Fluid Fusion

Lately I have been straying from my traditional yoga practice a little bit. While I still incorporate yoga into my weekly workouts, I have been adding ballet and pilates as well. While these are usually more "body" and less "mind" focused than yoga, I find they have similar benefits.

Each of these types of exercises creates lean, strong muscles and uses your own body as a resistance as opposed to dumbbells or other weighted devices, machines or props. Each practice improves balance and builds flexibility with low impact.

Because there are not many of these classes available at my local gym, and I do not have the time or resources to travel around to all the different studios and gyms in the area to find the different kinds of classes that I am interested in, I have begun checking out different DVDs from the library to explore different kinds of movement and exercise. Even though some of these are dated, the workouts being demonstrated are still useful and legitimate.

The video I tried today, Sarah Picot's More than Mat Pilates, adapted Pilates movements that are typically performed on a reformer machine to the mat. The exercise routine was intense without being rushed, and with varied movements that focused on strengthening the core muscles.

She laid out several principles of Pilates that her workout was based upon:

• Breathing. Similar to yoga, Pilates recognizes the importance of the breath and synchronizes movement with the breath. However, unlike yoga, you inhale through the nose, but exhale through the mouth.
• Naval to spine. This alignment was practiced throughout the workout.
• Imprinting. This terminology means for your body to relax, your spine to be neutral and there not to be any space between the floor and your back. Imprinting creates balance in your body.
• Articulating your spine. While yoga encourages practitioners to keep a straight spine, in Pilates, you often curve your back. As you curve your back, you focus on moving one vertebra of the spine at a time. Articulating the spine helps to restore fluidity in movement, creating flexibility and reducing back stiffness.
• Flow. As in vinyasa yoga, this Pilates workout moves smoothly from one exercise to the next, in sync with the breath.

Reading Now: My Stroke of Insight

I just finished reading an amazing book recommended to me by my yoga teacher, My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey by Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D. Dr. Taylor is a neuroanatomist who suffered a massive AVM stroke in her late thirties, and this book records her detailed memories of her actual stroke experience, as well as the significant changes in perception that occurred as a result of the stroke.

Because of the stroke, much of Dr. Taylor's left brain was damaged which caused her to rely on her right brain much more heavily. The book discusses the divergent ways in which the right and left hemispheres of the brain allow us to perceive the world, and the different functions that are managed by each side.

Dr. Taylor's mind opened her up to a whole new way of looking at the world. Here were some of the interesting points that stood out to me from her experience:

• "Most important, I had to be willing to try. The try is everything. The try is me saying to my brain, hey, I value this connection and I want it to happen. I may have to try, try and try again with no results for a thousand times before I get even an inkling of a result, but if I don't try, it may never happen." (italics in original, p 94) "For a successful recovery, it was important that we focus on my ability, not my disability." (p. 118) Dr. Taylor found that reaching for small goals and celebrating small achievements and living in the present moment ultimately allowed her to accomplish more difficult tasks and allowed her to see the enormity of her progress, made in tiny increments, over time.

• " ... the experience of Nirvana exists in the consciousness of our right hemisphere, and that at any moment, we can choose to hook into that part of our brain. ... peace is only a thought away, and all we have to do to access it is silence the voice of our dominating left mind." (italics in original, p 111) "To experience peace does not mean that your life is always blissful. It means that you are capable of tapping into a blissful state of mind admidst the normal chaos of a hectic life." (p 159) We can all achieve peace of mind.
  

• We can decide the person who we want to be. We don't have to be angry or irritated or short-tempered or mean. We can release judgment and competition and criticism. We can open ourselves to our more intuitive, expressive, and accepting right mind and embrace compassion instead of negativity. In reconstructing her self and re-learning who she was, Dr. Taylor decided to forgo the competitive side to her personality in favor of a more open demeanor.

• We are constantly making choices about how to respond in any given situation. If a certain episode triggers a knee-jerk response, our system has 90 seconds to let that emotion wash over us. After 90 seconds, we have the ability to release that initial reaction and engage in a more open, empathetic approach. We can learn to observe our body's triggers, responses, emotions and thoughts and choose the way that we want to express ourselves.
  

• When we act positively, we send out positive energy which then attracts positive energy to us. In this way, we can help shape our own world to be more pleasant.

Taylor's book is truly a "yogic" way of looking at life - through her experience, she found herself literally feeling one with the world around her. Viewing her life through her right brain helped her to see everything in a completely new way, and realize that we all have access to seeing the world through those eyes, if we just - in her words - "step to the right".

Learning Flexibility

I was so excited about my plans for this weekend. Several months ago, I booked a weekend at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, a retreat center in the Berkshires in Massachusetts. The weekend program was to be taught by David Swenson, a renowned expert on Ashtanga yoga. I have read David's books and use his primary series DVD to practice at home, and was really looking forward to meeting him and exploring my Ashtanga practice through the workshop.

Unfortunately, when I flew into Washington, DC to connect through to Albany, NY, I found out that my flight was cancelled due to extreme weather conditions in the northeast. Furthermore, when I discussed my flight situation with Kripalu, I discovered that David Swenson's travel plans were also hampered by the weather and he would not be able to make it to the center either.

Wow. What a bummer. My trip, which was to be my one "me" weekend away this year, was completely turned upside down. Not to mention that I was now hundreds of miles from home in Washington, DC.

Usually in these kinds of stressful circumstances, I would get anxious and depressed. However, after discussing my options with my husband, I decided to stay in Washington, DC for the weekend and visit with my sister-in-law, who lives in the District. She was so gracious to ask for a half-day off of work in order to spend time with me.

I ended up having a great weekend with my sister-in-law, eating at wonderful restaurants, shopping in fun little boutiques, exploring the landmarks, and of course, painting the town red at night.

To top it all off, I even found a small yoga studio near my sister-in-law's house, Boundless Yoga, where I was able to practice both Saturday and Sunday mornings. While the classes that I took were not the typical Ashtanga or vinyasa flow classes that I normally take, it was good to take time to slow down and on focus on alignment and form in Iyengar-style hatha yoga classes.

Even though I wasn't able to focus on the flexibility of my body the way that I expected to this weekend, I was able to practice flexibility in my attitude and heart by "going with the flow" and choosing spontaneity over disappointment. The weekend was fun and exciting - not at all what I had planned, but a terrific vacation nonetheless!

Today's workout:

90 min. hatha yoga practice

60 min. walk around DC

28-in-28 yoga challenge

I just finished reading Living Oprah by Robyn Okrant, in which she takes on all manner of challenges introduced by Oprah Winfrey over the course of a year (more on that later).

Instead of tackling someone else's goals, I am working toward my own of establishing a daily practice. I already have an almost-daily yoga habit (about 5-6 days a week). However, I usually practice in the evenings after I put my kids to bed, and if my husband and I have other plans, then my yoga time may go by the wayside. This 28-in-28 challenge, originated by blogger Sarahsana and brought to my attention by blogger YogaDork, suggests that we spend some time - whatever time we can - each day in the 28 days of the short month of February on our yoga mat. Hopefully, having this challenge will give me the extra impetus I need to carve out some yoga time even if it isn't my "usual" practice time.

Today's workout:
53 min. hill interval run (6.51 mi)
30 min. resistance training/plyometrics
75 min. primary series yoga

Zipping into the Second Series (or not)

Sunday I had the pleasure to take Cathy Yoshimura's three hour workshop on the Ashtanga Second Series at Yoga on High in Columbus, OH. Although I practice the Primary Series several times a week, and have occasionally practiced certain asanas from the second series in various vinyasa classes, this was my first formal approach to the second series as a whole.

For those unfamiliar with Ashtanga, it is a form of yoga that "is based on a specialized sequencing of postures and focused breathing techniques." (David Swenson's Ashtanga Practice Manual, p. 6) The primary series is most commonly practiced as it is the most approachable. The poses are challenging, but not impossible (for the most part!). The second series, however, is a different story for mere mortals like myself. The second series builds on the foundation created by the primary series.

According to Swenson (pictured left), the Second Series is a nerve-cleansing practice due to the number of backbending postures. He writes in his Practice Manual,

"Our spine is the housing for our nerve center. By bending and twisting the spinal column, we are encouraging and maintaining suppleness on a physical level as well as opening energy channels to allow prana to flow freely on the subtle plane. This cleansing and toning occurs in each of the four series of Ashtanga Yoga. The Intermediate Series is particularly focused in the energetic regions of the spine, pelvis and hips."

While many of the traditional Ashtangis are fairly dogmatic in their approach to learning and mastering these asanas, Cathy's outlook was slightly more unconventional. She encouraged us to work incrementally, using blocks, straps and the wall when necessary, and listen to our own bodies as we worked our way into the poses. She did not push or crank us into any posture for which we were not ready.

It was a great introduction for me to the Second Series and made these postures a little less daunting. I am not sure that I ready to practice the series as a whole on a regular basis, but I will definitely start practicing some of the methods that Cathy suggested for individual asanas.

Today's workout:
30 min. hill interval run (3.0 mi)
60 min. ballet body class
50 min. heart-opening yoga

Opposing Directions

After doing yoga, I often feel more composed and at ease, even though I usually engage in an active, vigorous practice. Whereas my other exercise regimens (like running or weight lifting) leave me feeling exhausted or invigorated and enthusiastic, but do not bring me the same sense of calm that I receive from yoga.

As I was moving through my poses tonight, I thought about the way yoga asks our bodies to move in opposing directions. In utkatasana (chair pose), the tail bone moves down toward the earth, while the arms are reaching up to the sky. In Virabhadrasana II (warrior II), the front and back legs are moving away from each other, while not moving from where the feet are planted on the mat. And so on. We use our minds to activate our bodies and our muscles to create a tension of opposing forces, while finding our center to balance out these oppositions.

In life, we are constantly doing the same thing - attempting to find balance admist opposing desires and forces pulling us in incompatible directions. In yoga, we use the strength of our abdominal muscles in our core body to balance out the movement in our limbs. In life, we use the core strength of who we are to find our balance. We can use the peace of mind that yoga brings in our daily routines to help us juggle the stress and demands of modern life.

Today's workout:
60 min. elliptical/hill routine (5.9 mi)
20 min. resistance training
60 min. yoga

Yoga on my Own

Lately I have been attempting to break free of the yoga DVDs at home and take ownership of my practice. I find this concept somewhat intimidating and not something that I can accomplish all at once. I still use a DVD most days, but two or three times a week I will develop my own sequence.

I found a wonderful tool today on Yoga Journal's website. Under the "poses" tab, click on "build a sequence". You can browse through a variety of poses, divided by their difficulty level (all levels/intermediate/advanced), choose the ones that you would like to add to your sequence, and then organize them according to your preferred order.

You can print out your sequence. The pages will display a nice photograph clearly displaying the posture, along with its sanskrit and English name. The only downside to this was that each page only holds 4-5 poses, so you end up with several pages stapled together that you have to turn as you move through the flow.

To develop my sequence this evening, I looked up the pose that I wanted to focus on (Natarajasana / Lord of the Dance Pose). In reading the description of the asana, I looked up the preparatory and follow-up poses and used those as the foundation of my sequence. I inserted vinyasas throughout and created a 6o minute active flow that focused on balance and backbends.

Today's workout:
35 min. run w/ hill sprints (4.6 mi)
35 min. resistance training
60 min. yoga

Yoga Misconceptions

Yoga Alliance, the organization that develops standards for yoga teachers, released results from a survey suggesting that people who don't practice yoga avoid it due to misconceptions about it. Yoga Alliance summarizes these misconceptions as follows:

• People assume that yoga is religion-based. According to their survey, 57% of those who do not currently practice yoga believe that it requires mantras or chanting related to a form of worship.

• Non-practitioners believe that yoga requires flexibility in order to practice. Their poll shows that nearly 3 in 5 Americans who do not practice yoga think that it requires a person to be in at least "decent" shape.
  

• Finally, respondents opine that yoga is not really exercise. Half of men who have never practiced yoga believe it "isn't a workout." In contrast, Yoga Alliance claims that 73% of people who do practice believe it is just as effective as running, swimming or weight lifting.

These assumptions are being made yoga "outsiders" based on their experience of yoga through pop culture, observing their yogi friends or acquaintances, peeking in on classes in their gyms or community centers, or other casual encounters with the practice. Yoga Alliance is trying to reach out to the public to encourage them to try yoga, and arguing that these points are misconstruing the nature of yoga. However, like many stereotypes, these "misconceptions" do have some basis in reality ... they are not completely out of left field, in any case. I would like to examine each of these "misconceptions" individually.

Yoga is Religion-Based

When I first began working out, I avoided yoga because I viewed it as a "new-agey" pursuit. I pictured a bunch of hippies sitting around in lotus position, with flowers in their hair, wearing tie-dye with their eyes closed and chanting "OM". When I finally tried out a class, I surprised by the athleticism involved.

However, as I pursue yoga more deeply, it is quite clear that there definitely is a spiritual aspect to it. Unlike most other athletic pastimes, yoga is accompanied by a set of texts, some of which are considered sacred. In addition, the physical aspect is only one branch of a multi-limbed practice that also involves ethical and moral teachings. One of the texts most yoga teachers study is the Bhagavad Gita, a central text in the Hindu religion that delves into philosophy. Advanced yogis often travel to India and seek out tutelage from a respected guru. Meditation, a spiritual practice, is often linked to yoga.

Some teachers shy away from this aspect of yoga and stick only to the physical asana practice. A few even advertise their classes with "No Om-ing" or "No Chanting". Others will mix in a little spiritual side, maybe by offering an inspiring quote during savasana or asking the participants to chant "om" at the end or beginning of the class. Still other teachers will encourage their students to pursue the philosophical side of yoga more actively and interweave the spiritual teachings with the physical practice.

While yoga itself is not a religion, there definitely can be a spiritual side. However, if this part of yoga is off-putting, it is certainly possible to seek out a practice that focuses on the physical postures.
Flexibility is Required to Practice Yoga

This is another "misconception" that hits close to home. I have always had very tight hamstrings and difficulty doing forward bends. I was quite intimidated by the bendy people I saw in yoga classes.

In truth, many yoga asanas require a great deal of flexibility to reach their full physical expression. However, that does not preclude anyone from practicing yoga. Each yogi approaches their practice from their ability on any given day. Our practice helps us to find our limits and explore the abilities of our bodies. A knowledgeable yoga teacher will offer a variety of modifications with yoga poses so that students of varying levels can complete a pose at their comfort.

Yoga encourages a non-judgmental attitude towards your own body and acceptance of what we are able to accomplish. One of the most reassuring mantras that I received early on in my practice was, "If not today, then tomorrow". When a person first comes to yoga, she may not possess a gumby-like ability to stretch her muscles. However, if we keep up with our practice and have patience with ourselves, our bodies will change and adapt.


Yoga Is Not a Workout

To someone who spends their time sweating it out on the treadmill, it is easy to see how they might peek into a yoga class, see the class lying on their mats with their eyes closed in savasana, and dismiss yoga as a non-athletic activity. Yoga does have its moments of quiet and rest and most teachers value that time as much as the more active periods.

In truth, there are many different styles of yoga, with varying levels of athleticism. For the most part, yoga is not a high impact, high level cardio exercise that is going to burn the same number of calories as running ten miles. Yoga can be a still, restorative practice, or a more intensive, powerful flow of movement. Some styles of yoga crank up the heat, so not only are you moving vigorously, you are sweating like a pig.

I generally practice Ashtanga yoga, or vinyasa flow yoga. In this style, there is definitely a lot of movement. Throughout the practice, I do many, many push-ups. It requires stamina to hold the poses and move through the flow. The practice requires core strength to balance. It is, without a doubt, a workout, but not a workout in the same way that my running is a workout. Yoga can help you lose weight, develop muscle tone, and improve your cardiovascular health.


Yoga, like many things, is a complicated and multi-faceted concept. It has many different permutations, so characterizing yoga in one way is difficult. The "misconceptions" so labeled by Yoga Alliance could definitely be true in some cases, but in many more situations, are not going to describe the type of yoga many people are practicing. If someone takes a yoga class and is turned off by one aspect of it, I would encourage that person to try a different class and/or different style of yoga and see if that is a better match. Ask questions before you take a class to try and meet your expectations.

Personally, I found that my own misconceptions of yoga did not fit with my experience of the practice. However, as my practice of yoga developed, my needs changed and I sought a deeper, fuller understanding of what yoga could offer.

Today's workout:
50 min. run (6.4 mi)
30 min. resistance training
60 min. yoga

Gratitude

In my private yoga training, I have been working on setting intentions for my practice. In line with that, I selected a home practice based on Shiva Rea's empowering sequence in Yoga Journal. In this flow, Shiva Rea assigns mantras associated with the specific emotions evoked by each asana.

As I worked through these poses and focused my intentions, I was overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude. The vinyasa yoga flow was indeed empowering and as I moved through each posture, I became aware of my own strength and possibility. I felt a profound gratefulness for my body, for the movements that I am able to make, for carrying me through my life.

So often, we take our bodies for granted ... not thinking of them at all, or simply treating them like a shell, or even a hindrance. We abuse our bodies by eating poorly, ignoring signs of sickness, willfully engaging in habits that damage our bodies like smoking.

But our body is our life. We experience our lives through our bodies. We all have to meet our physical needs - on a daily basis - before we can accomplish anything else. As children, we express ourselves physically first. We clap to show happiness, reach up to our mothers to show love, duck our heads when we are shy. When we are healthy, we are happy. When our bodies our strong, our minds are invigorated. The muscles and tendons and ligaments in our bodies support us, allow us to express ourselves and carry us through our lives. Overcoming physical challenges gives us courage to tackle other kinds of situations. When our body's health deteriorates, our lives become tenuous. Instead of ignoring your body, take a moment to say "thank you" for all the work your body does taking care of you. Make sure that you are taking care of it!

Today I am thankful that I have a healthy body.

Today's workout:
60 min. elliptical (interval program) (5.72 mi)
35 min. resistance training
60 min. yoga

Saucha / Purity

Today, in my private session with my yoga teacher, we discussed the concept of the niyama of saucha, or purity. Swami Shraddhananda describes the ways in which we incorporate this niyama into our lives:

Saucha is purity that operates on many levels. We aspire to cleanliness for our bodies by washing ourselves, maintaining clean and orderly homes, eating healthy food and drinking clean water. We aspire to cleanliness in our minds and speech by not polluting our minds or speech with negativity or grasping after emotionally and physically charged obsessions. In other words, we find a balance that gives us a way to feel ourselves as clean and clear. As are the other yamas and niyamas, saucha is a pre-condition for experiencing the fullness of yoga and attaining enlightenment.

In our practice today, we focused on cleansing breaths and using the bandhas to contain our energy within the body.

I found it ironic that this evening, when my husband and I were relaxing in front of the TV, he chose to watch the A&E show "Hoarders". This show focuses on individuals who suffer from compulsive hoarding, which leads to horrendous messes with disastrous consequences - potentially losing their children to foster care, the threat of homelessness from eviction, separation from family members. We have been watching this show for a few months and it has definitely created an impetus for me to create order and cleanliness in our living space. I even hired a professional organizer for a few hours to help me with some perpetually cluttered spaces.

While saucha certainly deals with internal purity of mind and spirit, the cleanliness and purity of our outside spaces matters too. When we feel comfortable and free in our living space, we can have clarity of thought and vision. As the cluttered spaces in my home became open and organized, I felt a weight and anxiety physically leave my body - an opening and release of tension that I had unknowingly been carrying.

This time of new year's resolutions and self-improvement is a great time for reflection on ways that you can incorporate the concept of saucha into your own life.

Today's workout:
35 min. run (4.30 mi)
60 min. private training yoga
60 min. yoga @ home

Yoga: Class v. Home Practice

Today I was so happy to revisit my old stomping grounds at the JCC and join the yoga class in which I used to regularly participate prior to a lifestyle/schedule change. It was such a pleasure to practice in a community of familiar faces.

However, in returning to this studio, the evolution of my practice over the past six months became clear. I became aware of some of the differences in doing yoga in a class setting versus establishing a home practice. There are advantages to both methods, and each way may have drawbacks, according to what a person is seeking from their practice at any given moment.

I thought I would set out some of the key features of each way of practicing yoga.

Yoga in a Class Setting

• Class days and times established by yoga studio
  
• Poses and sequences determined and led by a teacher
• Adjustments or advice may be available from teacher
• Yoga studio may provide additional equipment (mirror, blocks, straps, etc.)
  
• Teacher may provide additional challenges or modifications as necessary
• Practicing amid a community of like-minded peers

Yoga as a Home Practice

• Practice times flexible, determined by you
• Poses and sequences flexible, determined by you
• No external feedback provided - you can learn to monitor your own body
• Equipment limited to what you purchase or borrow
• Challenges or modifications determined by you
• Practice alone

For me, I have noticed that I feel a greater ownership of my practice now that I break out my mat on a daily basis. Being away from a studio or gym setting that provides regular yoga classes, I have more motivation to practice on my own. In the past, if I missed a scheduled class, I would just wait until the next class came around, even if it wasn't for a day or two, rather than roll my mat out at home. Now, I set aside time to practice every night, even if it isn't at the same time or for the same duration each night.

Also, I am able to customize the poses and sequences to match my own physical needs and mental attitude. While I thoroughly enjoyed the class today, it was not necessarily the same combination of poses that I would have chosen on my own. In some ways this is good, because it widens my perspective and keeps me from getting stuck in a rut; on the other hand, I want to make sure that I stay aware of my own goals and use them to direct my practice.

I enjoyed practicing with the use of a mirror today. I haven't been able to see myself practicing in a while. I definitely noticed an increase in flexibility and an improvement in form since I last saw my reflection in yoga class (several months). I also liked having the teacher adjust my form when necessary. I miss these forms of external feedback when practicing alone.

While I am happy that a daily home practice has rejuvenated yoga for me, returning to a class setting provided me insight into my practice as well. I will continue to practice at home, and keep my eyes open for more opportunities to join classes.

Today's workout:
60 min. yoga @ JCC
60 min. yoga @ home

New Year Resolutions, Cont'd

At the Jewish New Year, I set a few goals for myself. These centered mostly around cultivating a positive attitude and bringing peace to my life and my family. For me, it is definitely important to re-visit these resolutions and so that I can re-align my focus to continue to strive in that direction. Lately, my patience has been sorely tested .... which is the time when it is most important to maintain a level head and clear vision. I am not always (rarely) successful, but reminding myself of my goals always helps to keep me on track.

I thought with the impending calendar new year upon us, I would also set out some fitness-related goals. The cold winter weather has had a negative impact on my motivation, but in past couple of days I have felt re-invigorated. Setting some new challenges will help keep me energized and active.

What I hope to accomplish in 2010:

• Continue a weekly running routine, averaging no less than 30 miles a week.
• Run at least seven 5K races in the summertime, with the goal time being 21:30.
• Continue a daily home yoga practice.
• Develop my hamstring flexibility.
• Introduce some Second Series Ashtanga poses in my yoga practice.

What are your resolutions for 2010?

Today's workout:
75 min. run (8.52 mi)
15 min. resistance training
75 min. primary series yoga

What a Pain in the Neck

I had a great weekend, but because I went out in the evenings with my husband and my friends every evening, I was unable to do my usual daily practice. I was able to run in the mornings at the gym, but since I typically practice after the children have gone to bed, I did not have time this weekend. So I was really looking forward to getting back into it today!

At the gym this morning, instead of running, I took a "rest" day, and did the elliptical machine instead (a little less harsh on my knee and ankle joints). I noticed after I got off the machine, I had a lot of neck and shoulder tension, that radiated down into my left arm. Before the ballet body class, I did a few stretches that alleviated the pain somewhat.

When I was able to get on the mat, I did a modified primary series practice (stopping after navasana). I noticed several poses that were able to help with the neck, shoulder and arm pain:

• Padangusthasana (Big Toe Pose): This pose stretches out the upper back, and is easy to relax into. Hooking the fingers on the big toes, or in the follow-up pose - sliding your hands under your feet - pulls your body into and targets those upper back muscles, relieving some of the tension.
• Parivritta Parsvakonasana (Revolved Side Angle Pose) / Parivritta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose): When I do these standing revolved poses, I press the back of the arm moving toward the floor against my leg. That action creates a stretch in that shoulder.
• Marichyasana series I, II, III & IV: In each of these seated poses, you reach your arms around your legs. The third and fourth poses are twisting poses. Each of the asanas provides a stretch to the spine and shoulders.
• Balasana (Child's Pose): Not only is this a resting, relaxing posture, when the arms are outstretched in front of the body, it provides a gentle stretch for the shoulders as well.

These poses allowed me to stretch the upper back, shoulders and neck, and provided much needed relief for the tension that I was feeling there. Next time you are feeling stress in those areas of your body, take a minute to try some of these poses and feel better.

Today's workout:

50 min. run (5.29 mi)

50 min. ballet body class

60 min. yoga @ home

Enlighten Up! It's a Movie!

I finally got an opportunity to view the documentary, Enlighten Up! This movie was recently released on DVD, and is available from Amazon.com. I, of course, made the mistake of purchasing the DVD from Amazon at $19.95 plus shipping, before realizing that it was available through my cable On Demand service for only $4.00. Needless to say, I will be returning that online purchase.

Filmmaker Kate Churchhill recruits Nick Rosen, a 29-year-old New Yorker, to be her guinea pig in a yoga experiment: Can yoga transform anyone in six months? Nick comes from an interesting background, with a shamanic healer mother and a corporate-looking criminal attorney father, and he seems somewhat skeptical of the claims of yoga, but ready to embark on this yoga journey!

The movie opens with a series of short clips of celebri-yogis giving quick answers to questions about what is yoga. Clearly, this is meant to demonstrate the wide range of opinions and viewpoints, as contradictions and differences readily arise.

Contradictions abound in this film as Kate and Nick travel around the United States and India, sampling yoga classes from all styles of yoga, including Bikram-style, Jivamukti, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Laughter Yoga, Dharma yoga, and many more. Nick connects strongly to the physical side of yoga, identifying the happiest moments of his life as arising through striving for physical fitness. However, Kate seems to be aiming for Nick to achieve her own agenda, pushing him to seek a more spiritual level to yoga that he doesn't seem to be comfortable with.

Even though the physical side of the practice most appeals to Nick, the teacher he is initially drawn to is not the one with the most physically demanding class. He connects with Dharma Mittra, the teacher in whose class he felt the most comfortable, whose world view was more closely aligned with his own, and who Nick felt emanated warmth and humor.

I find this interesting, because it shows that no matter what your goals are in yoga, even if they are just toning your body - that people matter. When Nick meets with David Life, David tells him that if he wants to get more out of yoga, to "surround yourself with a group of people who stimulate that burning desire." Fitting in with your community is an essential part of yoga - or any part of life. When you feel connections with other people, you are more likely to grow as a person yourself.

When pressed about the spiritual quest that Kate wanted him to pursue, Nick continually responded with his need for facts and evidence. Without dismissing the potential for yoga to spiritually transform other people, he did not seem to find sufficient evidence that would lead to such a change in himself.

I enjoyed the movie. I found the interviews with the various gurus enlightening and was amused by the many different permutations that yoga can take. Even as an avid practitioner of yoga myself, I found some of the followers positively kooky ... and other patently offensive (Diamond Dallas Page, "T&A, not Namaste" - yuck).

The film also opened my eyes a little bit to the ways in which yoga can go in a direction that I am uncomfortable with. Although I do appreciate the spiritual possibilities of yoga, and the ways in which it can help me strive to be a better person - seeing other Ashtanga yogis literally bowing at the feet of Sri Pattabhi Jois made me cringe.

In any case, I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys documentaries or has a strong interest in yoga. If you are able to watch it, let me know what you think!

Today's workout:
30 min. run (4.18 mi)
20 min. resistance training
60 min. private yoga training
60 min. yoga @ home

With Peace and Acceptance

Yesterday, I read an interesting blog post from Yogic Muse about finding the line between pushing yourself against your limits and not engaging in self-harm. Coincidentally, when I met with my yoga teacher today, she set a similar intention for our practice: focusing on ahimsa. Maria pointed out that ahimsa, the yogic principle of non-harming, starts with ourselves. I tend to be a "Type A" personality and sometimes push myself very hard, and can sometimes push myself too far with regard to the physical aspects of yoga.

As our practice went on, we started working on bhujapidasana. While I can get into this arm balance pose when I am practicing at home, it is not a graceful or flowing process. I sought Maria's advice on getting into the pose more smoothly and possibly some modifications. In any case, while attempting to get into the pose, I fell flat on my face! So embarrassing. Also, it hurt! It seems that in the midst of striving to achieve a difficult posture, I lost sight of our original intention - ahimsa - and my determination to do "better" actually caused me harm.

Maria took this teachable moment to point out the ways that ego can interfere with our practice, and that yoga can be about putting aside the ego. Through yoga, we can become aware of our bodies, and we can accept our bodies for what they can do today. Each day our body may be different, but when I practice yoga, I do so in the present moment, with whatever abilities or limitations I currently possess. Another yogic principle is santosha, or contentment - acceptance of what we have, or who we are.

So, for today, my intention is to practice with both ahimsa and santosha, both on and off the mat.

BTW, the photo above shows my amazing daughters practicing yoga at home with the help of their Yoga Pretzels deck. Love it! (and love them!)

Today's workout:
30 min. run (4.0 mi)
60 min. private session yoga
60 min. yoga @ home

Headaches and Yoga

Tonight I was really suffering from a sinus headache. I occasionally get these, and the pain is very intense, especially if I sniff. I needed to practice tonight, though, after having neglected my asana practice for the past two nights, so I set out my mat despite the pain and went for it.

At the start of the Sun Salutations, the pain was almost unbearable, and I nearly gave up. Particularly, each time I went down for a forward bend, and then rose up again at the end of the sequence - yowza!

However, I noticed the pain easing gradually with each sun saluation, and the stuffiness that I had been feeling was abating. As I went into the Sun Salutation B sequence, my headache was almost gone. I also more aware and attuned with my breath throughout this practice. My chest, nasal passageways and head felt clearer and the intense pain was gone.

When I got to my computer, I checked out some information about headaches and yoga here and here and here. This information confirms that yoga has been shown to be beneficial to treat and prevent headaches - those sites refer primarily to tension headaches, and not sinus headaches. Most of the information I found also recommended a gentle, restorative practice to deal with headache pain, and I was doing a more vigorous Ashtanga practice, but that is what I am accustomed to, and it worked for me.

On a side note, my body was feeling very stiff and crunchy after two days of no yoga (even though I did run and work out on both of those days) ... now I am feeling juicy and flexible and alive! Yay for yoga!

Today's workout:
60 min. interval elliptical (5.66 mi)
25 min. resistance training
75 min. primary series yoga

Starting Yoga for Fitness

Recently, I have had two friends approach me independently asking for advice on getting started doing yoga to improve their overall fitness. Specifically, they have expressed interest in improving their flexibility and toning their muscles.

Here are a few of my thoughts:

1. Try out several different teachers/classes. There are many different styles of yoga, and even the same type of yoga can be taught in a very different way by each individual teacher. While you can choose the class that is most convenient, that may not be the perfect match for you. In addition to the Columbus JCC, great power yoga classes can be found throughout Columbus, at Yoga on High, V Power Yoga, through Tracey Gardner, just to name a few!
2. Introduce yourself to the teacher and don't be afraid to ask questions. Let the instructor know that you are new to yoga and her class ... let her know that you are open to receiving adjustments (if you are) - that means that you are willing to have the teacher put her hands on you to physically help you move into the pose. While you shouldn't pester the teacher throughout the class, remember the questions that come up as the class is going on, and bring them to the teacher afterwards. Most teachers are more than happy to clarify, explain or demonstrate for a couple of minutes after class.
3. Focus on your body and the breath during yoga. While in certain types of exercise it is fine to "zone out" and just let your body move (like running or biking), in yoga, you keep your mind zeroed in on what your body is doing. Be aware of your alignment, find and stabilize your core strength, identify the muscles working in each pose. Listen to the cues and prompts provided by the instructor, and apply them to your body to move into each posture.
   
4. Listen to the your body. Use the awareness of your body and modify your practice as needed. Most yoga teachers will provide adjustments for different levels of flexibility and strength. Use modifications as needed -- if you are not able to get into the full expression of the pose, it is usually better to do a modified version rather than attempt to push your body farther than it is able to go. Identify areas of weaknesses or tightness in your body and send your breath to those areas ... you can do additional poses or stretching exercises throughout the week to work on those areas of your body.
5. Release yourself from judgment and competition. Every body is made differently. Don't pay attention to the people next to you in class and try to judge yourself against them. Maybe they have been practicing for 20 years, maybe this is their first day too. Maybe they are double-jointed, or maybe they have rheumatoid arthritis. It doesn't matter -- yoga is not a sport or a competition. If you can't go into a pose today, that's OK - each time you practice you might go a little deeper. You will gain something each time you practice.

If you are interested in checking out books or DVDs for developing a home practice, Gaiam and Acacia are good resources. Also, Yoga Journal online has tons of articles and guidelines for many yoga poses.

Good luck! Let me know how your yoga journey progresses!

Today's workout:
65 min. run (7.73 mi)
40 min. resistance training

Searching for Santosha

One of the niyamas (a set of guidelines for our internal self) is santosha, which can be described as contentment. In Yoga Mind, Body & Spirit, Donna Farhi writes about santosha:

[it] is the ability to feel satisfied within the container of one's immediate experience ... it is a sign that we are at peace with whatever stage of growth we are in and the circumstances we find ourselves in ... we practice patience and attempt to live as best we can within our situation until we are able to better our conditions.

This is a difficult quality for me to capture and something that I really need in my life right now. In my yoga practice, I can see how the asana practice can help me learn to live santosha in my daily life. As I accept the physical limitations of my body, I can likewise peacefully acknowledge the challenges and stresses I experience each day. And just like I continue to stretch and develop my muscles and flexibility and strive to extend my physical abilities, I can take measures to overcome any obstacles in my daily life as well. It comes down to a matter of attitude. The challenges will still be there ... but why not meet them with contentment and peace rather than aggression and anger?

Inhale: contentment
Exhale: judgment

Today's workout:
50 min. specific endurance run (5.88 mi)
75 min. primary series yoga

Opening my Heart

Tonight I did a heart opening sequence from YogaDownloads.com. It was the perfect balance that I needed tonight of challenge, flow, balance and rejuvenation. The sequence included lots of twists and binds, like revolved side angle (with bind), revolved chair (with half bind), bird of paradise, and supine spinal twists.

Some teachers will say that twists will "detoxify" your body and "wring out the spine" ... and I am not quite sure I am on board with that. I will say, however, that after that practice, I feel more open and my body feels freer. My heart has opened metaphorically as well - I feel happier and lighter. In his book Yoga: The Poetry of the Body, Rodney Yee writes about twists:

"[Twists] are good for releasing tension in your spine, breaking open the outer bindings of your hips, and squeezing and releasing the sponge of the body. Twists allow you to be soft, fluid and organic in your body movements. When you use force in a twist, it reveals how your mind is often directed and determined, reminding you to lead more from your center - your belly - and simply observe with your mind.

rising energy from the earth
spiraling spine from the legs
opening chest to the sky
surrendering mind to the breath"

Today's workout:
60 min. progression run (7.71 mi)
25 min. resistance training
60 min. yoga

Random Thoughts

No real concrete ideas for posting today, but a few random thoughts from the day:

• Inspiration

A friend of mine, also in her early/mid-30s, just completed the Chicago Marathon. She trained hard for the event and was so excited to participate. She brought her whole family from Columbus to Chicago to support her and they made a mini-vacation out of it. It is wonderful to create new challenges in our life all the time, to keep us fresh, active and innovative. She is an inspiration to me, and a great role model for fitness and joy for her children as well.

• Three Dimensions

The instructor in my ballet body class today took the group in a contemporary/modern direction today, rocking out with new music and introducing new moves. He emphasized the importance of remembering that our spines and bodies move in three dimensions. This helped me to bring awareness to my body and improve my alignment. By moving in all three planes, we strengthened our muscles and joints and created more functional movement.

• Finding Balance

In that same class, we spent several minutes doing back leg raises, which the instructor suggested were reminiscent of a modern dance style inspired by Horton (whose work I am unfamiliar with). These were variations of what, in yoga, we would call Warrior III pose. We stood on one leg, raised the other behind us to be parallel with the floor, and lowered our body so that it was level with the leg, forming a "T" shape with our entire body. We did several repetitions, with arms at our sides, out like an airplane, reaching out in front, and alternating sides. Not only was this an exercise in balance and form, it also strengthened our supporting leg and lower back muscles. The class inspired me to focus on balance in my home yoga practice this evening.

Today's workout:
45 min. run + strides (5.52 mi)
60 min. ballet body class
60 min. yoga