Wednesday, 25 December 2013
Lady Gaga in her most recently released Born This Way video, strikes a full wheel at a point in the out-of-this-world journey of rebirth and celebration.
yogameetsfashion
> DO NOT OVERLY CONTROL THE BREATH. Breathe through your
nose (unless congested, in which case it is okay to breathe through
your mouth) with a light ujjayi pranayama breath. Not every breath is
the same. Allow the breath to be organic. Overly controlling the
breath fixates us on control. Rather than mastery of the body, delve
into the mystery of the body. Particularly observe the way the breath
and the fluid systems overlap—the blood, the lymph and the cranial-
sacral fluid. Sometimes the breath will follow the flushing effects of
the fluid system, and sometimes the fluid system will follow the
movement of breath. Watch the breath as if watching the way that
the ocean “breathes” on the incoming tide, then the outgoing tide.
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
Truth is Everything
On the topic of truth many things come to my mind. Telling the truth, the truth hurts, you can’t hide from the truth; but in relation to yoga, I think of Satya. Satya is a Sanskrit word that translates loosely as “truth” in English and is one of the yamas in Patanjali’s Eight-Limb Path, also known as the ethical principles set forth in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.
Karma
- Sanchita-Karma: the sum total of our unexpired karma
- Prarabdha-Karma: a portion of Sanchita Karma that is carried into our present life
- Kriyamana-Karma/Agami-Karma: karmas accrued in your current life; they are considered to be the same, although the differences, while subtle, are significant
- Kriyamana-Karma: the results of our current actions
- Agami-Karma: intention, contemplation; the precursor of our future Kriyamana-Karma
Follow these 3 simple tips on how to feel beautiful this holiday season from Nitika Chopra of Bella Life. Let your beauty shine bright from the inside out.
Be diligent with your "me" time every morning
Taking even five minutes when you get up in the morning to clear your mind through gentle stretching, to make your favorite cup of tea or even to play soothing music as you get ready instead of the intense chatter of the news can literally transform your day. Don’t take it lightly; getting connected to your true self can make it way easier to shake off any stress or negativity that tries to get you down.
Focus on your beauty before your next holiday party
People don’t usually believe this about me because I am a talk show host and am constantly going out to events, but I have total social anxiety every time I am about to leave the house. It used to totally run the show when going out and leave me feeling so insecure! How did I remedy that? Every time I leave the house, I chose one thing that I am going to focus on loving about myself for that evening. It could be the fun shoes I am wearing, the way I did my hair or even the fact that I had a cool opportunity happen in my business earlier that day. It really doesn’t matter how big or small, focusing on one thing I absolutely adore about myself helps to combat all of the negative concerns that try to take me down and has me feeling confident to connect with anyone I meet that evening.
Get up, get out and give love
Although I have been talking a lot about focusing on you and nourishing your self-love conversations, another very effective way to fill up with love is to actually put the focus on loving others. When we give to other people, whether it is someone in need whom we don’t know or someone we love that could use our support, we are the ones that usually end up feeling incredibly fulfilled. So next time you feel tempted to sit by yourself on the couch wallowing in all the concerns your are dealing with, get up, get out, and give love. You will be a breath of fresh air to someone and getting filled with more joy in the process.
Read more: http://www.alignyo.com/the-goods/how-to-feel-beautiful-from-the-inside-out#ixzz2oOnKAWNj
"Pigeon has always been one of my favorite yoga poses. For me, it’s the ultimate symbol of surrender and letting go. I always discover something new about my body in Pigeon pose, whether that’s a new tightness in my hips or that I’ve been holding on to something small that doesn’t serve me. Because I sit all day and love to sweat it out in spin class (when I’m not doing so in yoga of course), I love how it opens my hips, thighs and quads."
Read more: http://www.alignyo.com/blog/pigeon-pose-how-to-get-into-this-yoga-pose-with-ease#ixzz2oODg5uvf
Read more: http://www.alignyo.com/blog/pigeon-pose-how-to-get-into-this-yoga-pose-with-ease#ixzz2oODg5uvf
Well+Good Your Healthiest Relationship
Sure, you make good-for-you smoothies in your NutriBullet, frequent Hu Kitchen and The Butcher’s Daughter, and generally go for natural desserts over fake ones, but you’ve still got digestive drama.
And that, according to Larissa Hall Carlson, an expert in Ayurveda—the five-thousand-year-old Indian medicinal practice—is because what you put in your body is only half the story.
“In Ayurveda, the mindfulness of eating is more important than what we eat,” she says. “Changing the way people approach food really affects gas, bloating, and indigestion.”
As a teacher at the Kripalu School of Ayurveda, Carlson spends her days opening her students’ eyes to the principle that how you eat matters. Here Carlson tears a page of out of her Kripalu text book and schools us in the nine helpful Ayurvedic tips for great digestion… —Jamie McKillop
1. Eat only when you’re hungry.
The problem with eating when you’re not hungry (aside from possible weight gain) is that it leaves you feeling bloated and uncomfortable. “Only when your stomach is truly empty are your digestive enzymes strong enough to thoroughly break down your food,” Carlson explains.
“Really try and differentiate between eating out of necessity and eating out of habit, and take three to four hours between meals (the time it takes to fully absorb your food),” says Carlson. “It’ll make a huge difference in how you feel overall.”
2. Eat in a calm, seated environment—at a moderate pace.
Many of us are lucky if we can suck down a green juice while racing to catch the subway to work or yoga. But taking just a few minutes more has huge digestive benefits. ”When we actually sit down to eat, we can focus on the amount of food we are putting into our bellies and on chewing it thoroughly,” Carlson says. As for walking and eating? “Almost impossible,” she says. “People will only chew a couple of bites before swallowing, which causes the belly to do more work than the teeth.”
3. Really take in the smells, tastes, and textures of your meal.
Paying attention to the sensory details of your food matters! If you’re not actively smelling and appreciating the food you’re eating, your body won’t either, Carlson says. When you take time to soak in the smells, textures, and tastes, your stomach feels fuller after a meal, and you’ll spend the rest of the day a whole lot more satisfied.
4. Eat freshly-cooked foods.
If your food isn’t fresh, you won’t feel so fresh after eating it, according to Ayurveda. That’s because it’s lost its prana (“life force” in Sanskrit), which can leave you feeling tired and sluggish, Carlson says. So skip the heat-and-serve frozen stuff—she’s not a big fan of leftovers either—and spend a few extra minutes whipping up something new instead.
On Sunday 23rd of Febuary 2014, yoga teachers and schools around the world will donate their time and space to a two hour yoga session which is devoted to human rights.
The class should be held from 11AM - 1PM sharp, local time in each time zone, which will lead to a 24 hour yoga marathon around the world. Devoting our thoughts and energy globally to the human rights issue will generate a powerful impact.
Students attending the event will donate whatever tuition they can afford. All contributions are welcome and also students who can't pay at all – the money is important to help victims of human right violation but so is the spirit.
We love to see yogis from all styles participate in this wonderful event whether Iyengar, Bikram, Anusara, Ashtanga, Laughter Yoga…at the heart of any yoga style stands the union. Bringing all yogis worldwide together to devote their practice to this important cause will be a wonderful, spirited celebration of yoga.
Our aim is that as many nations as possible come together on this project, especially countries where human rights violation is a more dominant issue.
Monday, 23 December 2013
Are You Yogier Than Thou?
Yoga = Union
Yoga is defined as “union with the divine.” Yoga builds awareness of our bodies, feelings, the world around us, and the needs of others. It promotes interdependence between mind, body, and spirit. It helps us live the concept of “oneness.” In order to do so, we can step into awareness, as we honor and allow for different perspectives in how we choose to experience life.
As we practice, our instructors help our alignment in each posture until, eventually, we can intuitively feel proper alignment in our own bodies and adjust accordingly. We can practice this same intuitive alignment when we step off of our mat into our everyday lives. We can align with acceptance, non-judgment, and awareness of oneness.
The real yoga begins when we step off of our mat. So, if you catch yourself being yogier than thou, remember alignment. Remember union. Maybe try Nutella pizza. I won’t judge you if you don’t, in the same way we shouldn’t judge those who do.
courage
Why are warrior poses so prevalent in a yoga class? They embody strength, confidence and courage. They teach us how to work strongly while maintaining an inner lightness. They are the perfect blend of stirha (strength) and sukha (ease). They build energy to persevere through difficult times. They build heat, fanning our inner flame. They are conducive to becoming extremely centered at the naval center, like a samurai preparing to go to battle. Warrior poses help us cultivate tools to more effectively combat our deep-seated fears.
A movement is a change of position.
Here are some movements: Take a wide stride. Stretch your arms out to the sides. Turn your feet to the right. Bend your right knee to 90 degrees.
Follow these instructions and you will be in the outward shape of Warrior II, with or without a shirt and a background of the Himalayas
An action gets something done.
Here are some actions in Warrior II: Spread the soles of your feet. Press your outer left heel down and lift your inner left ankle. Press your left thighbone from the front of your thigh to the back of your thigh. Push your right heel down into the floor. Without straightening your leg, pull back from your outer right knee toward your outer right hip.
Lengthen your buttocks away from your back waist. Lift evenly on both sides of your ribcage. Release your shoulder blades away from your ears.
Spread the palms of your hands.
Saturday, 21 December 2013
For the last couple weeks, I’ve had the honor of teaching the U.S. women’s soccer team during their training camp. It is the third year I’ve worked with them, and what amazes me is how similar all athletes are when I work with them. I have also taught yoga to the U.S. women’s indoor volleyball team, the U.S. men’s and women’s sprint cycling teams, and several professional beach volleyball players. In my public yoga classes, NFL and NHL players often come to the mat during the off-season. These athletes play different sports and have different body types, but their needs and requests are similar.
What Athletes Actually Want
There is a misconception that athletes want a challenging and power-based yoga practice. While this is often true during the off-season (as I see with the professional football and hockey players who attend my power yoga classes in the spring and summer), when athletes are training or in-season their bodies are challenged to the limit during practice, weight lifting, and competitions or games. I always ask my athlete class members what they need before every yoga session and it is always a unanimous response of stretching and meditation.
Integrating Yoga Into an Athlete’s Training
When athletes are doing yoga prior to practice or training, then dynamic stretching is important to warm the body up. Dynamic movements such as the classical sun salutations are great for warming up the entire body. When yoga is scheduled immediately after practice, then static stretching is appropriate since the body is already warm. Relaxation pose, also called corpse pose (or savasana in Sanskrit), is an essential way to end the yoga session. During savasana is the perfect time for visualization and deep muscle relaxation.
For athletes, most training regimens include strength training, agility, power, and cardio (depending on the sport). Flexibility training and yoga is often minimized or skipped all together. So, to do more of a power yoga session when athletes are in training camp or in season is really doing them a disservice. Their muscles need to recover and lengthen rather than be engaged in strengthening poses. I often see a bit of grimacing while my athletes are doing their stretches, but at the end of the session they always feel better as their muscles have lengthened.
Yoga for Injury Prevention
Yoga is also important for injury prevention. When I hear about athletes with groin,hamstring, or Achilles tendoninjuries, I always wonder if it could’ve been prevented with a consistent yoga practice. Of course, there are some injuries such as ACL tears and concussions that yoga won’t prevent. But the hips, hamstrings, and calf muscles, and in some sports the shoulders, are taxed heavily during training and repetitive movement. Without stretching and lengthening these muscle groups, injuries are bound to occur over time.
How You, the Athlete, Can Incorporate Yoga
Yoga is becoming more popular amongst professional and Olympic athletes, but not all coaches are on board yet. In some cases it is due to time constraints and in other cases the coaches simply choose to stick with what they know and aren’t willing to try something new.If that is the case in your sport, then try adding the following poses on your own after training.
These poses will open up the hips, quads, hamstrings, and lower back. I recommend doing these poses after training or games when the muscles have been worked and need to lengthen and recover. While practicing these poses, breathe deeply and slowly in and out, through the nose if possible.
1. Lie on your back, hug the knees into the chest, and rock side to side.
2. Bring the arms out like a T, and as you exhale, lower the knees off to the right. The head can stay centered or gaze to the left. Hold for ten breaths and switch sides.
3. Hug the right knee into the chest for a few breaths. The left leg can be bent with the foot on the ground or extended out along the ground. Eventually straighten the right leg into the air with the hands interlaced around the right back of the thigh. Or if you have a strap, place it on the ball of the right foot. After twenty breaths, then switch legs.
4. Roll over onto your belly. Prop your chest up in sphinx pose with the elbows under the shoulders and the forearms flat on the ground. Reach back with your right hand and grab the outer edge of the right foot gently pulling it towards your butt. Keep the knee directly behind the hip. Hold for fifteen breaths and then switch sides.
5. Come up to all fours (hands and knees). Bring your right knee forward for pigeon pose with the right knee just a bit wider than the right hip and the right foot at an angle toward the left hip. Extend the left leg out behind you. Hold for twenty breaths and then switch sides.
6. Lie on your back with the soles of the feet in a butterfly position. The arms can rest alongside the body or above the head in a goal post shape. Hold for twenty breaths.
7. Straighten the legs out and rest your arms along side your body with the palms facing up in corpse pose (savasana). Use this time to visualize a specific area of your sport you want to perfect or visualize your biggest goal or intention that you have already manifested.
Give yourself six weeks to really absorb the benefits of adding yoga to your routine.Warning: You may become addicted!
There is no doubt that when you do yoga, you can benefit enormously from the stress relieving techniques and physical exercises that it exudes. Yoga teachers believe that the mind and the body must work as one. You must breathe correctly and ensure that you are comfortable throughout the entire session.
Believe it or not, wearing the wrong attire to a yoga class can have a big impact on your yoga practice. If you have the wrong attire, you may end up futzing with your outfit rather than focusing on doing the poses.
The following is a guide on the type of clothes that you should never wear to a yoga class.
1. Loose shorts and short shorts
Some women and men love wearing shorts when working out but they should not be worn to a yoga class.
As mentioned earlier, you have to be comfortable when performing yoga poses and the last thing that you should think about is whether someone can see your private business when you’re sticking your leg in the air or bending forward.
Loose shorts have a habit of bunching up when you move. When you wear them to a yoga class, you will end up pulling them down every five minutes. Instead of wearing shorts, you can opt to wear full length or fitted cropped leggings. This way, you will be fully covered and you will perform your yoga poses with confidence.
2. Light colored or old yoga pants
Yoga has a lot of revealing poses and you should do them without wondering if someone can see your privates.
3. Tops and bottoms that do not fit
Loose tank tops and t-shirts can be a distraction because they usually end up falling over your head when you do a pose such as down dog. They can also be very uncomfortable to wear if you are not comfortable letting your belly show. If your top is too tight, it will interfere with your movements and impede breathing. Same case applies to bottoms that are too tight. A long fitted tank top is more ideal because it will stay put and keep you covered no matter which pose you do.
Ensure that the tank top has a higher neckline to prevent flashing your cleavage when you get into certain positions. Some tank tops may seem okay when you are standing but when you get to certain positions such as down dog, they become revealing. Light colored tops are also risky to wear to yoga practice because when you sweat, they also become revealing.
4. Wrong undergarments
The wrong underwear can lead to serious problems such as chafing and odor. Women should stay away from thongs as much as they would like to avoid panty lines showing on their yoga pants. Seamless underwear made from moisture wicking material is best to wear to yoga practice. Cotton underwear should also be avoided because as much as it absorbs sweat, it also takes a little longer to dry. Underwear made out of synthetic fabrics such as tactel, coolmax and supplex are moisture wicking and will not stick to the skin when you sweat.
In addition, women should ensure they invest in a good sports bra. Wearing an ordinary bra to yoga is not ideal because it will move around too much during your practice. Men can choose to wear compression shorts over their underwear to keep everything in place.
5. Shoes
Shoes are not allowed in yoga classes no matter how fancy they are. Most studios have shelves where you can put your shoes before you enter the yoga room. Removing your shoes before going into a yoga class is part of yoga etiquette. You do not necessarily need to go for a pedicure before practice but you should ensure that your toenails are short and neat to avoid cases of broken toe nails.
In short, choosing what clothes to wear to yoga practice should not be about making a fashion statement. Yoga focuses on flexibility, control and calmness so clothing should not interfere with achieving these goals.
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