistent with your resolve? What would that have felt like? See yourself in action and feel it in your body. Envision this response until it feels as if you had actually done it. According to Douglas, this practice “helps dissolve the conditioning that keeps us from our dharma and from awakening to our true nature.”

Being and Becoming
When you first begin to work with sankalpa, the practice can seem full of contradictions. You start by identifying what you want, but the only way to realize it is to acknowledge that you already are it, and already have it. You set specific goals, and you commit to breaking habits. But at every opportunity to act in line with these goals, you must first acknowledge that you are already perfect and whole.

According to Rod Stryker, this apparent contradiction is the essence of both sankalpa practice and nondual teachings. “It all goes back to this idea that each of us is both being and becoming. There’s the part of us, para atman, that is transcendent, inherently one, and doesn’t need anything. We also have a jiva atman, that part of us that comes into life with a purpose and a destiny and is always becoming.” Stryker explains that to fulfill your dharma, you must find a way to integrate these two seemingly opposite aspects of being. “It’s vital for happiness that you walk both paths simultaneously. Direct your energy with intention, but be mindful that your nature is unchanged whether you achieve your goals or not. Live as contentedly as possible in between the goal and realizing the goal.”

For more in-depth practice, find out how to discover your heartfelt desire, learn a yoga nidra practice, and listen to the Shiva Sankalpa Sukta, a powerful six-verse hymn from the Rig Veda that entreats the mind “to dwell on the auspicious will of the Divine,” and helps you cultivate conscious resolve in alignment with your dharma.

Kelly McGonigal, PhD, teaches yoga, meditation, and psychology at Stanford University and is the author of Yoga for Pain Relief (New Harbinger, 2009).